Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-08
ILLINOIS OCCUPIED.
BY PRIMARY LAWS
Legislatures Action Means
Much to Presidential
Campaigns.
rial Dispatch tu Thn star.

Special Dispatch to Thn star.
CHICAGO. H.. January Gov.
Len Smail's call for special ses-
sion OF the legislature 10 convene Jan
uary 10 TO consider new direct pri.
mary legislation. is giving politicians
of both major parties plenty 10 think
about these DAYS. Upon the action
of the legislature. depends the ques
ton of whether Illinois shall select It's
delegates to the Republican and Demo.
cratic national conventions, pledged
to presidential choices. by primary
election. or by the system Of party
conventions which obtained 20 years
ago.
should the legislature manage TO
substitute new law for the one
which minor courts i'm the State have
declared unconstitutional. in time, the
group supporting Frank .. Lowden
for presidential preference would have
pretty good chance 10 control a
ma ior portion OF the States 81 dele
gates. Should the legislature fail 10
get into action soon enough. and the
convention system prevails. the Re.
publican State machine. which is
under the dominance of Mayor VIII.
liam Hale Thompson of Chicago. for.
mer Senator William Lorimer and
states Attorney Robert f.. Grove of
Cook County. aligned with Smalfs
down State faction. might we'll be able
10 throw Lowden completely off the
track In his home state.
Ma Love for Lowden.
Thompson. kingpin of the Chicago
and Cook County Republican group.
has no love fer Lowden. Lowden
was governor during the World War
tie ciaaractiged Thompson who had
said M The time that Chicago WAS the
sixth German rity Of the worid-as
the most dangerous man Ia American
politics
Like the old story. f"Off ag'in, on
sg.in. Finnegan." the alliance of
Thompson and Small for State control
In OF ag'in. on ag'In constantly. Small
wants ThompsOn's support Upstate II
he isAia be a candidate for renomina
ton. and. although Small has said
nothing about ID. II IL presumed that
he will he a candidate. However, south
Of The Cook County line. Thompson liz
not such a mammoth figure, Lowden
ts. Small knows that. all OF that.
Wherefore the governor is In
.uandry. Shall he tell Thompson 10
jump in the lake and depeHd upon
f.owdens friends Downstate--o shall
he try 10 nlaIntainfa balance between
Thompson and 1.owden. which. off.
hand. seems an impossibiiity? Its a
difficult question to decide, and Mr..
Small has not decided.
Thompson. aside from limiting that
he would mt ohjec, II his boys in
Cook Count. give him 20 delegates
Of Cook County in the national party
convention. has not named his presi-
Dental candidate. He has a platform
flood control. farm relief. America
. first and inland waterways All he
has TO say about the presidential cam
paign liz that he will take off his coat
and work for the candidate who
stands on those four planks.
Dawes Aid Seen.
Vice President Dawes Ii not can.
didaie. ffe will not he candidate
AZ long az his personal friend. Frank
Lowden. has u chance for the nomina'
ton. Thompson IN opposed TO only
one candidate I'm the field. asOwed 0s
oiherwiee--fIowden. There IN u rumor
current In Chicago. which IL not con-
firrned by either Thomnson or Lori
mer. that Thonlpson's support viii 30
10 Daw Yves in the convention. no mat
ter how the States delegates may b*
pledged beforehand, Thompson In not
Opposed 10 the Vice President.
The Democrats have said very little
about either State or rational Offices
In Illinois. II Coy. Small IN a candi
date for reelection ~ governor there
viii be at ieast three Republicans he
fore the people Small Attorney Gen
erai Oscar CarlFtf0m and Secretary
| II State Lou l.. Zimmerman.
PAUL X LEACH.