The Indianapolis times., 1928-04-23
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

who has everything with which to
stop Hoover's presidential nomina-
tion-except a candidate.
The President, having rebuked Hill
les again for the embarrassing
and compromising" so-called draft
Coolidge movement, Hilles' hench-
men announce they will continue to
work for uninstructed delegations
committed to Coolidge.
This indicates apparently that
HilleS is out to beat Hoover at any
cost and will go on using Coolidge S
name as a blind for a dark horse.
Also there seems little doubt that
this surprise candidate is former
Secretary of State Hughes.
On the surface, this appears
somewhat stupid, since Hughes also
has withdrawn, declining an invi-
tation to be the convention key
noter, and declaring he is too old
to be a candidate.
TTILLES, however, had his rea-
l. L sons, and the same reasons for
his last-ditch opposition to Hoover
explain his tenacity in clinging to
Coolidge and Hughes after they
have withdrawn.
First, Hilles is the spokesman for
Wall street. The big bankers from
which Hilles gets campaign con-
tributions have blackballed Hoover.
They blame Hoover for blocking
cancellation Of foreign debts to our
Government, which would enchance
the value of large foreign debts held
by them. They fear a president
who, while generally favorable to
capital, would make his own de-
cisiOns, as Hoover does.
These bankers have three choices
for President. First, Coolidge; sec
ond, Hughes; third, Dawes.
The second reason for Hilles'
tactics springs from the New York
State political situation and its re-
lation to the national election.
Hilles expects Governor Smith of
New York to be the Democratic
candidate. If Smith carries NeIS
York. he has a fair chance of being
elected. This would mean not only
national defeat for the Republican
party, but, of more Importance to
the New York Republican boss. it
would mean defeat in New York
State.
Hence the insistence of Coolidge
or Hughes, because it is believed
these are the only Republicans who
can stop Smith landslide-unless
it be the Unacceptable" Hoover.
EVEN the Democrats agree with
II Hilles that Coolidge or Hughes
might be the most effective oppon-
ents of Smith in New York, but they
say Hoover would be much stronger
than Dawes.
Where does this leave Hilles and
the so-called draft Coolidge move
ment? Washington political o.
servers do not agree with announce
ments by Hilles associates that the
Presidents fourth and sharpest
withdrawal statement leaves me sit
uation unchanged.
The Presidents action reduces the
Hilles group from a positive to a
negative force. Hoover is given a
freer run from now to convention
time.
If through large popular votes In
preferential primaries and a domi-
mating block Of delegates at the
Kansas City convention Hoover is
chosen to be his party's real choice,
Hilles will have no opportunity to
make unauthorized use Of the names
of Coolidge or Hughes.
Hoover headquarters claimed to-
day twenty solid State delegations
and more than 500 votes on the
first ballot, out Of 545 necessary to
nominate.
DUT if the LoWden-DaWes group
ID drives up enough votes to dead
lock the convention, there seems to
be no doubt that Hilles then will
try to stampede the convention for
Coolidge or Hughes, on the theory
that no man will decline the nom
ination after it is given.
Whether the convention ever
reaches this critical deadlock point
probably will depend on Secretary
Mellon with his Pennsylvania and
other delegates. If he swings to
Hoover, as the commerce Secretary'S
managers expect, then Hilles prob
ably will have to make a quick grab
at the rear of the band wagon as 1t
goes by.