Evening star., 1928-04-15
Looden Gains BY Decisive Defeat of Small Faction
THE WEEK IN POLITICS
Summary of National Developments Based on Reports
From The Stars Special Correspondents
and Staff Writers.

The outstanding development in
the field of politics during the last
week was the overthrow OF the ma
chine which has dominated Re-
publican affairs in Illinois for years.
This means, according to the re-
ports of The Stars special political
correspondents. a real gain for
former Gov. Frank o. Lowden OF
Illinois in his race for the Re-
publican presidential nomination. 1t
is now conceded that Mr.. Lowden
will have at least 40 of the 81 dele
gates which Illinois will send to the
Republican national convention in
June. Earlier in the year. with his
old enemies. Gov. Len Small and
Mayor Big Bill" Thompson of Chi
cago. In the saddle, 1t looked as
though MIR. Lowden might have not
more than half or even less of the
State delegation.
The results in Illinois have been
observed with no little interest In
other States. The Lowden support
ers in several Of the States have
been greatly encouraged. this being
true in several of the Midwest States
and in some of the States of the
South. On the other hand the
ease with which the machine" was
overturned by an aroused people in
Illinois has sent cold Shivers down
the spines of some OF the Indiana
Republican machins. headed by
Senator Jim" Watson, a candidate
for the presidential nomination and
the contender in his State against
Secretary Herbert Hoover for the
33 delegates from Hoosierdom. The
machine politicians in Indiana have
been confident they would eleat a
full Watson slate and obtain the
preference vote for their candidate.
But Illinois has given them some
thing to think about. particularly
as political scandals have not been
confined to the Illinois side of the
State line.
The victory OF the reform forces
in Illin, 3 places Senator Charles
S. Deneen in the saddle. In some
quarters it has been suggested he
might yet be contender for the
Republican nomination for Presi-
dent, notwithstanding the fact that
Lowden and Vice President Dawes
are both considered Illinois out
standing candidates at the present
time. Deneen will head the dele
cation to the Republican national
convention and cast It's votes for
Lowden. unless Vice President Dawes
should consent 10 be delegate at
large and head the delegation him.
self. Mayor Thompson of Chicago
succeeded In electing only IS dele
gates TO the national convention in
his draft Coolidge" campaign, and
three of these will not oppose Low
den. and IL is not unlikely that more
will swing to Lowden by the time
OF the convention,
Gov. Alfred E. Smith of New York
is assured OF practically a solid
delegation from Illinois at the
Houston convention, with George
Brennan in control. The huge vote
rolled up against the wet ticket of
Thompson In Chicago, however, does
not give the Democrats much hope
OF carrying Illinois for Smith In
November, II he be the party nom-
inee. The drys and the church
people are held largely responsible
for the defeat of Thompson's ticket.
Reports that Smith will have the
Oklahoma delegation are challenged
by the managers OF Senator Jim
Reed of Missouri They insist that
Ia out of the 90 delegates chosen
will be for Reed. Smiths control of
the Iowa delegation is challenged
by E. r. Meredith, the fayorite-son
candidate, but 1t appears that the
Smith people will dominate the
State convention, and that in the
end Smith will have practically the
entire delegation from that State.
Gov. Smiths absence from New
York--he is taking a two-week va
cation in North Carolina--has slow
ed down Democratic politics In the
State, although on April II the State
committee q to meet and something
more may be done about putting for
ward the governor as a national
candidate The Republicans are
bending their efforts toward defeat
ing the Democratic State ticket this
year. They will not have AL Smith
to defeat for governor. although he