Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-06
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Executive Chairman Jouett Shouse
was at vast pains in yesterdays DEM
ocratic National Committee meeting TO
Danish all thoughts of candidates and
candidates.. But they we're the things
uppermost in the minds of those pres
ent, all the same, even when the
prohibition storm was, at its height.
Who is going to" be their 1882
presidential nominee. not the kind
Of a platform he'll run on, is
the Democrats paramount issue just
now. 1t was the ghost at the feast
which Chairman Raskob organized, re-
gardless of precedent, many months
ahead of the time when the party ma
chinery is ordinarily set in motion on
the threshold of a presidential cam
paign. All of Mother Democracy's ia
vorite sons had their scouts at work
among the National Committee men and
women, with view to learning how
this or that section of the country
feels about this or that aspirant for
next years standard bearership. Little
doubt was left that the Democratic
Convention will witness real contest
for the prize. According to the pres
ent outlook, at least dozen names
viii figure in the first ballot.
x 4 &*
Arkansas will present Senator Joe T.
Robinson. Georgia will offer Senator
Walter F. George. Illinois will tender
Senator James Hamilton Lewis. Indi-
ana has a dark horse in Evans Woollen,
indianapolis banker. Kentucky once in
while looks upon Senator Alben w.
Barley as presidential timber. Mary
land is hell-bent-fo--l Leather this time
for Gov. Richie. Missouri's delegation
will be Jim" Reeds for the asking, and
it expects to be asked. Montana has
always held Senator Tom" Walsh to
be eligible to White House honors.
When New York's name on the roll call
is rea ehed, the fireworks will begin to
pop. Before they're over no fewer than
three Empire State hats will be in the
ring-those of Gov. Roosevelt, Al Smith
and owen D. Young. Smith very def
when invited to do so by newspaper
! men at Washington this week. Ohio
has at least two Barkises-counting
Jimmy Cox, possibly three-in New
ton D. Baker and Senator Robert j.
Eulkley. Before DiXie,s list of eligibles
is exhausted Tennessee may ask con-
sheraton Of Senator Cordell Hull and
Virginia the name Of its popular for
mer Governor, Harry F. Byrd. A count
of noses at the National Committee
pow-wow indicated that Franklin Roose-
veit probably is out in front at this
time, but still long way from the two
thirds vote a Democratic nominee must
get.
Next to speculation about can
didatSs, the omnip esenE f.ature OF the
Eemocl ats great pow-wow was the note
of serene confidence in which they cen
template 1882. Every mothers son and
daughter of them are convinced to their
~
cooked, and that his name Is Herbert
Hoover. They say it's as sure as any
thing in politics can be that their IL
years in the wildern SIS will ccne to an
! end on March 4, 1888, and that power
on the pa.ptatirg Pot mac once more
VIII be transferred to the party OF JEFF
, fer5cn Jackson g. Co. No Democrat can
see anything to the 1880 congressional
elections except that they were the ira
ditional handwriting on the wall indi-
eating that the administered defeated
In midterm is doomed to final dis
] ester 1t the ensuing presidential e!ec-
ten. Depression alone, most Democrats
think will be enough to wreck any
hopes Of Republican national success in
1852.
* X X X
II the Democrats pick a wet to head
their ticket next year, it's a foregcne
| conclusion that the t2il-ender will be
a dry, just as he was in 1928. Many OF
his friends in the Senate think that the
party could go farther and do worse
than nominate Senator Clarence c.
Dill Of Washington for Vice President.
He has good many qualifica tons
not the least Of them his smashing VIC
tory for reelection in 1928, when nearly
III Of the West and Northwest were
tonpling over themselves going Re-
publican. While Hoover was carrying
! Washington by nearly 200, 900. Dill
rolled up a Democratic majority that
sEampsd Judge Macintosh, his Re-
publican senatorial opponent. Senator
Dill has a particular claim on the radio
audience of the country. He sponsored.
for the most part, all existing regula-
ton Of broadcasting He himself is an
accomplished performer on the air,
which he used almost exclusively in his
victorious campaign three years ago.