Evening star., 1928-03-25
HOOVER'S INDIANA
CAMPA|GN IS SLOW
Sponsors Rely Greatly on
War Food Administration
Organization.
spe ial p,.ns,ch to Tn. star.

SNetfS8 AhSAFtCh To The NtsF.
INDIANAPOLIS. IND. March "a
Herbert Eoover'S campaign for Indi-
ana's 80 delegates to the Republican
national convention at Kansas City
against Senator James E. Watson the
States f3vorite son. is getting under
vssv 50 slowly that good many political
Observers are predicting 4 Watson vic
tory al The primary May s. Hoover s
leaders, admitting they arc confronted
with a serious problem in building up a
Statewide organisation IN the next six
weeks, appear to be confident of the
result however. and assert that a
ground swell will swing IN their direc-
tlon by the time the ballots are counted.
In general the Hoover people have
been forced TO rely on the food admin
iStration which Hoover. as national
food administrator during the war. built
I'D. and on what is left OF the old ma
chine that once followed James p
Goodrich, formerly governor; Harry s
New. Postmaster General, and VIII
Il HAYS. movie cEar and formerly
State and then later national Republ-
can chairman. That the food admins
traticn would be pressed into service for
Hoover became assured when DR.. Harry
E BaTnsrd, Indiana food administrator
during the war. took over the executive
secTetaryShip Of the Hoover campaign.
Time Has Worked Havoc.
Msnifestly, however. 10 years has
worked havoc not only with the food
organization. but the Hays-Nev Good
rich combination has suffered At first
glance il would seem that the Hoover
people might rely on the pcStmaSterS
who are ioysl 10 their chief. bat in
ssrAuch as these men are appointed By
their local Congressman and the Con-
creSsFnen are supporting Watson. il
would seem that the Senator will set
the "hresk" among the pcslmasters.
So far Hoover appears to have
strength IN the twelfth and thirteenth
districts, both in the northern part of
the State His following in tt
twelfth district can largely be account
FOR by the fact that he Is being ST
ported By the Fort Wayne News-Sen'
mel. largest newspaper In the district
One OF the publishers Of the paper is
Oscar Foeilinger. Hoover's State CAM
psign manager. There has been con-
siderable anti-watson sentiment in the
thirteenth district for years.
Wayne County in the eastern part of
Indiana and peopled almost entirely
BY Quakers. probably will be carried by
Hoover. who came Of Quaker parentage
Wsyne County has the largest vote in
the sixth district Senator Watson's
predicting that the remaining counties
viii save the day.
New Doomed as Delegate.
An interesting angle of the fight.
which involves q local factionai prob
lem, has cropped out in Indianapolis.
Friends Of New. fearing that he viii not
have a place on the big seven delega-
ton at large" if Watson wins. have
started a battle to make him one of the
two Marion County delegates to the
national convention Ralph A. Lemeke.
one time county chairman and leader
Of the Jewett-Lemcke faction. has un-
6cTtsken the task To do that he must
crush the machine led sy George v
CcGin Marion County Republican
chairman and regarded as one Of the
frGxt astuse political leaders in the
State. Although CONN now is facing
trial on a charge Of having conspired
II bTfbe former Gov. McCray. the
the county organization. II he does.
two pro-Watson delegates viii be picked
and New viii be left out.
One Of the most powerful organiZa-
tons IN the State Is the Indiana Fed
Grafton Of Farm Bureaus. composed Of
more than 10000 farmers. From w
n Settle, the president. on down the
line the federation officials are fight
ing Hoover with every means al their
command
Hoover leaders are findins that the
support Of HAYS and Goodrich is prov
ing decided boomerang Many Re-
publica1s believe that Goodrich is seek.
ing 10 regain control Of the Republic
an organization under the Hoover flag
and while they are not particularly
friendly 70 Watson, their fear OF Good
rich is overcoming their scrlpies. The
Watson people lost no time In using
Soyz' involvement in the oil scandals
as club with which to hit the Hoover
candidacy.
Candidates Linked TO Watson.
The race TO some extent has become
involved in the 10-side goyernorship
contest While both Watson ana
Hoover apparently are keeping their
hands OF. several Of the leading con-
testsntS seem TO be willing TO back
Watson. The political waters have been
nsudcted 70 an uncertain degree by the
demand Of Thomas H. Adams. orig
tn2tor Of the political probe in the
State Tor a congressional Investigation
os the EooSter situation
Ao&n0S. IN telegram 70 Senator
Capper of Kansas, asked that Congress
look into q report that two Hoosier
CoDgressn9en had made contracts with
D. &. Stephenson. formerly grand
dragon of the Ku KIux KIan and now
serving life sentence in prison, for
disposal Of patronage. Aoanns said the
Congfeasnen we're Ralph UpdiEe Of
indianapolis and Harry T. Rowbottom
Of Evansville, both candidates for re-
nomination The Watson people are
fearful that Adams may turn his guns
or tS7e Senator.
Senator RobinSons attempt In the
Gerate 70 8nk Gov. Smith Of New York
snc HaFry Sinclair together was looked
CD mere a. an attempt on the part Of
the Senator 70 bolster up his campaign
for denomination. BY singing out the
Catholic governor many saw a move
by Robinson 10 encourage the Kian
element IN Indiana u greater efforts in
the primary.
HAROLD C. FEIGHTNER.
O