Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-03

At French Lick Springs.


With four, at least, of the Governors
Of States assembled at French Lick
Springs for their annual conference
potential If not actual candidates for
presidential nominations next year. the
spot light has been turned on the con-
ference to a greater degree than in
many years past. The Governors, who
are at least suspected of listening to the
buzz of the presidential bee, are put
ting their "bcst foot" forward. There
is Pinchot Of Pennsylvania, the amaz-
ing Mr.. Pinchot who turned Pennsyl-
vania topsy-turvy in the campaign
last year, with his speech yesterday
attacking again the public utilities Of
the country and urging Federal control.
And Ritchie of Maryland, with his
plant that something be done about
national prohibition and the tariff, and
Roosevelt of New York, who wants all
the governments, National, Federal and
local, to take the lead in setting the
Economic structure of the Nation again
In order. Perhaps before the confer
ence Is over the fourth Governor in
the list of who's Who for President"
in 1892. White of Ohio, may also break
loose with front page story.
Gov. Pinchot's address on public utili-
ties, with particular reference to the
control of electrical current by huge
monopoly, was thrown into the confer
ence of Governors despite the fact that
he had been assigned an entirely diff
ferent subject, dealing with the forests
and natural resources. The Pennsyl-
varia Governor is angling-or so it has
been reported from Harrisburg for
weeks-for support for the Republican
nomination for President next year. He
Is making his appeal through the power
question to the Progressives in the
q. o. p, to the Norrises, the Howells
the Brookharts and the La Follettes, and
also the common run-of-mine Republic
cans, whom he Is trying to interest
In the cost Of electricity. He would
like to be the rallying post at the Re-
publican national convention for the
elements In the party opposed to the
denomination of President Hoover. A
great difficulty the Pennsylvania Gov
ernor will face is the an1iable fondness
Of all the Progressive Senators for plac
ing themselves firmly in the spotlight on
such occasions as the national conven-
ton.
These presidential possibilities at
tending the conference of Governors
have, temporarily at least, laid aside
State issues and tackled national prob
lens It is quite true that national
problems vitality affect the States. But
1t is equally true that the governments
of the States can do nothing with ma
tional problems which, under the Con-
stitution, are assigned to the Federal
Government for consideration and
action. But what Governor can be
nominated for President on a State
issue? He must enter the broad field
of national politics and national issues
II he is to be considered. And there
Is Richie Of Maryland defending
States rights and declaring that the
Federal Government has no business
regulating the liquor traffic in the in
dividual States, and on the other hand
Is Pinchot Of Pennsylvania arguing
that the Federal Government must step
into the regulation of electric power
because the States are more or less
helpless before the power interests.
Gov. Roosevelt Of New York is de-
manding new leadership in govern
ment. 1t seems reasonably certain he
Is not demanding a new leadership In
the Empire State, where he himself is
the head and forefront Of the State
government. He is asking a new Lead
ership of the Federal Government, with
out doubt, and equally without a
doubt he is willing to provide that lead
ership If he can be placed in the White
House. On the sidelines, fer out in Ne
braska, Senator George w. Norris, who
not so long ago declared that what the
country needs is another Roosevelt in
the White House." Is now chanting the
praise of Pinchot of Pennsylvania, pic
turing him as five hundred times more
acceptable as a presidential candidate
next year than President Hoover-Pin-
chot, who was a prominent member of
the old Roosevelt tennis cabinet"
--~~eU-"-