Evening star., 1932-09-23
Franklin Calls to Hiram.

Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt has cor
daily invited the anti-Hoover Hiram
johnson into the Democratic camp
The bid Of the Democratic presidential
candidate to the disgruntled Republican
Senator was made quite openly during
his first address in California. What
Senator Johnson will do about 1t re-
mains to be seen. Speaking before the
California Federation of Labor a daV
or two ago, Senator Johnson upbralded
the Government. without mentioning
President Hoover's name, for failing
to aid the destitute" while lending
money to the banks. Gov. Roosevelt,
Who has taken much the same position
In his criticism of the Hoover admins
tration. said that he agreed one hum
dred per cent with Senator johnson,
California put Woodrow Wilson into
the White House in 1915. 1t went
Democratic in the presidential election
of that year, because, 1t has often
been said. Senator johnson declined to
support Charles Evans Hughes, the Re
publican nominee. Senator Johnson
then Governor. was disgruntled because
Mr.. Hughes. on a campaign trip TO
California, visited Johnsons enemies
and failed to visit him. 1t seems in
credible that great events should be so
controlled, or that personal pique should
govern instead of principle But that
seems to have happened in California
in 1916. And now the California Sen
ator is again the target of Democratic
hopes. on the theory that having thrown
down his own party in one presidential
election ne will do so again. When
Senator Johnson was running for re-
election in 1929 ne remained regular
enough, and made no motion to try to
throw California to Alfred E. Smith
against Herbert Hoover
The California situation politically
has its problems for the Democrats as
we'll as for the Republicans, however.
AL Smith had and has great follow
ing in Northern California How will
these Al Smith Democrats feel toward
Gov. Roosevelt and toward William
Gibbs McAdoo, who handed the Cali
fornia delegation, pledged to Garner,
over to Roosevelt at the Chicago con-
yention lust in time to bring about the
nomination of Roosevelt, for whom, 1t
is reported. Mr.. Smith has no use as
a presidential candidate?
California has long been Repub-
lican State. It's registration OF voters
TODAY shows the Republicans have
100000 more enrolled voters than have
the Democrats. 1t is still questionable
whether the Roosevelt, Garner, McAdoo
and Hearst combination. plus the dis
sr,,ntled Hiram johnson, can upset
s,,ch a Republican lead on election day.
Senator johnson, who was once Stung
badly by the presidential bee, has been
a President maker by indirection. anc
he NAV seek the same role again this
wear because of his dislike OF the first
Californian to become President OF the
United States. In 1916 his denial OF
aid to Hughes elected Woodrow Wilson.
In 1920 Senator Johnson entered the
lists and because Of the three-cornered
race between Wood LoWden and himself
brought about a deadlock and the nomi-
nation of Warren G. Harding. BY de-
clining to become vice presidential
nominee of the Republicans along with
Harding or with the late Senator Knox
OF Pennsylvania, Senator johnson also
by indirection made possible the ascen-
dancy of Calvin Coolidge from the vice
presidency to the White House. De-
cidedly. the California Senator has had
much to do with the White House sue
cession during the last sixteen years.
Yet he did not care for any of the
men politically for whom he made 1t
possible to win the presidency The
only man whom he supported whole
heartedly for the presidency failed of
election in l9l2-the late Col. Theodore
Roosevelt. Johnson's leader in the Bull
Moose campaign Col Roosevelt's widow
and his sons and daughters this year
are supporting Herbert Hoover and op-
posing the Democratic Roosevelt.