Evening star., 1932-02-15
Mr.. Bakers Silence.

Newton D. Baker returned to the
United States yesterday and talked OF
the archaeological wonders of Mexico. II
a number of other Democrats, prom
inent in party affairs, would follow suit
they might help their party. AS it is.
the amount Of bitterness found In state
ment after statement issued by anti
Roosevelt and Roosevelt Democrats,
Smith Democrats and anti-Smith Demo-
Gratis, Ritchie Democrats, Murray Demo-
Gratis and those favoring other candi-
dates for the presidential nomination
threaten to bring about situation at
least comparable ID that which pre-
vailed in 1924.
Mr.. Baker is widely recognized as
one of the ablest men in his party
today. 1t is not inconceivable that,
League or no League, if the Democratic
National Convention should find itself
in jam next June and unable to reach
an agreement on Roosevelt, Smith,
Ritchie or any of the other avOWed
candidates, it might turn to Baker.
Whether the nomination would be
worth a lot to any candidate after
severe intraparty strife is question.
Much would depend upon whether the
candidate finally named had the friend
ship of all factions. Mr.. Baker SO far
has offended none of these factions.
i,,o 10 ait
active or receptive candidate. He has
left the field entirely to the aspirants
for the nomination. No one, in such
circumstances, can accuse him of try
ing to hamstring any of the candidates
for the presidential nomination. He
has not declared himself for pledged
or unpledged delegates to the Demo-
cratic National Convention. He has at
tended to his own business
The only statement that Mr.. Baker
has made which might be interpreted
as showing a willingness on his part
to become the presidential nominee of
his party had to do with his stand on
the League of Nations. In that state
ment he reiterated his belief in the
ultimate success of the League, but
said he would not undertake to put
tie United States into the League un-
til majority of the people favored
such a move. It is obvious, of course.
that he could not possibly take the
United States into the League if a
majority of the people opposed such a
course. At the same time that Mr..
Baker issued his statement regarding
the League, which apparently had been
dragged out of him by friends who
have been trying to make him candi-
date for the presidential nomination,
Mr.. Baker reiterated his assertion that
he was not a candidate. He did not
him the nomination he would accept
it. He contented himself with fat
denial that he was a candidate.
Within three months the voters in
the Democratic primaries will have
spoken pretty plainly regarding their
preferences for candidates. The party
leaders will do well to give heed to
what the voters say. If they select
candidate for the presidential romina-
ton who runs we'll in the primary
elections they may reasonably expect
that such a candidate viii run well N
the general election next November.
The danger lies in the effort of the
so-called leaders of the Democratic
party undertaking to go contrary to
the sentiment SO expressed by the
voters. Furthermore. good old fracas
among the Democrats might lose them
almost all, if not ALL tie advantage
which the business depression mas given
them in this campaign. And should
the business depression tighten in the
next few months serious Democratic
intraparty row would probably end all
chance of the election of Democratic
President.