Evening star., 1928-03-25
w WYOMING held the center

" during the last week,
when President Coolidge,
through his secretary, informed
the Republican State committee
that he would not accede to
its request that he be candidate
to succeed himself. This. the third
declaration by the President that
he would not run, was interpreted
by the Republicans in Wyoming as
taking the President finally out of
the race and blow to the move
ment to draft" him, according to
The Stars special political CORE
Spondent. Wyoming Republicans
are strongly for the nomination of
Secretary Herbert Hoover, with the
President eliminated.
Other political correspondents of
The Star also take the view that
the statement by the Presidents sec
retary to the Wyoming Republicans
has aided the Hoover boom. From
Pennsylvania comes the report that
the delegation to the Republican
national convention is more than
ever likely to be for Hoover, al
though much will depend upon the
strength demonstrated by Mr. Hoov-
er in the Ohio and other primary
elections in which the Secretary of
Commerce is entered.
The Hoover boom in the South
took on added vigor, it is reported,
when c. Bascom Slemp. Republican
national committeeman for Virginia.
definitely announced that the State
delegation and he himself would
support Mr.. Hoover at the Kansas
City convention. Mr. Slemp has
long been a power among Republic
ans of the South as we'll as in his
own State.
Gov Alfred E. Smith of New York
definitely threw his hat into the
ring for the Democratic presidential
nomination when he gave formal
permission for filing his name in the
Massachusetts primary, which takes
place April "a Hitherto the gov
ernor. while widely heralded as the
party's strongest candidate for the
nomination, has played waiting
game. He will have the Massa-
chusetts delegation solidly for him.
1t is reported.
Among the interesting develop
mentS of the week was the passage
by the Massachusetts, State Legisia-
ture of bill providing for direct
presidential preferential vote. at the
solicitation OF Gov. Fuller, who sent
the Legislature a special message on
the subject. Until this bill was
passed, the preference for presiden-
tiai nominees was expressed by the
delegate candidates. so that they
might be considered pledged" when
elected. The Bay State voters now
viii have an opportunity to express
their preference by writing in the
names of candidates tor the pres
idential nominations. Hoover sup
porters there are reported to be
iuhilant. believing that the primary
viii show large vote for MIR.
Hoover. although he did not file as
did Gov. Smith. but acquieSced in
the plan Of Republican leaders TO
send an uninstructed delegation to
the Republican national convention.
II is predicted he will have % out
of 80 Massachusetts delegates for
him in any event.
In New York State Gov. Smiths
indignant denial of charges made in
the Senate In Washington that he
was connected with Harry F. Sin
clair, or had benefited by contribu-
tions to his campaigns made by the
defendant in the Government oil
cases. was hailed as an intention on
the governors part to make the "oi
scandals" a principal issue in the
national campaign II he be nomi-
mated by the Democrats at Houston.
Efforts may be made To use the fact
against him that the governor APP
pointed Sinclair member of the
State racing commission. though
several years before the oil investi-
CATION, 1t Is said.
Senator Jim" Reed of Missouri
is TO make a speaking campaign
which will take him into practically
every State in the Union. His man
ayers hope to build up large fol-
lowing for the Senator, as second
choice to Gov. Smith and other
candidates. He is going into the
South. where Smith Is disliked as
presidential candidate, as we'll as
into the North and West.
The supporters OF Senator Thomas
J. Walsh failed In South Dakota TO
file list of Walsh delegates to be
voted on in the primary which takes