The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-01
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
INVEST VIRGINIA, last Of the

W IldJOI pIeSlueIlUldl primaries,
confirms Smiths almost certain
nomination by the Democrats and
indicates Hoover Esill must fight the
field to win at the Republican con-
vention.
Incomplete West Virginia returns
give Senator Golf, favorite son, q
10000 margin over Hoover, with
Smith leading Senator Jim Reed
of Missouri by 1000.
With only nineteen delegates at
stake the effect on the Republican
race is psychological. rather than
mathematical, and the same is true
fcr the Democrats.
Smith already was so overwheln-
ingly in the lead nationally that the
loss of this primary could not have
checked him, nor made Reed a
dangerous rival. But the result
further debates the anti-Smitla
movement.
1t also raises Democratic hopes
that Smith may be able to carry this
border State in the election, which
is apt to be determined by border
States.
Hoover managers had hoped for
a West Virginia victory, because,
coming less than two weeks before
the Kansas City convention, 1t
would have encouraged some Of the
holdouts elsewhere to scramble
aboard the band wagon,
n
TINE anti-Hoover alliance of
Il Lowden- Dawes IVA son- Curtis
Goff-Hilles as Of course using his
West Virginia defeat to argue that
Hoover's chances reached the peak
in the Ohio and Massachusetts pri-
maries, definitely started down grade
in the Indiana primary, and still
are falling.
1t is doubtful, however, that Low
den and Dawes have Hoover stopped.
though they dispute IT'S Of the 5i5
delegates claimed by him. he is the
only candidate with a widely dis
tributed popular following and the
only one now within shooting dis
lance Of the necessary 545 conven-
ton votes.
Hoover managers apparently do
not fear Lowden and Dawes, who
now are almost entirely dependent
upon using the farm revolt to car
ry them forward.
Neutral political observers are in
clined to doubt the ability of the
Farm Bloc to dominate the Kansas
City convention, and to discount
much of the alleged psychological
effect of the West Virginia primary.
There is a growing conviction that
Secretary Mellon and President
) Coolidge in the end will dominate
the convention.
The President is deeply resentful,
as indicated by his bitter veto mes
sage on the McNary- Haugen farm
relief bill, against what he considers
efforts of his political enemies, Low
den and Dawes, to discredit his adj
ministration, split the Republican
party, and capture control through
a "fallacious" panacea.
n
THIS war within the party has
L reached the stage where nei-
Their side can withdraw, and where
it no longer is merely Hoover, but
also the President, who is involved
in the struggle with Lowden and
Dawes for party control.
1t therefore appears probable that
the President, when the Kansas
City fight is hottest, will use his
great organizational power to thwart
the attempt to block Hoover's MONT
nation.
Many believe that II Hoover I'M
eXpectedly is sidetracked, the Presi-
dent will not hesitate to take the
nomination himself to keep the
party from falling into the hands
Of his opponents.
Mellon, with his large Pennsyl-
vania delegation, is the key man
under the circumstances. II he
throws his strength to Hoover on
the first or second ballot, others
doubtless will follow. giving the
commerce secretary an early vic
tory.
But if Mellon withholds his votes
from Hoover, whom he recently
praised as the best candidate, then
Pennsylvania and the uninstructed
delegations from New York and
elsewhere will soon form a consider
able center bloc.
Such bloc would hold the bal
ance Of power between Lowden and
Dawes and Hoover, preventing the
latter from increasing his long lead
into the necessary majority.
Il II
I'm such a deadlocked convention
l. the final result probably would
be similar to the Republican con-
vention of eight years ago and the
Democratic convention of four years
ago, when the leading candidates
were deserted in favor of "out-
siders." But the delegates as we'll
ac the leaders at Kansas City, III
event of such deadlock, would net
want to accept a second string
candidate.
There is a rather general convc-
ton among Republicans that it will
take the strongest man they can get
to prevent the election of AL Smih
That disposes of the hopes of most
Of the favorite sons and of candl-
dates whose drawing power is only
sectional.
All the candidates for presidential
nomination have been asked by Pro-
fessor John Dewey and the Peoples
Lobby to make their position clear
on the issue Of economic imperial
ism. The lobby submits plank or
international relations, adopted BY
a conference Of peace, labor, farm
and women's organizations. 1t calls