The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-05-03
WATSON CAN'T
Be NOMINATED,
/ POINTS AUTHOR
Any Bedroom Candidate
Has to Be Free of All
= Taint, Says Irwin.
This is the last of series by viii
Irwin. famed author. under the general
heading. "Indiana. Be YourseIf.'
BY WILL IRWIN

BY WILL IRWIN
Senator Watsons campaign for
State Endorsement Of his presiden-
tial ambition" depends for its sue
cess on State pride. Able legisla-
tor as he is, few will persuade them
selves that he qualities with such
aspirants as Hoover, Lowden or
Dawes. But, say his masters and
followers, he's pretty good, and
here's a chance for Indiana. Let's
stand by the local man. Anything
might happen in national con-
vention.
Anything-eXcept in this instance
the nomination Of James Watson.
That is one of the outstanding i'm
possibilities at Kansas City in June,
1928.
Wanted: A Nobody
Let us look into the motives which
inspire this singular campaign, Ever
since Colidge refused to run, the
hard boiled politicians of the Old
Guard have desired another bed
room nomination.
Every one, I assume, knows the
qualifications of the ideal hand
picked candidate for such an honor.
He must be regular: he must have
a pleasing personality; he must not
be too able. and, above all, not
original. Above all, he must have
a record untainted by personal or
political scandal.
They planned to let the leaders
''run it out" and to confuse the
race, so that with the convention
deadlocked, they could shoot over
that candidate whom they had Sc
1ected by trade and barter.
Everybody Wants Hoover
But this time, the unexpected be-
gan to happen. When it became a
practical certainty that Coolidge
meant what he said about not run
ming again, the rank and Tile Of the
Republican party began asking for
lust one man-HooYer. National
political leaders have most effective
ways of sounding public opinion.
Wherever they plumbed the country
workshops, Offices, farms-they
found Hoover in the mind of the
average citizen.
They had thought to play one
candidate against another. They
found that impossible.
The job, now, was at all costs to
'block Hoover" In some districts
they harped on the suspicion that
the President didn't mean what he
said and cried draft Coolidge.
They strove everywhere for "unln-
Structed delegations"
Finally, as a piece of most et-
fective sniping tactics, they took ad-
vantage of local pride by persuading
certain eminent citizens to set them
selves up for the nomination as
"favorite sons" Had the friends Of
Hoover universally refused to set
him up in opposition, there might
now be a favorite son running in
every State which has preferential
primary.
Watson Impossible
Favorite Son Curtis Of Kansas
has a. faint outside chance OF the
nomination. You and stand as
much chance as any Of the others.
And it is no exaggeration to say
that Watson is the leading impossl-
.pility of them all.
In one outstanding respect, he
doesn't fit the pattern by mile. The
gentlemen who are working for a
subserviant nominee want no more
party scandal. The bedroom cand1-
date must have an irreproachable
past. And WatSon-hiS name stands
symbol to the insiders Of politics
for the widely advertised Indiana
political scandals.
The Democrats, especially if the
sarcastically eloquent AL Smith
leads them, could in two weeks make
it stand the symbol in the minds Of
half our voters. Of course, it won't
be WatSon
A vote for Watson is vote
against the most eminent living
American, against the candidate
best qualified, to lead our people.
A vote for Watson is a vote for
perpetuation of that machine whose
operations so long have diSgraced
the State.
And let no adnirer of LoWden or
Dawes think that by voting against
Hoover in Indiana he is assisting
the chances Of his man. The Indi-
ana delegation, in Watson's hands,
would be just thirty-three pieces of
merchandise for barter with the
hackers and solicitors of the bed
room nominee.
1t seems to an outsider that Indi-
ana has reached the appointed time
to be herself Illinois rose up on
the 10th of April and threw out
machine differing only in degree
from that which has SO long domi-
mated this State. Ohio on the oath
of April, returned a Uncomfortable
to-one majority in favor of Herbert
Hoover.
Michigan and Kentucky have gone
unanimously for Hoover. In short,
all the abutting States either have
cleaned house, or given overwhelm-
ing Endorsement to that aSpirant for
the Republican nomination whose
name means clean, business-like
and above-board conduct of public
affairs. VIII Indiana go with them,
or will she follow the brass band
to the shell game?