Evening star., 1928-03-07
Politics at Large
BY C.. Gould Lincoln.

Jockeying with the presidential pref
erential primaries. In the seventeen
States which hold such primaries, has
become merely another job for the cam
paign managers of candidates for the
presidential nomination. The primaries
are intended, or so 1t was DeneVeo
when the primary system was SET up
In various States, to give the voters
chance to express their preference ior
presidential candidates If all AZ states
had primary laws. uniform in charac-
ter. and the delegates to the national
conventions lived up TO the instructions
given In the primaries, the selection OF
presidential candidates might be mace
by the voters IN the States instead OF
the delegates in the national conVen-
tions. But they do not. Even the seven
teen States which have primaries 10 eX-
press a preference for presidential cam
didates do not have uniform laws.
~ y
So the presidential primary has be-
come merely another straw 10 snow now
| the wind may be blowing. II candi-
date runs we'll in some OF the primary
States, he Is said to be strong. And
| the campaign managers OF residential
candidates undertake. 20 rick the States
| in which to enter their candidates, 60
| ing into those only in which they te-
| lieve their candida c.; have chance
| to make a good showing. 1t would he a
far more sporting proposition, and also
! give far better Indication OF rea! popu-
| larity of candidates, IL they all we're en-
tered ir all the primary States. Fur
| thermore, II a candidate for The presl-
dental nomination announced that he
intended TO 60 into all the primary
States, 1t would put an end TO talk That
| he was discriminating against this or
| that "favorite son" candidate. 1t might
also do away with many favorite son
| candidates., which have little back OF
them but State pride. and which serve
merely TO make possible boSS-controlled
conventions, with certain party leaders
picking and choosing and sometimes
disregarding entirely the desires OF the
voters when 1t comes to making NOM
| ination.
The presidential preferential primary
| situation this year presents strange
picture. Secretary Hoover OF the Dc
partment of Commerce. on the Repub-
| lican side, is entering more primarj
| States than any OF the other candi-
dates. He has determined to go into the
| primary in Ohio. challenging Senator
Frank B. Willis, a favorite son, for the
| delegation there He Is considering en-
tering the primary In Indiana, where
Senator Jim" Watson, like Senator
Willis in Ohio. is a favorite son. He
| has filed in Maryland and Michigan
| and will in California, his own State.
and oregon and New Jersey, and may
/ n, son,e Of the other States
But we find no contest in Illinois be-
| tween Mr.. Hoover and Frank 0. Low
| den. former governor OF that State, nor
| in California, Mr. Hoover'S State. be-
tween Lowden and Hoover. Senator
Willis and Senator Watson are not en-
tering the primaries in California
against Mr.. Hoover. Mr.. Lowden Is
staying out OF the primaries IN Michigan
and Oregon because his managers be-
lieve that he would be defeated by Mr..
Hoover in those States and thereby
injure his prestige with the country.
-
This effort to play safe In playing
the presidential preferential primary
game may be good strategy. but 1t does
not appeal particularly TO the voters.
A little more courage In facing the
issues squarely in the primary States.
even those presenting "fayorite sons,
| would be acceptable.
The great difficulty for the manager
OF the presidential candidate lies In the
fact that the primaries do not really
settle anything. Too few OF the States
hold primaries to make their results
really effective in the national conven-
tion-effective TO an extent that winning
primary preference means winning a
presidential nomination. Here and
there o candidate may pick up good
block of delegates by entering primary,
and thereby help himself But he may
Offset this gain by antagonizing another
set Of delegates in a State which he
does not win. and making the oppo-
sition of the latter delegation more de-
termined In the national convention.
For the last reason. 1t has become a
kind of tradition not to enter states
which are presenting favorite sons. II
is not considered either kind or polite,
To do so may stir UP trouble for the
party organizations in the States. and
that is held not to be chubby. either. -.
Mr.. Hoover has raised for himself
some bitter enmity by his entry into
Ohio. a favorite son State. and doubt
less would raise more by going into IN
diana. But at least he cannot be
the issue. 1t seems ridiculous that
candidate for the presidential nomina-
ton should be debarred from seeking
the preference Of any State merely be-
cause a native or n resident or that
State wishes TO put himself forward as
a candidate also.
Pennsylvania. the second most popu-
Lane {,~ fy,Nta
dental preference primary ON April "a.
The last day for filing. though voters
petition. 10 enter this primary was
March 5. No Republican candidate
has filed. 1t Is generally understood
that the unsettled political situation
In the Keystone State. with the MELONS
and Ware dividing control. would not
have been aided by the entry Of MIR.
Hoover. for example. into the primary,
There was talk of an uninStructed dele
CATION by the Pennsylvania Republican
leaders, And SO no one entered the
primary This makes the primary
law In one OF the greatest States little
more than farce. But Il also serves
to emphasize the fact that presidential
primaries hsve become little more than
"A field for jockcying~~a field In which
to gain little publicity for the can
didates and perhaps few votes.
-
The decision of Senator Thomas J
Walsh OF Montana. u dry Democrat and
one Of the most widely known nrm~
bcrs Of his party. To permit the entry
OF his name III the California prcSiden-
tial primary. has stirred up the ami
mails" Here was a delegation that had
been reckoned practically sure for Gov,
Alfred T.. Smith of New York. IL IL
true that Senator Reed OF Missouri also
has announced his intention of entering
the California primary. But Smith was
believed 10 have u long start And
now In day. almost. the situation has
been teopardiged for Smith. IL II a