Evening star., 1927-11-16
Politics at Large
By G.. Could Lincoln.

The situation in the Republican
camp becomes increasingly mixed as
the days pass. The latest develop
ment is the suggestion that Judge
William s. Kenyon of Iowa be can
didate for the presidential nomina ton.
Judge Kenyon formerly was Senator
from that State. and many of his ad.
mirers have regretted that he retired
from political life and accepted appoint
ment to the bench. The interjection of
the name of Judge Kenyon is a case in
point of the muddled situation. Not
that Judge Kenyon is not available
and qualified for the presidency. but
because he has been out of politics
for several years, and it is not likely
he would have been mentioned We're
it not for the fact that MANY OF the
Republicans of the West and Middle
West are not satisfied with the candi.
dates who have SO far been trotted
out.
During the Republican national con-
vention of 1924, Judge Kenyon was
placed in nomination for Vice Presi-
dent. His nomination. it was reported,
was entirely acceptable to the admin
stration. But he encountered the op-
position Of strong Eastern leaders,
among them Secretary Mellon of the
Treasury Department. Pennsylvania
and New York delegations turned
thumbs down on the Iowa man. Others
were lined up, and the Kenyon boom
for second place on the Coolidge
ticket did not progress. Probably the
same forces that worked against
Judge Kenyon in 1924 would again
oppose him, and particularly for the
presidential nomination. The sup
porters of Judge Kenyon hope that
the convention may become dead
locked, and that he may prove a COM
promise candidate between the East
and the West. He is in no sense a
candidate for the nomination. AS
member Of the Federal bench, he keeps
aloof. So far there has been no sug
gestion that the Iowa delegation, re-
garded as practically certain to sup
port former Gov. Frank o. Lowden
of Illinois for the nomination, shift
to Judge Kenyon. But should the
Kenyon candidacy really come into the
open. it would be harmful to Mr.. Low
den in Iowa. Senator Smith w. Brook
hart is already opposed to the nOmi-
nation of Mr.. LOwden. He would much
prefer Judge Kenyon. But Senator
Brookhart and other members of the
so-callcd Republican progressive bloc
have virtually gone out on limb for
Senator Norris for the presidential
nomination. This group, while it
might be willing to support Kenyon,
will stand by Norris. according to Sen
ator Brookhart himself. But if it be-
comes apparent that Senator Norris
cannot be nominated, the members of
this group would gladly turn to Judge
KENYON, rather than to either Lowden
Or Vice President Dawes
Iowa boasts today several presi.
Dental possibilities. In addition to
Judge Kenyon, Mr.. Lowden and Sec
retary Hoover are native sons of that
State.
Senator Walsh has cast down the
gauntlet to the supporters of Gov. AL
Smith of New York. In an address to
the National Womens Democratic
League, Senator Walsh declared that
the nomination of an outstanding wet
would throw the whole wet and dry
issue into the campaign. Without
using the name of the New York gov
ernor. Mr.. Walsh made it clear that
he had the New Yorker in mind. His
structures applied. however, equally
we'll to Senator Reed of Missouri and
to Gov. Ritchie of Maryland. Not only
did the Montana Senator insist that
the nomination of a wet would inter
ject the prohibition issue, no matter
what the Democratic platform might
contain about law enforcement or the
like, but he declared that the country
was overwhelmingly dry and that the
Democrats merely courted defeat If
they nominated a wet. This is the
most recent defiance of the Smith
boomers. 1t may be signal for in
creased activity among the dry Demo
Gratis against the New York governor.
Recently everything appears to have
been going the Al Smith way.
Not few dry Democrats, opposing
the Smith nomination, have suggested
that Senator Walsh himself be given
the presidential nomination. They be-
lieve that his nomination would be ac-
ceptable to the Catholic Democrats who
are supporting Smith in the North and
East and throughout the country. for
Walsh also is Roman Catholic. They
overlook the fact, however. that many
of these Democrats are also vets and
ardently wet.
The dyed-in-the.wool vets are
hoping to turn the dry South to ac-
count in the election. They believe
that If wet Democrat can be nomi.
mated, the solid south will still cast
it's electoral vote for the party ticket.
BY this maneuver they hope to make
use of a large block of votes that
ordinarily would be cast for dry.
They count on the race question in
the South to keep these States in the
Democratic column, no matter whether
the party nominee be wet or dry. Not
unnaturally many Of the dry Southern
Democrats, who are also anti-Cathol1c,
do not like the idea Of being used in
this fashion. But to date the anti
Smith forces are rather hopelesSly
mixed as to the best course to pursue.
They have no outstanding dry Demo-
crat to whom to turn so far. Further
more, there is a growing belief that
il would be better to permit the nomi-
nation Of Gov. Smith in 1928 and there
by eliminate Smith from considera-
ton in 1892, if he were beaten. II he
won by any chance, the Democrats
would be in the saddle in the ma
tional administration, which would he
pleasing to a goodly number OF South
ern politicians.
Senator William f. Borah of Idaho.
himself a presidential possibility, is
again insisting that the Republican
party take definite stand in it's plat.
form for the enforcement of the prohi.
bition law No halfway measure
would suit him. He wants prohibition
mentioned in the platform. Like
Senator Walsh of Montana, the Idaho
Senator believes that the country
would overwhelmingly vote dry. Mr..
Borah has aligned himself with the
Progressive group which Is opposing
the nomination of Gov. Frank o.
Lowden, and is. indeed, one of the
leaders of that group. 1t is not be-
yond the bounds of possibility that he
will become the leading figure in that
group during the coming session of
ConDress Ii he receives the sllnnnrt