Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-02
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

President Hoover's political managers
are taking serenely the emergence OF
the Borah- for President boom and the
apparent recrudescence of Hiram john
sons White House ambitions, supposedly
laid away in lavender. Is Is seriously
doubted whether either the Idahoan or
the Californian thinks he could wrest
the nomination from the President, no
matter if the attempt were made in
the primaries or in the Republican Ma
tional Convention. Would-be dethron-
ers of a president in office always marx
back to the futile effort to prevent the
denomination of William Howard Taft.
What 1T. r." was unable to accom-
plish in 1912 few politicians believe
Borah or Johnson can achieve in 1882.
Republicans hostile to Hoover always
acknowledge that their only chance OF
overthrowing him is convention
stampede But G. 0. P. conventions
are famed for being hard-boiled. Next
years will be filled with Hooyer-in-
structed delegates, barring cont1ngen-
cies now utterly unforeseen. Even II
delegate from oregon, or somewhere
else, should get up and yen CALVIN
Coolidge!" it is extremely questionable
if the convention would lose its mead,
violate its instructions and turn down
Mr. Hoover. If it did, it would hano
the Democrats an issue on golden
platter-the partys reputation OF It's
own administration.
Offers of financial assistance Tor
primary campaign on Senator Borah
behalf might Just happen to be the ar
gument that would induce the Senate
foreign relations chairman to tempt
presidential fate. His friends have al
SR
very modest economic state that olS-
sua6ed him from indulging in the lux
ury of chase Tor convention delegates
One or two White House asplrants IN
the past discovered that in even the
least populous State in the country
$4,000 could easily be spent in pr1-
mary contest. That's a whole year
congressional salary for Borah. But
unless the Republican nominating con-
Idahoan's brand of progresSlvlsm. ne
would see little real hope of the @. Q. T,
anCinting him. its standard-bearer. TO
run on third-party ticket would carry
small appeal for Borah. He knows his
American political history too we'll 70
pin much faith on an independent can
didacy against the two great partieS
k
Senator johnson was 65 years old this
Fall He would be Sc if nominated and
elected President in 1882 and on the
verge of 81 at his Inauguration. While
there are plenty of men in American
public life today at full vigor in years
as advanced as that and beyond, it has
not been customary for either the Re-
publicanS or Democrats to invade the
sexagenarian brackets for presidential
timber. Hiram johnson is far more
"fiftyish" in physical and mental ca
pacity than nan in the middle Sos
Following his baffled aspiration to take
the 1924 nomination from Coolidge,
Johnson categorically announced that
the White House germ had been eradi-
Gated from his system for all time
Evidently he has had a relapse.
TIE Dominican Republic is No.
clearing the site for the memorial
lighthouse to be erected in honor Of
Christopher Columbus President Tru-
lillo is taking the deepest interest in
the project and awaiting the results OF
the second architectural competition
just closed at Rio de Janeiro. Archl-
tectS from every part Of the world have
competed The winning plan VIII re-
ceive a prize of $4,000. and its creator
will be chosen to design the monu-
mental beacon which is to bear the
thought IS to make the Columbus light
house useful for both mariners and air
pilots The FIRST continental memorial
| to the man who found America, II viii
constitute apart from its practical
value for sea and air navigation. the
tribute Of the 81 Americas to the glory
of Columbus.
* X x
Table D'Hote Government is the
title of a piquant political apoetizer
Just produced by Nathan B. Williams.
Washington lawyer The taxpayer IS
he man who pays the cheek ct L Hotel
6u Commencement" it says. The check
is largely augmented by attempts TO
cater to the friils, fads and fancies Of
the foolish. One order Of each OF the
items on a dinner bill Of leading no.
tel recently footed up the sum OF
slI 570. Quite one-helf CT mere of this
bin lad no relation to the real stls-