Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-03
P|NCHOT CANDIDACY
IN 1882 RUMORED
Attack on Utilities Before
Governors Thought Move
for Nomination.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Talk of Gov. Pinchot of Pennsylvania
as a possible contender for the Repub-
lican presidential nomination next year
increased in Washington today because
Of his vitriolic attack on the power
trust at the Governors conference at
French Lick Springs yesterday.
Many rumors have recently come from
Pennsylvania to the effect that Plnchot
was laying his plans to enter the race
for the presidential nomination next
year. He has made no announcement
of his political plans, however. Some OF
his friends insist that he Is not, as has
been charged in some quarters. rum
ming for President" from the Governor s
chair in Pennsylvania.
Speech Presidential Move.
His speech to the Governors yester-
day on the power question. which ne
insisted upon making although he had
been assigned another topic. was hailed
today. however. as a first tangible move
toward the presidential nomination. He
was elected Governor last year after
making a campaign issue Of the public
utilities in Pennsylvania. His effort now,
it is said, is to magnify this issue into
a Nationwide issue upon which he can
run for President.
Progressive Republican leaders in
Washington today while not permitting
themselves to be quoted, said they did
not believe that Gov. Pinchot could
win the nomination over President
Hoover as things now stand. The dam
ger to the Hoover candidacy for re-
election. they said, lay in the possibility
that Gov. Pinchot might enter some
Of the presidential preferential prima-
rles against Mr.. Hoover and carry some
Of the States. II this happens. they
said. Mr. Hoovers prestige as vote
getter would be seriously impaired.
Lacks Country wide Support.
At present as these Progressives said,
had or would have the backing Of a
large group Of the voters out through
the country. For example. 1t was argued
Gov. Pinchot although a strong dry,
would be unable to draw from President
Hoover the huge dry vote IN the Re-
publican party.
President Hoover. it was pointed out.
is as strong today with the dry element
in the party and in the country as he
ever was. Furthermore. so far Gov.
Pinchot makes no strong appeal to the
great farm vote Of the country. II he
should enter the primaries in the
Northwestern States as a candidate for
delegations to the Republican National
Convention he would not make nearly
so strong a race as would for example
Senator George w. Norris OF Nebraska.
Norris Entrance In Doubt.
There has been no indication so far
that Senator Norris plans to enter these
presidential primaries and, indeed. 1t is
understood he has said privately that
he did not intend to do so, despite the
fact that number of the Progressives
are urging him to get into the fight.
While labor in part Is friendly to Gov.
Pinchot. it is by no means certain that
he could draw a majority Of the labor
vote in the primary contest with Mr..
Hoover. He would have against him
the vets in the Republican party, who
would regard him as more fanatically
dry than President Hoover. In addi-
ton to these elements of opposition,
Gov. Pinchot would undoubtedly face a
severe contest from that element i'll the
Republican party which is opposed to
his policy toward the public utilities,
including the electrical power COM
panies.
The Progressive Republicans, I'M
friendly to the Hoover administration,
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