Evening star., 1927-04-11
Hiram JohnsOn's ''Cure" Brings
Praise and HumOr From Press

the White House table. We cannot
all be Presidents. Hiram johnson
came mighty near to being one-much
nearer than he knew until two years
later. He could have had the vice
presidential nomination of the Repub-
lican party when Harding was elected.
but he refused to play second fiddle to
any man and felt that the offer was
for the purpose of keeping him quiet.
Had he accepted. he would have be
come President. but he is now wise
enough to know that presidential OPP
pOrtunity is not in the habit of knock
ing twice at the same door,
The Providence Journal Gndepend-
entl. however, suspects that the Sena-
tor may wake up any morning and
find himself in regular presidential
fever. in spite of everything. includ
ing the errors for which he has only
himself to thank-the refusal of sec
ond place in 1920 and his unforgettable
treatment of Mr.. Hughes four years
earlier
He is in a position to get fuller
appreciation of the joy of living" in
the opinion of the Toledo Blade Gnde
pendent Republican,, which feels that
when a man ceases taking himself
too seriously and gives his natural
sense of humor a chance TO manifest
itself, he is on his way to complacency
and happiness. The Hartford Times
independent Democratic) also sees the
lighter side of the incident, remarking:
HE has kissed the idea gOod-by for.
ever and obeyed the Shakespearean
adjuration, 'Prithee, fling aside ambi-
tion,' at least in any sense that would
tempt him to contemplate rehnqulsh-
ing the modest position which he oc'
cupies among the gentlemen who sit In
the presence of Senator Borah at
Washington and endeavor to gain
tenancy in the White House.
y x = x
Ever since the pre-convention cam
paign of 1924" declares the Seattle
Daily Times independent Republican,.
Hiram has maintained deep, I'M
penetrabIe silence. He has been forced
to the conviction that the people
didn't want him for President. This
depressing thought clogged the flow
of oratory and of criticism somewhat,
and he has cultivated the useful habit
of listening TO what others have to
say. If he suffers no relapse, the
country win he immensely pleased.
1t is possible that the Senator's con-
stituents have intimated strongly that
the interests OF CdilIOFflld WOulu D6
better served if he should devote his
efforts exclusively to the business Of
being Senator. There are important
things which California desires at the
hands of Congress and the admins
tration, and the habit of dragging his
picket rope all over the range has not
helped matters much"
''The Senator's case is of special in
terest." according to the Brooklyn
Daily Eagle independent Democratic),
''since the method of treatment that
proved so successful may be applied
to other sufferers. Complete isolation
of the patient, politically, and the
light laughter of those who were
tolerant of Hirams idiosyncrasies did
the work. The cure is highly recon-
mended."
The New Orleans Tribune Gndepend-
ent Democratic) recognizes the in
teresting character of the California
Senator's announcement, but holds
that ''it would be much more comfort.
ing to perplexed and fearful Demo
cratic leaders if they could be assured
that the germ has been. thoroughly
eradicated from a certain governor
and an ex-Secretary," -