Evening star., 1928-04-01
HOOvER|TES SCORE
WATSON CANDIDACY
Intimate Senator Is "Decoy"
in Thurman'S Bid for
GovernorShIp.
Special Dispatch to The star.


INDIANAPOLIS, March 3l.---verbal
hrlc.1bats were tossed back and forth
this week between the camps Of Senator
Watson and Herbert Hoover indicating
that the struggle for Indianas 50 votes
a. the national convention has become
more than friendly contest, The first
hy:cx was thrown by the Hoover mana
GERS. but tho Watson people were not
slow in retaiiating.
Oscar Foallinger. HoovcrS State
campaign manager, issued statement
Questioning the assertion that Senator
Watson is a bona fide candidate In his
own right for the presidential nomlna-
ton. He suggested that the Senator
uaS being used as ''decoy" in oroer
- give NJ Burt Thurman. Watson ma
tional campaign manager, an opportu-
nifty TO be nominated in the State con-
vention as candidate for governor.
This drew a hot denial from Thur
man. who eliminated himself from the
the eovernorShip race several months
ago in order TO devote all Of his time
70 Senator WatSon's campaign.
Issues Attacked.
"Of course" said Thurman" Mr.
Foelhnger and his political advisers are
desperate because they have been un-
successful III perfecting Hoover or
eanization throughout the State. and
now that they have made the mistake
cf having induced Mr.. Hoover TO file
in Indiana. they are compelled TO try
70 manufacture issues in the hope that
their candidate may make respectable
showing"
Foelinger observed that WatSon's
statement showing that he was in the
race for himself must be a boomerang
to the supporters of Dawes and Low
den" That was looked on as an effort
to drive a wedge between Watson and
friends Of Frank o. Lowden and Charles
G. Dawes. who are supporting the
Senator 1t is pretty generally under
stood, however, in Indiana. that IL Wat
son finally drops from the contest at
Kansas City. that his support will go.
probably first TO Lowden and then TO
Dawes, but that it never will go to
Hoover
The Watson organization" said Foel-
Hnger. believes that the native politi-
cal intuition of Hoosiers is still in a
state Of confusion. 50 they drapsd the
moth-eaten 'fayorite-Son' mantle about
tI1e shoulders of Watson and thereby
hoped to take the eyes of ashamed citt-
zens of the unstghtly political picture
In Indiana and turn them toward the
presidential mirage of Kansas City"
Linked to Scandals.
This indicated the first move on the
part Of the Hoover camp TO attempt to
charge up to Senator Watson al the
nisEortunas the Republican party in
Indiana has suffered by reason of the
long continued Marion County grand
Jury. which resulted in the indictment
Of Gov Ed Jackson, Mayor John L.
DuTau and six members OF the India
naDolis city council.
Thurman struck back 81 Foell!nger
however. and hit him in a sore spot
when he pointed out VIII H. Hays
rro3ie czar and recently enmeshed in
the oil scandals, and James P. Goodrich
formerly governor. 2s leaders identified
with the Hoover movement.
A real danger confronts the Watson
camp in the fact that it may beeo'ne
entangled in the complex triangular
Eena torShtp race being wagcd by Sena-
ter Robinson. Scion j. Carter and Arthur
L Gilliom, attorney general. A dan
Ferous wet and dry" angle Is in
TolFed In what is becoming q bitter
contest All three candidates. recogniz-
ing that the Watson organization Is
A1E@ haEoHgssk III s1fe HE'LL AiE A1pSiuo"@
ing 10 make ''hook-ups" and if one
should succeed In making an alliance
with Watson. the chances are ten 70
one that the others would do him irrep-
arabic harm
Robinson. whose birds Of q feather
speech in the Senate has done him con-
siderable damage al home. is supported
b. the Indiana Anti-Saloon League, Of
which T. g. Shumake~ is superintendent.
lie also has the support of the Khan.
whicn, while not as strong as 1t was In
1924 still is q potent factor In Indiana
politlcg Gillicm has carried on a cru
sa6e against the Kian and the Anti
Saloon League and even had SEumaker
cited for contempt of the State Supreme
Court. HAROLD c. FEIGHTEER