Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-12
When Silence Is Golden.

This is the period of political Jockey
ing. No candidate for the presiden-
tial nomination in either of the major
parties is anxious at this time to be
put forward as a pacemaker: to be-
come the target for all other potential
candidates. No candidate wishes to
make the running more than a year
before the nominating conventions,
only to be passed in the stretch by an
other who has been saving his
strength for the squirt. In a measure
this explains the seeming reluctance
of any of the most prominently men,
toned presidential possibilities to take
official and formal cogniZance of
booms which have been started for
them. None of them has yet said
in unqualified terms: II am candi-
date"
SO far as the Republicans are con-
cerned, this reticence is due largely
to the inability of the politicians to
read conclusively the mind of Presi-
dent Coolidge. The woods are full OF
probable candidates for the nomina-
ton If Mr.. Coolidge should decide to
take himself out of the 1928 picture.
Hoover and Borah, Longworth and
Lowden, Dawes and Johnson, and so
on, almost ad infinitum. But none OF
them is anxious to start at this time
II the President is to be an entry.
True, there have been some attempts
already at organizations in the inter
est of former Gov. Frank 0. Lowden
Of Illinois, "the farmers friend" But
Mr. Lowden himself has maintained
an absolute silence regarding his
plans. He has declined to comment
in any way upon the veto Of the Nc
Nary.Haugen farm relief bill by Mr..
Coolidge.
Never has President Coolidge been
more silent about anything than he
Is about the presidential nomination
next year. The Coolidge silence has
become almost a household phrase in
this country. The wisdom of his ST.
lence is equaled only by its propriety.
Mr.. Coolidge would lay himself wide
open to attack if he should by word
or sign announce his intention Of be-
coming a candidate to succeed him
self. He would reduce his influence
practically to the zero point If he said
he would not be a candidate to sue
coed himself-that is. his influence
with the Congress. He might, 1t is
true, undertake to select his successor
and hustle for delegates for his choice.
Roosevelt picked William Howard
Taft in 1908 and materially aided him
toward the nomination in that year.
( But such a proceeding would be for
eign to Mr.. Coolidge, Furthermore, it
Z IS entirely proper that the President
should give him whole time and atten-
ton to the administration of the af-
fairs of the Nation, without reference
TO another term of Office. BY his ST.
lence, although the politicians are
clamoring for information, tho Presi'
dent virtually says to the country: Il
am on the job, your job"
In the Democratic party the lime
light turns upon Gov. Al Smith of
New York almost as brightly as it
does upon President Coolidge on the
Republican side of the fence. But
does Gov Smith consent to an organ.
ization to boost his candidacy at this
time? He does not. He does not deny
he is a potential candidate. But. like
the rest, he is intent just now on let
ting the office seek the man.
This silence, this reluctance on the
part of presidential possibilities. Of
course, cannot maintain forever. In
some of the States presidential pref.
erential primaries are held, and held
early. This is particularly true Of
States in the West--South Dakota,
for example. In those States the vot-
ers declare their choice for the party
nominations. And when the prima-
ries are held some Of the candidates
will be forced into the open. Until
then-silence and watchful waiting.