Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

III POJCltllAntkCo 1OI Tie OCfl1Q-
cratic presidential nomination, Gov.
tinues so far in front that he stands
alone. That he runs alone is literally
accurate statement. In every section OF
the country, In practically every State,
friends Of the New York Governor are
making plans to send Roosevelt dele
gates to the Democratic national con-
yention. Nothing, or practically moth
ing. like that is being done in behalf
Of any other candidate.
The running that Is being done by
any one other than Roosevelt is so
slight as to be negligible. In a few
sections of the West and Southwest
Gov Alfalfa Bill Murray of Okla
homa, are tepidly active. Their ac-
tivity takes chiefly the form of distrib-
uting photographs of the Oklahoma
Governor, Mandatory "life-stories' OF
him, and literature of q sort to cause
the discontinued and distressed to
think of Alfalfa Bill as Moses.
The men engaged in these efforts for
Murray are not Democratic party Lead
ers. Their activity. such as it is, does
not seem likely to come to fruit in
delegates in any State except Okla
homa. The only chance Murray has
lcc III Idle POSSiDtaty OF Widespread
surge OF radical sentiment of the sort
that thrust william Jennings Bryan to
the front in 1896.
Sees Worse Times.
Alfalfa Bill, in his speeches, SAYS
things are going to be ten times worse
q year from now than they are today"
II that should turn out to be true, the
western part of the Democratic party
and some of the eastern part of 1t in
large cities might take kindly to new
Bryan. Some Of Murray's friends hope
the Democrats next year viii "go ma
tive" BY that they mean the Demo-
Gratis should name some rough-hewn
champion Of the common people, after
the manner of Andrew jackson, and
make a campaign which would consist,
as Jackson's did, Of taking the bank
ing interests" and the money devils
by the tail and kicking them up and
down the land
Some of Murray's friends think there
Is at least q chance Of that, and that
Alfalfa Bill will play the role Of the
immortal Jackson. But that Is all on
the assumption that, as Murray says,
unemployment and economic distress
viii be 10 times worse next year. Omit
ting that, Murray will be known to his
tory as just another Governor of Okla
honla. He figures in this discussion of
the Democratic field as ii Is today only
because he Is one of the very few cam
didates in whose behalf there is any
thing more than local activity In his
own State. And the activity in behalf
Of Murray outside Of Oklahoma is very
slight. It hardly needs TO worry
Roosevelt much.
* ~ & q 49,
half Of an unusual figure in the politi-
Traylor Is banker, president of the
First National Bank of Chicago. There
is activity, rather fitfui, in behalf Of
Mr.. Traylor in three States: Kentucky,
where he was born; Texas. where he
grew up. and Illinois, where he Is
real present power. Persons able to
speak with authority say that the big
Illinoisc delegation to the Democratic
National Convention will be for Tray
lor for President. That may be, but
what Mr.. Traylor win get out of it,
presidential nomination.
Three Men Center Stage.
Traylor. Murray and Gov. Roosevelt
are at this moment the only men in
whose behalf there is anything other
than local, State activity. To say that
Is to suggest the answer. The answer
is that Gov Roosevelt is the only
Nationwide candidate in any impor-
tant sense for the Democratic presi-
dental nomination. Every other can
didate is a candidate in his own State
only. No serious candidate except Gov.
Roosevelt is making any effort in any
State except his own. Murray and
Traylor are mentioned here only to
make a complete list of those who are
candidates in States other than their
own. No one thinks Of Murray and
Traylor as serious candidates. And II
Gov Roosevelt continues to be the only
man seriously making the race on q
Nationwide basis, pretty surely he
must win it.
The one most serious possibility for
the Democratic presidential nonnina-
ton, other than Gov. Roosevelt. Is ex-
Secretary Of War Newton d. Baker Of
Ohio-and apparently Mr.. Baker Is not
sufficiently interested even to be q cam
didate within his own State. Late in
taking no steps to have his name en-
tered in the Ohio presidential primaries.
Certainly Mr.. Baker is not an active
candidate outside Ohio. Not in any
State outside Ohio Is any person
authorized by Mr.. Baker making any
effort to assemble Baker delegates to
the Democratic National Convention.
Not only does MIR. Baker not author
ize anybody; he has a manner Of being
sincerely not interested. He is not cold
to those who would like TO put him for
ward, for it is not his nature 70 ne
cold to anybody. Men who approach
Mr.. Baker personally, or write letters
to him, with q view to getting some
encouragement find him warmly agree
able IN broad way, but nevertheless
definitely lacking in affirmative en-
couragement to anybody to 60 out ana
assemble delegates in his behalf One
such visitor quotes Mr.. Baker as hay-
ing said, more than a year ago, about
the presidency, that I DO not cnerisn ".
Bakers Mind Praised.
That sentence was as characteristic
of Mr.. Baker as Calvin Coolidge's do
not choose" was of the New England
President. Mr. Baker has about the
exactest mind now functiontng In The
United States. Exactness of mind ex-
presses itself In exactness In the choice
of words. If he said 81 do not cherish"
the presidency, he can be taken TO have
meant Just that. Reasonably translated
It means that Mr.. Baker would not run
away from the presidency If 1t should
be thrust upon him. nor from the DEM
ocratic nomination for the presidency,
but that he does not care enough about
it to encourage any friend or supporter
to take any affirmative step.
There Is a world of such friends and
q larger world of supporters and an
extremely impressive mass of persons
who would like to vote for Mr. Baker;
but up to this moment--whether due
TO Mr.. Bakers attitude or not-there
Is not anywhere any organization de-