Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-06
BROWN TO REFUSE
VICE PRESIDENCY
Postmaster General Spikes
Rumors From South That He
viii Seek 1892 Nomination.
BY ]. RUSSELL YOUNG.

BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG.
The name of Postmaster Genera
Walter F. Brown. may be definitely and
permanently eliminated from further
speculation In connection with the Re-
publican vice-presidential nomination
In 1882.
Despite rumors to the contrary. which
have originated with a group OF Re-
publicans in the South, Mr.. Brown has
no vice-presidential aspirations, and
according to his own word, nothing
could induce him to become candi-
date.
s Mr.. Browns denial of these rumorS,
which during the past few days have
been gaining wide circulation, Is un-
euuivocal and positive. In discussing
the subject with this writer today ne
made it very clear that his sole amol-
tion is to serve President hoover 70
the best of his ability as neao OF tns
great Post Office establishment ano
II then retire TO private life. He said
frankIy that he is looking happily for
yard to the time when he can return
% private life.
Mr.. Brown, however, did not commit
himself in this unequivocal manner re-
nardi1fg the craftsmanship of the Re-
publican National Committee.
( Eliminates Traffickers.
: Since President Hoover early in his
Recommendation turned over to the POST
snaster General the task of Kidding the
6artv leadership in several Oh tne
Eonthern states of what were described
ss trafickers in patronage, Mr.. Brown
has incurred the political enmity OF
soYne of the elements. He succeeoeu
spIendidly in carrying out the Fresl-
dents expressed desires In TINS Gull
nection. A.. .t,.sa
discredited leaders, growing tnln ana
weary as result of being so lar re-
moved from the administrations PIE
counter are now making desperate
effort 10 get their hands once more
on the patronage in their sections.
The first n1ovesin their renewed ngnt
was to ann their attack on tne rosC-
master General It was plain TO them
that not an inch of ground could De
eained in this drive until the man VINO
had personally pushed them aside ana
turned over the matter OF passing On
patronage to others more acceptable 70
fi1e administration, had been prougnI
"a his knees. To accomplish TINS, u
was decided that he first must De ois-
credited. That would be the way 10
Get him ont of the cabinet or at least
cause him to make overtures to them
which would end in something reSem-
hing a surrender At least they might
GET somewhere within reach or the PIE
counter. if not right at the table ltseH.
Then started the circulation OF re-
ports intended to injure postmaster
General Brown. First, it was charged
that some of the so-called estimable To-
cal citizens. which whom he was deal
ing in the matter of post office appoint
rnents. were INDUCING in the OLD pa
tronage trafficing pastime: Inese
charges were investigated and founo 10
Be- baseless. Then started the stories
about Mr.. Browns dream OF becoming
the running mate Of Herbert Hoover IN
1882; that with this object In view ne
Was using his control OF southern
,asfronare in building-up a machine for
himself and, of course, Mr.. Hoover, TOO,
in the South.
Led by Col. Mann.
This charge against Mr.. Brown soon
gained Wide circulation, especially our.
ing the past week, when group OF
the Republicans met in Savannah, Ga,
for the ostensible purpose OF creating
a real leadership and to bring about
narty unity" The spokesman for this
group has been Col. Horace H. Mann,
who was active during the campaign
of 1928 in espousing the cause OF Mr.
Hoover in the Southern States. FOR
reasons which can only be explained
definitely by either President Hoover
or Col Mann, the latter has never peen
included in the recognized admlnistra-
Aion group since Mr.. Hoover's election.
some draw the inference from the
meeting of this group and the tone OF
their publicity that they are endeavor-
ing to engineer a revolt among the So
called Hoovercrats in the South. How
ever, no one associated with the adj
ministration or the management OF the
National Republican Committee APP
pears to be in the slightest concerned.
Virtually no serious attention Is Delng
paid to the alleged movement.
Possibly Postmaster General Brown,
who ranks as one of the few men in
tirnately associated with President Hoo
yer who has a political mind and who
has had practical political experience.
would not have paid the slightest at
tention to the charges and claims OF
this group but for the wide circulation
given the reports aSsociattng his name
with the Vice Presidency.
But for the fact that the reaction
70 this report might become embar-
RAISING to the President, Mr.. Brown
would have declined to make any COM
ment one way or the other. His per-
sonal viewpoint was that the reports,
despite their lack Of foundation, could
do him no harm even though they
went unanswered.
Refuses to Be Frightened.
While making q denial of the charges
that he had his eye on the Vice Presi-
zu .~A &hat 10 uas enoo 0ad in an
under-cover scheme to get the Southern
delegates in line for himself, Mr.. Brown
stated with much emphasis that the
administration had given no thought to
delegates for 1892 in its handling Of
Southern patronage. He said that the
administration is not scheming for
Southern delegates and will not do so
at any time in the future.
He declared that the discredited
group of Republicans In that section
are greatly mistaken in their calcula-
tions II they think that they can throw
Any fear into those who are 1ntrusted
with Mr.. Hoover's political fortunes by
claiming that they will have the say
whether or not Mr.. Hoover himself may
count on the Southern delegates for a
denomination.
I. In this connection Mr.. Brown de-
clared that If President Hoover's only
chance for a denomination depended
upon Southern delegates to the next
Republican national convention he had
better give up all thought of another
term right now.
Mr.. Brown said he personally could
stand any attack the Republicans in
that section desired to aim at him.
He added that he had only done what
the President asked him to do, and
that was to rid the party in several
Of the Southern States Of men who,
by their past records, could not COM