Evening star., 1928-02-08
Politics at Large

Inc unreal Va soCSiSe"iJ
friends to put him IN the race Tor tne
National Convention, voiced through
Representative Theodore Burton. Is
fairly indicative OF the fact that
ihey do not intend to have Senator
Frank b. Willis hand pick the del
egatcs and prevent them ever from
turning to Mr.. Hoover as second
choice. II Senator Willis is bent on such
a plan, and the Hoover supporters ac-
uuicsced. the entire ONO delegation, ol
strong. might be lost to Mr.. Hoover 1of
tho entire convention, or at least until
many ballots have been taken. Unocr
such circumstances. Mr.. Hoover woult1
have nothing to lose and much to gain
by entering the presidential primary IN
Ohio. He has large popular foiloWlng
In the Buckeye State. II 1t goes 10 tne
polls In the primary it might well take
good slice of delegates from senator
Willis, delegates who would support
Mr.. Hoover on the first ballot ana no'
on the second or some time latcr IN tne
convention. There are several dlstflcts
which In all probability Will not sup
port Mr.. Willis In any event.
x* *H
Candidates for the presidential pref
crence in Ohio must file by FEBRUARY
"a and the primary Is held April "a
1t Is we'll understood that Senator VIII
lis is intrenched In his State and that
he is popular with very large num-
Der os the voters. There Is a desire on
the part OF the Republicans TO avoid a
row. It Is figured that this would DC
far better for the ticket as a whole
But In his effort to sew up the delega-
ton Senator Willis must realize that
he runs the danger of having the dele
CATION split by the entry Of Mr.. Hoover
in the primary. Instead OF going tc
the National Convention with the dele
CATION practically solid behind him. he
may find that considerable percentage
OF the delegates are instructed. not fol
him as first choice, but for Mr.. Hoover
y
AS test of real popular strength the
entry of Mr.. Hoover in the Ohio pri-
mary in opposition to the favorite-son
candidacy of Senator Willis might be
no real test any more than the entry
of Senator Willis into the California
primary. where Mr.. Hoover Is the IA
vorite son. A better test would be the
entry of Mr. Hoover and Senator Willis
in the presidential primaries In Michi-
gan or Massachusetts. where neither
Is n favOrite son. There Is no doubt
however. but what Mr.. Hoovers candi'
dacy would gain appreciably If he en-
ters the Ohio primary and polls
large vote. despite the Willis candidacy
i
Seventeen States are to hold presi'
Dental preferential primaries this year
now that the Illinois Supreme Cour1
has finally determined that the Illinois
primary law Is constitutional. The firs'
State to sound off in the primary race
will be New Hampshire, where Mr.
Hoover is very strong. Mr.. Willis. Mr.
Lowden and other candidates for thc
nomination might try their hands ir
New Hampshire If they desire, though
the cards seem stacked against then
there. The primary states have a tnta
Of SOP delegates in the Republican Ma
tional Convention out OF total conven'
ton strength Of 1899. The Republic.
ans nominate by majority. which u
545. Any candidate who could carry
all the primary States would. OF course
win in walk. But no candidate Il
going to carry them all. But II Mr.
Hooyer or MIR. Iowden or Senator
willis or another could win an appre'
ciable number of delegates through tins
primary route II might be very helpful
particularly as an indication OF pop2'
lar strength.
In the past. :he candidate who ha!
shown the greatest strength in the pres
idcntial preferential primaries has not
always been the selection OF the Ma
tioaal Convention however. In 1920. 10!
example. Senator Hiram johnson o'
California carried his own State. Michi-
gan. Montana. North Dakota. Nebraska
and Oregon and ran second In Indiana
Maryland and New Jersey. The late
Gen. Leonard Wood carried lSdiana
Maryland. New Jersey. South Dakota
and Vermont and ran second In Illinois
Michigan, Nebraska. Ohio and Oregon
The late President Harding contested IN
only two primary States. carrying ONO
and running fourth in Indiana. Yet Mr
Harding was finally the nominee OF the
party in the deadlocked Chicago con-
vention. II Is for just such deadlock
that Senator Willis and other favorlte-
son candidates are now playing They
have seen the results in 1920 and are
asking themselves why bother with go-
ing into a lot of primary States whcrc
they might make poor showing. IheS
are content TO sit back ana Let the more
prominent candidates kill each other OF
in the primaries and later In the con-
vcntion, hoping 10 be the compromise
choice.
The achievements Of Gov. Alfred E
Smith OF New York. most prominent o!
all the Democratic presidential possible
ties today. are Interestingly set forth III
an article In the Review OF Reviews bS
RAY r. Tucker. Washington correspond
ent Mr. Tucker says. however. "un-
fortunately fer Smith, his achievements
as an executive and administrator have
been overshadowed by the leading roll
nc has occupied In the assault upon pro.
hibit!nn For every voter who knows o!
his actual accomplishments as chlei
executive of the creates! State OF the
Union there are probably fiee who KNOW
him as the aggressive champion oil 'ne
vets"
Mr.. Tucker insists that Gov, Smith
has only himself to blame. for this, that
It was the governor who induced the
State Legislature to pass a 3,To per cen!
beer bill, that he sponsored the repeal
II the State prohibition enforcement law
and referendum which won In the la2t
election. favoring determination by the
individual State what constitutes MI
Intoxicating beverage
But. says Mr. Tucker. Despite the
drys' conception ot the governor aS
n!illitlcationis'. h. Is not the extremist
painted by the inhabitants of the B'hle
belt Never has he advocated repeal oi
the dry laws, he has merely urged mod"
itication OF tbs Vol>tend act Within the
limits Of the eic hteeuth nuFNdnC M
In fact. his delay IN signing the hlll
repeating the state cnfofcement ac'
caused considerable concern in Tam-
many Hall Adopting his beat judicial
manner. he took the Whole month al
lowed by law Ia consider his decision
gave the df.s their day III his court
and then found that though tho sa a
loon Ia and ought to be deh.net In
stitution. the definition of an mtoM-
eating beverage III the Volatead act Is
not an honest or common sense one,