Evening star., 1928-03-18
WATSON REEVES
OLD ORGANIZATION
Senator Uses His Forces of
1926 to Combat Hoover
in Indiana.
special Dispatch to The Star.

| RdHlHdIlOn WOIk LIle ITlCf1uS Oh senator
James E. Watson and Herbert Hoover
will employ in the battle for Indiana s
Republican presidential Endorsement
was seen this week when both camps
sprang into action.
M. Bert Thurman, Senator Watson S
campaign manager. called into action
the organization which the Senator
used in the 1926 primary when he de-
fcatcd Claris Adams by vote of $780,
| $50 to 127,70i. for the senatorship
nomination. Save in a few instances,
! this organization had been kept intact
and almost overnight, when the Hoover
| invasion came. it was recruited and set
| to work
| At the same time, Oscar Foellinger,
| Hoovcr's State manager, lost no time
and with the assistance Of James p
/ Goodrich. formerly governor; E. M.
Wasmuth, formerly Republican State
| chairman. and others, once lieutenants
| in th2 faction lead by Goodrich: Will
| II. Hays and Postmaster General New,
| started building up his own machine.
Propaganda Starts.
! State headquarters for Hoover were
| established in an Indianapolis hotel and
/ no sooner had they been opened than
I stream of publicity and propaganda
! obtained from national headquarters
went pouring forth to the voters. Harry
I Hogan of Fort Wayne. who managed
/ Mai. Gen. Leonard Woods campaign
/ here in 1920, joined the Hoover staff
J and publicity director was employed
If it was uncertain whether Hoover
/ intended to enter the Indiana prima-
! rieS until the last minute for filing the
! thorough preparations made for his
candidacy do not indicate there was
/ any doubt. Foellinger and his aids ap-
parently were prepared not only to file
/ the Secretary'S name. but to start his
campaign at once. AS matter of fact
/ the Hoover people probably have pro-
! CrcSscd further in the last week toward
/ the completion of their organization
! than has the Watson managers a fact
| that indicates TO many that the Hoover
! directors had prepared in advance for
! the step they have taken.
! Foellinger has outlined a plan of or
gani2ation which contemplates man
and woman manager in each district
/ county and precinct. 1t will be much
more thorough than that, however. as
/ he hopes to have man and woman
working for Hoover in each block in the
cities and each section in the rural dis
trictS. Matched against this will be
| similar Watson organization down to
| the precincts, where approximately 20
men and 20 women will be recruited
for precinct services.
Speeches to Be Few.
The campaign will be unusual in
that 1t will be practically speechless
Hoover. according to Goodrich, will
make no speeches IN the State and
aside from organizations meetings. 1t
Is not likely there will be much SPELL
binding on the Hoover side. Watson.
when he left here for Washington few
days ago, said he would return for a
series of speeches, but not until nearer
the primary, May 8.
| Surprise Is still manifest in political
circles over Hoover's step in permitting
! his name to be filed in Indiana. MANY
observers believe that he had nothing
| TO gain by coming In as he did They
point out that under the Indiana
! primary law, he must sweep the State
against Watson In order TO win the
support of the States g delegates to
| Kansas City.
/ II he carries a district or two. the
/ delegates still will be bound to Watson
them. There is nothing III the primary
! law that would give Hoover the dele
! gates from a district he might happen
| TO carry. unless the delegates wished
| 10 go TO Hoover after Watson releases
| them. Political observers believe that
| Hoover could have obtained the same
Scc0nd-choce support by working in
harmony with tie Watson organization
rather than by forcing a Statewide
battle. As the situation Is. Hoover Is
making n bid for the whole delegation.
and If he loses hc IL depending on the
| second choice support of delegates from
any district he riigh' carry.
Editors Back Watson.
| Senator WatSc MS CANDIDACY. already
| Endorsed by the 10 HooSicr Congress
men at ashing on and by the Repub-
lican State committee. also has been
approved by the Indiana Republican
Editorial Association. Hoovers friends.
however. assert that the editors who
Endorsed the Watson candidacy repre-
sent only the smaller daily and weekly
newspapers. while the Secretary has
the active support ct many OF the
larger city puhi 'atiorS.
Much criticism aimed at the Hoover
camp ha, been directed also at Good
rich. because many lave rrad In his
activities an ambition 10 rcaSscrt HIM
self as II power III Republican internal
affairs Foellinger apparently Scnscd
that when he issued statement assert
Ing that Goodrich. Hays and New had
very little to do with bringing Hoover
| into the state. In reality. he said. they
opposed the move on the ground that II
was not good politics
The fact that Hays has figured In
the Teapot Dome probe at Washington
! IN Il not very favorable light also has
hurt the Hoover candidacy to some eX-
tent The newspapers opposed To
Hoover are playing up Hays testimony
before the Senate public lands COM
mtttec, and are printing caustc edi-
toriais about Deacon Hays,
Seen Biow 10 Hoover,
Many observers believe that HooVer's
chances in Indiana would he much bet
ter II Goodrich and Hays never had
figured III tn picture. 1t VIII be dim
cult now to remove them. II Is said.
and Hoover II bound Ia suffer aa un-
popularity that may be attached To the
pair
/ Wiil IRWIN. wealthy philanthrophiSt
nf Columbus has been made president
of the ilonaicr Republican Club, which
will be an integral part u. the Hoover
drive IL H. Barnard formerly State
food and drug commissioner, has been
made secretary and Il vice president
| will be- selected in each OF The Ia con-
grcssinnal districts, Irwin helped
Adams IA hts night against Watson and
| barnard was member of 0oodrch'a
| state administration.
| HAROLD G, FEldHrNER
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