The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-02-20
Illinois, North Dakota, New
Hampshire and Ohio
Ready to Select.
AWAITS HOOVER RETURN
Willis Demands Answers on
Prohibition and Flood
Control Question.
BY PAUL X. MALLON
United Press Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2O.--With
one Democratic candidate stump
ing the country and five Republic
ans vigorously in the field for battle.
actual work is beginning for selec-
ton of delegates to the June NOM
mating conventions.
In four States-Illinois North
Dakota, Ohio and New Hampshire
machinery is being set under way
this week to nominate the men
who will choose the presidential
candidates for both parties at
Kansas City and Houston.
District delegates are required to
file in Illinois Tuesday, in Ohio and
New Hampshire Friday. In North
Dakota Tuesday, proposal men are
TO be named for State convention,
Which will select the delegation.
Legal Questions Arise
Legal difficulties have arisen in
Illinois which may prevent holding
OF the Illinois primary April 10.
Candidates we're supposed to have
filed there Feb. 10, but the petitions
were not formally made public be-
cause of injunction proceedings.
While this first selection work is
being done, there is marked activity
on all fronts, with prospects of a
highly important political week.
Secretary of Commerce Hoover is
to return Wednesday from his Flor
ida fishing trip to handle three is
sues that have been raised regard
ing his candidacy. He is to answer
the prohibition QUESTIONABLE which
Senator Borah sent him week ago.
This would place him on record as
to what sort of prohibition plank
he would favor in the Republican
platform.
He is to answer letter of North
Dakota Republicans demanding to
know his position on farm relief.
and he is to appear Friday before
the Senate Commerce Committee to
testify regarding the flood control
issue.
Willis Heads Drys
All these matter are enormously
important to his candidacy. He
has had support SO far of many wet
leaders as well as drys. Senator
Willis Of Ohio, who is contesting bit
terly for the State delegation there,
is champion of the Anti-Saloon
League in its home State, and has
already charged that the vets are
working behind Hoover.
The secretary's friends fear he
may antagonize one or the other of
his supporting factions by his ques-
tionnaire answers.
Some members of the Senate
Commerce Committee, including
Willis, are planning to ask Hoover
Friday if he supports the Coolidge
flood control plan requiring States
to pay 20 per cent of construction
costs.
Hoover'S friends feel this may de-
velop an embarrassing situation.
Makes Watson Truce
Willis has been in Ohio over the
weekend laying ground for hot
contest to protect what he claims
are his "favorite son rights to the
Ohio delegation. His supporters say
he already has negotiated an
arrangement with the Watson,
Curtis and Lowden factions which
would prevent any of his support
from going to Hoover after it leaves
him at the Kansas City convention.
Senator Watson of Indiana is ex-
pected to announce formally this
week his candidacy for the Indiana
delegation Senator Curtis of Kansas
is sending his colleague, Senator
Capper, to New York Thursday to
add new life to the Curtis Club
which is seeking a share of the New
York State delegation.
In Democratic ranks Senator
Reed of Missouri is out on a stump
campaign which will take him to
the Pacific Coast. He is not op-
posing Governor AL Smith in his
speeches, but he is out to get what
delegates he can for himself. He
makes his first speech tonight at
Dallas, Texas, and his second to-
morrow at Tulsa, Okla.