Evening star., 1928-03-18
MCCORMICK CANDIDACY.
IS HELD POLITICAL TEST
Reaction of Voters Expected to Provide
Indication of WOman's Chance
for Public Office.

the field Both Of the others are men
and are the sitting members. The oues-
ton is whether Mrs. Mccormick can un-
horse one or the other of them. II she
does, and !: the election follows nomins-
ton. we snail have an opportunity 10
confirm or reject my prediction that she
will make one of the most useful and
effective members Of the House of Rep
resentatiVes.
It. is true that her late husband.
Medill Mccormick, was. successiyely. q
member Of the State Legislature, Rep
resentative at large and Senator from
Illinois. But it Is also true that Mrs.
Mccormick Is not running for the seat
he was occupying when he died, nor Is
she seeking nomination by virtue Of be-
ing her husbands widow. She Is max
ing her fight on the basis Of her o1n
inherited ability. acquired knowledge
and accumulated experience.
Has Had Good Training.
She has all three Of these qualihca-
tions. Her father, Marx Hanna, was a
master in the field of major politics
His daughter was educated by him not
! only along conventional lines, but in the
! field Of business and large affairs
Politics has been part Of her life since
childhood and she knows official Wash
any man in the Nations Capital.
Her personal qualifications include
both charm and diligence. Some women
with charm try to substitute it for WORK
and hope thereby 10 get results without
effort. Mrs. Mccormick is a tireless
worker and her personality will help her
precisely because she does not rely on
1t. The important men who in large
measure influence the action Of the
hnr
but she will have sense enough TO
refrain from overcapitalizing this
friendship. She understands men as
well as she understands women. She
Is equally at home at diplomatic re-
ception in the White House. on her
big stock farm in Illinois. or as one of a
group gathered by chance in front of
the general store in an upstate village
II you talk tariff or taxation or in
ternational politics with Mrs. Nc
Cormick you will find that she under
stands these subjects as only well m
formed men are supposed TO. II you
overhear her discussing technical mat
/ terS with farmer or cattleman or
watch her help a mother quiet rest
less baby. you will come to the conclu-
sion that she has a very remarkable
all-around equipment.
II her qualifications are compared.
/ point BY point, with the qualifications
of her rival candidates, she has nothing
to fear and they have much. It is to
( be hoped that the voters will act in the
/ light Of these qualifications. 1t would
/ be too bad II she were either chosen be-
cause she is woman or rejected for
( the same reason.
! One interesting feature OF her CAM
paign is that she is getting powerful
/ political support from some politicians
who might not have been expected to
! approve her candidacy. She, without
incurring obligations of any sort, is free
/ to accept this support; and. like an in
/ telligent person. she Is accepting IL. No
/ doubt she will thereby lose the support
/ of some people, both men and women,
who are both very good and very un-
/ wise.
Such people fail to appreciate the
plain distinction between bidding for
organization support by making worthy
concessions TO get II and accepting
such support. freely given. under cir
cumstanceS that leave the candidate
uncommitted and unbound. Mrs. Nc
Cormick shows her nettle in refusing
the former course and her good sense
by following the latter.
Result to BE Interesting.
All the circumstances surrounding her
tention OF thoughtful people all over
the country. A woman OF character.
ability and privilege, with political ex-
perience and the common touch, IS
seeking q seat in Congress on the basis
of her own merit and in order 70 place
at the disposal OF the country those
powers that mark a Representative or
Senator for usefulness.
/ She will be opposed by some because
she Is woman. Because she is won-
+ an she will be supported by others. She
+ will be condemned by some for accept
ing organization support and by others
for not accepting more OF it. But the
outcome OF the primary will be INFORM
ing and Illuminating 10 degree; for
/ 1t will enable us TO determine whether,
/ in q Statewide election, the voters are
able to recognize fitness when they see
it and whether we are TO have the
+ chance to observe III Congress what can
be accomplished by a properly qualified
uNySsaYR