The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-06-07
'LOWDEN GROUP
MEETS WATSON
IN CONFERENCE
Secretary's Foes Count
Strength and Look Over
FavOrite Sons
HOOVER MEN CONFIDENT
Coolidge Will Get Big .Ack.
knOwledgment' Vote on
First Ballot

Kansas City, June 7.-R)-The
opposition I, Herbert Hoover set
tied down to serious thinking today
in the belize that unless the drift
toward him can be stemmed his
nomination is inevitable.
Stop Hoover or it's Hoover-that
slogan-like phrase expressed the
sentiments of delegates and party
leaders already on the ground, five
days in advance Of the Republican
convention.
Having lost all hope of checking
the commerce secretary's rapid &C.
emulation of delegates in contests
before the National committee
where Hoover supporters numbering
more than GO won seats over unin-
structed and hostile delegations
the cabinet members foes began
counting up their combined strength.
They hoped to find a block suffi-
ciently large to prevent Hoover
from amassing the necessary 54s
to win the nomination.
With that end in view Lowden
supporters met with those of Sena-
tor Watson. the Indiana favorite
son. in Watson's hotel room last
night in long parley. The usual
political meeting secrecy hedged
the gathering and if any decisions
were reached they we're kept in
confidence.
Hoover Strategists Meet
Similarly, two Hoover strategy
meetings were held during the
night and because they concerned
strategy nothing was divulged.
Quietly confident after checking
over Hoovcr's delegate strength,
his managers are reserving their
fire until the balloting begins.
The opponents Of Hoover look to
Watson, Curtis and other favorite
son delegations with the hope Of
adding their votes to those Of Low
den. who will enter the convention
with about $50 certain votes. How
long they will remain with him ap-
pears problematical, but Lowden's
boosters pin their hopes on cement
ing his strength early and holding
i intact to frustrate Hoover.
The Lowde.. forces look also to
the many delegations yet to arrive
including the powerful and doubt
full Pennsylvania contingent-in the
hope that new alignments may be
created in favor of their candidate.
The Hoover opposition likewise is
convinced that President Coolidge
will receive a considerable acknowl-
edgment on the first ballot which
might contribute to holding Hoover
off.
Many conflicting factors enter
into the discussion at this stage, one
of them is the "draft Coolidge"
movement which refuses to die even
though there exists a general state
Of mind among the delegates that
such a plan is futile. Another is
the fact that while the Hoover
forces seem to be solid, there ap-
pears to be no similar cohesion
among the combined opposition.
Observers who profess to see ad.
vance signs of disintegration among
the delegates making up the field
against Hoover point to the many
conflicting views on issues on which
a concerted opposition might he
based. Chief of these is farm relief.
While the middlewcstern wing of
Hoover opposition wants relief along
the lines of the vetoed McNary-
Haugen bill the eastern faction, per-
sonified in Charles D. Hilles, the
New York national committeeman,
has always been bitterly opposed to
that method.
Corn Belt Group Uneasy
In addition, the corn belt group
is evincing signs Of dissatisfaction
with the manner in which its pro-
gram to demand a strong farm re-
lief platform and a middlewestern
candidate has been conducted thus
far. Some members of this group
are disconnected by the reports from
a number of middle western centers
that thousands of farmers are to
abandon their fields to emphasize
the demands to be made by their
leaders. These members believe
those reports are exaggerated and
that the demonstration will not de-
velop.
Lowden will arrive Saturday night
to move into his spacious headquar.
ters and take charge of his cam
paign. Watson is on the ground
and Curtis will open his offices this
week. Senator Goff, who fought
duel with Hoover in West Virginia,
has not put in an appearance. Borah
of Idaho, who will receive his own
states votes for . time, is yet to
CONTINUED on page two)