Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-18
Leaders Believe G. O. P.
"Corruption" Assures Sue.
cess for United Party.
CHOICE OF GOVERNOR
TO HEAD TICKET FEARED
Would Bring Certain Defeat, Say
0bservers-Urge Him to
Follow McAdoo.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.
staff CORRESPONDENT of The Star.

INDlA NAfO Inu., oepleIlO OeI
17.-Indiana's democracy would en-
gage in a spasm of joy If Gov. AL
Smith of New York should declare
himself out of the race for the presi
Dental nomination next year. One of
the most prominent Democrats in the
State expressed to me the hope that
Gov. Smith would see his way clear
to such a declaration.
The announcement received here
from Washington today that William
Gibbs McAdoo, one of the principals
of the disastrous Madison Square
Garden fight of 1924, had taken such
a course gave added hope to the
Democrats that Smith might elimi.
nate himself and make it possible for
the party to unite once more on a
third candidate.
The Democrats of Indiana in a
measure are selfish in their desire
that Gov. Smith withdraw effectually
from the presidential race. Because
of the scandals which have developed
in Indiana involving the Republican
administration of the State and the
Republican organization, the Demo
Gratis see an opportunity to "clean
up with their State ticket next year.
Smith Would Hurt Chances.
But if Gov. Smith should be nomi-
mated this opportunity is lost, they
say frankly. The nomination of
Smith at the head of the Democratic
national ticket would be fatal to any
Democratic hope. 1t would lead, they
say, to a renewal of religious and dry
prejudice, which would sweep every
thing else aside and give the State
to the Republicans both nationally
and in the State elections. Indiana
is strongly Protestant and dry and
Quite as frankly the Democrats
here say that Indiana is a Republican
State, numerically speaking. Gov.
Smith would lose the State, they add,
by half a million votes IL he were the
party standard bearer. 1t might even
give the Ku Klux klan a new lease
of life, and the efforts Of the State
at present are to get as far away from
klan influence as it is possible.
Revelations of the corrupt prac.
tees INDUCED in by Republicans in
connection with representatives of the
Klan in recent elections in Indiana
have shocked the State profoundly.
They have thrown the fear of God
into the Republican organization.
They have reused Democratic hopes
to the nth degree. The Democrats
see their chance to elect a State ad-
ministration for the first time since
the late Senator Ralston was gov
ernor. There is a wide demand on
the part of the voters, Republican as
well as Democratic, to throw the
rascals out" all of them.
Would Separate Tickets.
To have Gov. Smith nominated in
the present situation here would be
particularly disastrous to Democratic
hopes. Hence the widespread desire
on the part Of the party to see Gov
Smith declare himself out of the pic
ture, and in such way as to relieve
the situation of bitterness in national
politics.
Indeed, If he should be nominated
the Democrats here will do their best
TO separate the National from the
State campaign, seeking to elect their
state tickets and, if necessary, let
the National ticket go by the board.
why not" said one Democratic
leader. "Tammany in New York has
played selfish game frequently in
the past, giving the national Demo-
cratic ticket the go by so long as it
could get its way in New York State
and City"
Have FavOrite Son.
The Democrats of Indiana have a
favorite son to put forward for the
presidential nomination, Evans Wool
len. one Of the foremost bankers of
the Middle West, qualified in every way
to be President. "Tom" Taggart, the
veteran Democratic boss of Hoosier.
dom, and the State organization gen.
orally, has indorsed Mr.. Woollen for
the presidential nomination. They are
bent on taking a solid Democratic
delegation from this State to the ma
tional convention next year for Mr..
Woollen and it looks as though that
would be the course followed.
Deep down in their hearts the Demo.
Gratis have little hope of nominating
Mr.. Woollen. He has no background
of political success. He was defeated
for the Senate in the elections last
year by Senator Arthur Robinson, but
they intend, If possible. to hold the
party together and to avoid strife by
instructing the delegation to the ma
tional convention for Woollen. If the
lightning should strike him. however,
Unexpectedly, they would be over
joyed. With Woollen at the head of
the national Democratic ticket, they
would be confident of carrying the
State for governor and other State
officers.
AS strongly as the Democrats hope
Smith will not be nominated, the Re-
publicans here hope he will be. They
see in his nomination one sure way