The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-11
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

II ANOAO I'll I JuIl6 ll.-NOJIl-
N ing stands between Herbert
Hoover and the Republican presi-
dental nomination now but Calvin
Coolidge.
It's UP to the President.
He can sweep aside the Coolidge
barricade raised by the "drafters"
against his will, and let the Hoo
yer forces roll forward. Or he can
split the Republican party into
fractional free-for-all that will make
the suicidal Democratic feud of
1924 look like a Quaker meeting.
In an open fight Hoover can win
on an early ballot. But Hoover will
not and cannot fight Coolidge's
ghost.
There is no mystery and no deep
stuff" about the situation here. 4
Never before has there been sucil
unanimity of press and neutral OBJ
servers at a contested convention.
Here is the plan:
Having failed by every other de-
vice to stop Hoover, that strange
alliance of Lowden Dawes, farm
bloc and Hilles Wall Street crowd
is trying to use Coolidge's name to
disrupt the Hoover forces.
The Wall Stteeters are sincere in
wanting Coolidge. The farm poll
ticianS are not. They hate him
worse than Hoover and plan for him
formally to withdraw after the Hoo
yer delegates are scattered and a
dark horse slipped in. Both Low
den and Hilles are for Dawes in
the end.
How to achieve this?
On the first roll call, Connecticut
will vote for Coolidge, Du Points
Delaware will follow Hilles will
swing in with about sixty New York
votes, and by the time they get
through the initial ballot Coolidge
will have from $50 to 225. depend
ing on what Mellon does with Penn-
sylvania.
THEN one of two things must
Il happen Either the President
remains silent, in which case they
will have to nominate him-for they
can not repudiate their adninistra-
ton leader on the eve of an election
and win-or he withdraws, by
direct statement, or through an
authorized spokesman.
Since nine of ten delegates and
bosses are certain Coolidge will not
run, the big question is the time
element.
Will Coolidge order down the
phantom barrier as the battle starts
and permit the Hoover army to-
march on to fair fight and victory
against tangible opponents? Or will
he wait until part of the Hoover
forces are frightened or lured away
by his ghost, and Hilles-Lowden and
Lowden-Dawes slip up and strike
from behind.
The President probably will act at
the moment when it will help
Hoover most and hurt the allies
most. 1t is almost inconceivable
that he will play into the hands Of
the allies.
THERE are two things certain
Il about Coolidge. First, ne is
one of the most astute politicians
in the business. Second, he hates
Lowden and Dawes politically with
a bitterness that was revealed by
his enraged McNary- Haugen farm
bill veto.
These two factors are also the
probable key to the mystery of why
the President in his four do not
choose statements never said fatty
he would not run under any con-
ditions.
The President was not certain
as none could be certain tine OPEN
ing day, OF the convention-that he
could prevent his political enemies
from capturing the party.
That he wants Hoover to succeed
him in Office, or he would not have"
permitted quarters of his cabs
met to head his commerce secres
tary's campaign. But he has kept
the situation open in such way
that, in an emergency, he could
take the nomination to save" the
party from McNary- Haugenism.
THIS course, though enabling,
- Hilles and others to use his
name temporarily against Hoover,
will have helped Hoover in the end
if the President formally withdraws
when the balloting begins. Then il
will give the final push to the Hoo
yer advance, and leave the allies
without the camoufaged Coolidge
barrier behind which they are
hiding
But what if Coolidge permits him-
self to be nominated, as a small
minority anticipate? There is
doubt whether he could unite the
party. He could have done so sew
eral months ago, but perhaps not
now.
There will be bitterness, no mat
ter who wins, but avowed candi-
dates or dark horses would be free
Of one serious handicap facing Cool
idge in November.
Coolidge's popularity with the
electorate rests on faith in his sim
cerity and straightforwardness.
There is no good reason now to
doubt his utter sincerity in his four
withdrawal statements, and> in his
present desire to retire.
If. he runs anyway, the politicians
will understand that it was because
Of his sense of duty" to keep out
Lowden and Dawes.
But that is too involved for the
rank and file of voters The Ameri-
can people, rightly or wrongly,
think Calvin Coolidge has an