Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-15
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

leans win have nominated their candi-
date for President, In al probability,
and Will be looking expectantly toward
the Democratic national convention for
It's selection. Unless there Is . change
in the usual arrangements for the ma
tional convention Of the two parties,
the Republican hosts will gather early
in june and the Democrats about two
weeks later. Although the conventions
and the nominations are O year hence,
there seems to be more and more
capitalization Of opinion regarding the
probable choice OF both the Democrats
and Republicans for President. Presi-
dent Hoover's hat has been thrown in
the ring so often during the last week
particularly at the Conference of Young
Republicans, which was held here
Thursday and Friday, that II any one
had any doubt Is TO the Presidents
candidacy or willingness TO run TO sue
coed himself that doubt must have van
ished. When cabinet ofiicers, members
OF the Presidents ofncial family, In pub
lie speeches declare that he Is to be
renominated, they may be presumed to
know something about the matter. And
Senator Tess, chairman Of the Repub-
lican National Committee, left no doubt
IN the mind OF any one that the party
leaders expect to renominate-and as
ne said, TO re-elect--President Hoover.
Mr.. Hoover is on his way West today
70 dedicate the Harding Memorial in
Marion, Ohio, and to make O few
speeches on the way, one Of them to
the Republican editors Of Indiana. No
one expects the President to announce
MS own candidacy. He doesn't have
to. It has already been done for him.
But his utterances In the Middle West
VIII be followed with the keenest in
terest. At Marion he viii be joined by
former President Calvin Coolidge, who
also Is to take part in the dedication
OF the memorial to the man whose
running mate he was in 1920. Mr..
Coolidge has been silent a. the grave
about his political plans. IL any. ever
since he left the White House. How
ever, the report was brought TO Wash
ington last week by a man In posi-
ton to know what he was talking
about that Mr.. Coolidge had positively
said, in private conversation, that he
would take no public ONCE unless the
country was ut war, or was faced with
the gravest kind Of emergency that
threatened the overthrow of the Con-
stitution Of the Government. In some
quarters, this report may be interpreted
to mean that perhaps Mr.. Coolidge
could after all be persuaded to run for
the nomination next year. But those
who know the former President well IN
sist that such an Interpretation would
be entirely incorrect; that when he
said emergency, he meant emergency,
and not q business depression. There
are, OF course, q lot of men and women,
some Of whom went out Of ONCE when
Mr.. Coolidge left the White House, or
at least went out OF the spotlight, who
would be glad TO have Mr.. Coolidge
get into the race again. But they are
a mere handful after all, and in adj
definite ideas Of his own on this SUBJ
ject Of running for ONCE again. The
reception accorded the former Presi-
dent by the assembled Republicans at
Marion, however. will be watched with
much interest, not only by the poii-
ticians. but by the public.
&k
Up In Massachusetts, q luncheon was
given Saturday by Col Z. M. House,
the Frank Stearns Of the Wilson ad-
ministration--or perhaps he was some
thing more, though certainly not more
devoted follower of Mr.. Wilson than
was Mr.. Stearns Of Mr.. Coolidge. At
this luncheon was Gov Franklin d.
Roosevelt of New York and the principal
Democratic political leaders of the Bay
State, the two United States Senators,
David l. Walsh and Marcus A. Cool
idge. and Mayor Curley Of Boston.
William Morgenthau. American AM
hNESMAAr m TNYrynu yVi1eaNa
administration, also was a guest. Gov.
Ely Of Massachusetts, was not present.
If he had been, probably the luncheon.
which was declared to be an informal
a1datr. would have assumed an ofiicial
proportion. Col. House has declared
himself for the nomination of Gov
Roosevelt on the Democratic ticket next
year. He Is working for the nomina-
ton of the New York Governor, and
when he invited Roosevelt to his Sum-
Tner home on the North Shore, and to
meet him called in Senator Walsh.
Walsh Is the dominating political fg-
ure in Massachusetts, today. What SEN
ator Walsh had to say about the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination after the
luncheon Is decidedly interesting. He
said
Let US be sensible. What's to be
gained by refusing to face the situation
as it exists? II Al Smith desires to
have the nomination, then Of course
Massachusetts, will be for him and
none can prevent such a development.
He is first in the affections Of the
Democrats Of Massachusetts,. Next to
Smith of course, am for Roosevelt"
The last sentence uttered by Senator
Walsh Is the meat Of the whole matter.
Democrats, among them Senator Walsh,
do not believe that Al Smith viii be q
candidate for the presidential nomina-
ton. II that is the case, 1t appears
that Gov Roosevelt Is practically GER
tain to have the Massachusetts, dele
CATION with him at the national con-
vention next year. Certainly Senator
Walsh will be q strong figure in the
delegation and he has made it as
clear as the nose on the face that, If
Smith is not q candidate, he Is for
the New York Governor.
Mayor Curley Of Boston, who is one
Of the cIeverest Of the Massachusetts,
politicians, although he does not hesi-
tate to engage IN intraparty iracases'
went further than Senator Walsh, even.
He said before a microphone, set up
by the sound picture operators for the
occasion Of this gathering, that he
hoped when Gov. Roosevelt visited Mas
sachusetts next 1t will be In the capac-
ity of an active candidate "for . more
exalted position than Governor of New
York, that Of President Of the United
States"
+ 4
Pennsylvania Republican politicians
opposed to Gov. Gifford Pinchot do not
make light Of the Governors supposed
ambitions to be q candidate for the
Republican presidential nomination.
However. they insist that II the Gov
ernor gets into the race for the Penn
sylvania delegation to the Republican
Convention next year, he will not cap
ttre more than a third of the delegates