Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

b1 MARIN SULLIVAN
lY UNLESS the game of politics be-
comes alluring to a larger
number Of persons, particularly
~ to a larger number of aspi-
rants for the presidency
political writer's may find themselves
sharing the current lack Of demand
tics, apparently there is to be Little
or none.
Subsequent to the nominations, OF
course-after the Republicans shall
have renominated Herbert Hoover, and
the Democrats shall have nominated,
as it seems now, Gov. Franklin Roose-
| welt of New York-after that there
will be such politics and such a presi-
dental campaign as almost the mem
DRY of man runneth not to the con-
trary. But Of fighting for the two
presidential nominations, apparently
there Is to be little or none.
That Mr.. Hoover will get the Re
publican nomination has always been
accepted as a matter of course by
every one having the faintest ia
miliarity with politics. The spurts Of
news from time to time which suggest
that this, that or the other one will
contend against Mr.. Hoover for the
Republican nomination, reflect, as
/
paper managing editors to screen the
/ fantastic from the true. One category
of these stories was ended when Mr..
Coolidge declared that he does not
choose to run again and thai he Is
going to support Loyalty the present
occupant of the White House.
Borah Not Against Hoover.
When the newspapers print dis
patch from Virginia saying that some
| one in that State Is starting "Borah
| for President" Club, that may mean
any one of several things, but it does
not mean that Mr. Borah will contend
against Mr.. Hoover for the Republican
presidential nomination. In every cam
paign it is said-by persons other than
Borah himself-that he will either try
| for the Republican nomination or run
as a third party candidate. That has
been said every four years since Sena-
tor Borah entered public life, which
was preceding 1908. It has been said
therefore, in seven different campaign
years, including the present, and it has
always been as incorrect as it Is now.
Senator Borah has his own role In
public life and his own conception OF
that role. and 1t does not include try
ing for the presidency.
Similarly, when Senator Hiram john
son of California emits violent and
reverberant dissatisfaction with Presi-
dent Hoover's action about Japan and
| China, newspaper headlines record the
California Senator's defiance as a sign
Of intention on his part to try to take
| the Republican presidential nomina-
ton away from his fellow Californian
Senator johnson, on this point, IS
little less practicable than 5enator
Borah. because Senator johnson has
actually entertained the presidential
bee, has caressed it and petted it over
period as long, at least, as quarter
of his mature life.
Twice Close to Honor.
But Senator Johnson is through
with all that He was extremely close
to the vice presidency on at least two
| occasions. Once wsS in 1912, when he
was teammate to Theodore Roosevelt
on the ticket of the Progressive party.
| Again, in 1920. the Republican Vice
Presidential nomination was repeatedly
and insistently almost thrust down
Senator Johnson's throat, In that year
combination that wanted to nomi-
Knox of Pennsylvania tried to make a
tie-up with Senator johnson, and if
[ johnson had been willing the ticket
might have been Knox and johnson.
in which case good deal of subsequent
history might have been different. Knox
died during the period for which he
would have been PreSident-and john
son had reason to contemplate, whether
with regret or not, the decision of his
which prevented his succeeding to the
presidency.
Again, in that same year, 1920, after
it had been determined to give the
presidential nomination to the then
Senator Warren G. Harding of Ohio,
| friends of Harding tried every sort Of
persuasion to have johnson accept the
| other end Of the ticket. johnson re-
| fused with violent words to the effect
that he was candidate for the presi-
| Genital nomination and would accept no
less. Thereafter the convention, left
| to itself, gave the vice presidential
nomination to Calvin Coolidge. Hard
! ing and Coolidge were elected. Hard
| ing died during his term. Mr.. Coolidge
| stepped into the presidency-andS ena-
tor johnson had that further occasion
| to. reflect upon the whinls Of fate, and
the consequences of his own decisions
| upon his own fortunes.
1924 Humiliating Defeat.
When 1924 came Senator johnson
started out in a most formidable way
to acquire the presidential nomination
for himself, contending against Mr..
Coolidge, then in office. Johnson's eff
forts, while portentous, encountered
rather humiliating defeat in the earl
lest Of the Western primaries. There
| upon, the California Senator declared
that he had had his fill of Bullets from
the unintelligence of such gods as de-
tern1ine the history of the United
States. He announced he would never
run again, and fell, to as kreat a degree
as his temperament would permit, into
the mood of amiable elder statesman.
With that sort of history behind him,
Senator johnson, much as he disap-
proves Mr.. Hoover, is not likely to try
to take the Republican presidential
nomination from him.
Once in so often reverberating head
lines proclaim that Gov. Clifford Pin
chot of Pennsylvania will try for the
Republican, nomination. It Is Just DOS
sible Gov. Pinchot might, though the
writer of this article predicts he won't
or will bet he won't, If betting is anv
stronger evidence of conviction than
he might get, at the extreme outside,
IS delegates out Of total Of approx
mately LOO.
Young Senator Bob LaFollette may
enter for the Republican nomination,
or he may toss penny with his BROTH
er, Gov. Phil, to see which Of the two
shall carry on in the LaFollette presi-
Dental tradition. If either of the La
Follettes runs, 1t will be merely as their
father used to run, for purposes local to
Wisconsin and to the LaFollette control
Of the State If one of the LaFollettes
should try for the Republican presiden-
tial nomination. he might get something
more than half the 26 delegates from
Wisconsin and a scattered few from
elsewhere, certainly not more than SO
in all, out of the conventions total of
about LOO. LaFollette would not even
get all the Progressive strength in the
Northwest, for LaFollette is wet, whereas