The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-17
TO STAY
ON GUARD FOR
HOOVER FUTURE
Faithful Confidant VIII
Stick in Capital, Eye
Political Arena.
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
United Press stan Correspondent

tCoDyright. 1882. by United Pressl
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17-When
President Hoover retires from the
White House he will leave in Wash
ington ears and eyes in the person
of his faithful secretary, Lawrence
Richey.
There is some mystery as to how
active Richey will be politically for
his chief. He win be Mr.. Hoover's
closest link with the national polit-
ical arena.
AS the man who is regarded as
closest in Mr.. Hoover's confidence.
no moves Of major Importance con-
corning the outgoing President
would be likely to take place with
out him being informed.
Whether this is preparatory to an
attempt by Mr.. Hoover to try again
for the White House in 1886 is a
question which may go unanswered
for some time. The President is
playing a waiting game. Everett
Sanders is to remain as chairman
of the Republican national commit
tee for a while.
Rejects $4,000 Salary
Richey will resume his work in
assembling material from govern
ment departments and other sources
for the Hoover war memorial Ii
brary at Stanford university.
Stocky, muscular, pleasant but
ruthless when neceS airy in defend
ing his chief, he will return to
Washington after getting Mr.. Hoo
yer settled at Palo Alto. He has
rejected number of business Of
fers. One carried a $4,000 salary.
He has a hunting lodge on the
lower Potomac and an apartment
in Washington. His wife died about
two years ago and this has made
more intense his devotion to his
chiefs interests.
Richey will be an alert and OBJ
servant figure during the scramble
fo- control of the Republican party.
What will come out of this scramble
nobody knows. 1t is uncertain
whether Mr.. Hoover has any fur
ther interest in controlling the
party.
Declines to Write
He is known to feel that it would
be improper for him to attempt to
influence public opinion toward the
incoming Roosevelt administration.
He also is opposed to any change
in the party organization for the
present.
He has declined to write for pub
LEGATION. So that if he sought to
control the Republican organization
it would be in a drive to rebuild the
organization rather than as a
propaganda agency to lay down a
barrage against his successor.
On the other hand, an old guard
group, including such figures as
Senator James E. Watson, who is
about to retire as senate Republic
an leader, and Senator George
Moses, retiring president pro tenn.
of the senate, is flirting with the
idea of trying the Shouse-Raskob-
Nicholson method of savage pub
licity bombardment.
Prepare Hand Grenades
But the attitude at the White
House and the attitude generally
among Republicans is that the
democrats should be allowed to
have their honeymoon without be-
ing annoyed. Then, say about the
time for the next regular session of
the new congress, next winter, the
Republicans would start throwing
hand grenades.
If Mr.. Hoover should contemplate
a return from Elba, ne would plan
his operations largely on the basis
of information reported by Richey
He will be on hand here also to
protect his chief against attack by
Democrats.
Criticism in congress, investiga-
ton of the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation, the farm board, or the
bonus army eviction, for instance,
would find Richey ready to supply
to senators and congressman data
giving authoritatively the Hoover
side of the case.
Wien Mr.. Hoover went to South
America just after his election
Richey remained in Washington
and forwarded to Mr.. Hoover's
battleship daily complete report
on political developments in the
United States.