Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-18
The Political Mill
By C.. Gould Lincoln.

that, of course, President Hoover would
stand fer denomination and reelection
he effectually laid the rumors that nave
spread here and there for weeks ana
months that Mr. Hoover might With
draw himself from consideration IN
connection with the presidential race
this year. A President of the united
States serving his first term does not
have to announce himself candidate
for denomination. His friends attend
to that. And Mr.. Brown is one OF the
friends Of President Hoover. From
political point Of view, his terse state
ment to the effect that, of course, the
President would be in the race this
year was well timed With the Re-
publican National Convention less than
five months in the future, it is just as
well to have a definite understanding.
1t has, Of course, been taken fer
granted that President Hoover would
be put forward as a candidate for re-
nomination. Speeches delivered by
Senator Fess, chairman Of the Repub-
licRn National Committee, and Secre-
tary of War Hurley at the Republican
National Committee meeting here in
December were practically campaign
speeches urging the G. o. P. to rally
back Of Mr.. Hoover. But Postmaster
General Browns statement, coming
from a member of the cabinet and
from Hoover pre-convention manager
during 1928, was decidedly effective
** **
Mr.. Hoover, President of the United
States, Is not expected to make cam
paign tours of the country as he did
when he was merely the Republican
nominee in 1923. His predecessor, Cal
vim Coolidge, except for speech or
two delivered in Washington and
broadcast over the country, made, no
campaign when he occupied the White
House in 1924 and was a candidate to
succeed himself. The late President
Woodrow Wilson, followed a similar
course in 1916, and, outside of his
speech Of acceptance, did little or no
personal campaigning for reelection.
But although MIR. Coolidge and Mr..
Wilson were occupants of the White
House at the time, there was not the
slightest doubt in any ones mind that
either OF them was a candidate for
the presidential nomination or that
they were candidates for reelection It
Is the other side, the opponent of the
incumbent Of the White House, who
warns the highways and railroads of
the country seeking votes, as a gen.
eral rule. The Hoover campaign this
year, If the President Is renominated,
as the Republican leaders confidently
predict he will be, Is still in the max
ing. Its official leader, the chairman
Of the Republican National Commit
tee, if yet to be selected if Senator
Fess persists in his declination to fill
the post after the Republican National
convention meeting in June. Postmas-
ter General Brown has frequently been
mentioned as a likely choice for the
Job, although he has told his intimates
that he wishes to keep away from the
Craftsmanship if he can. Some of the
Republicans are talking of William M.
Butler of Massachusetts, who handled
the Coolidge campaign in 1924 and
continued as chairman until Mr.. Hoo
yer was nominated in the Summer Of
1923.
Among the efficient campaigners for
President Hoover in 1923 were Charles
Evans Hughes and William E. Borah
Mr.. Hughes has since become the Chief
Justice of the United States, and it is
not in the picture that he will be cam
paigning this year. Senator Borah is at
outs with the Hoover administration
1t would seem that only an intense
desire to defeat a Democratic nominee
for the presidency would get him into
the heat Of the campaign this year, if
Mr.. Hoover is the presidential choice
Of the G. o. p. Whatever other Pro-
sressive Republican Senators may do in
the way OF supporting q Democrat for
the presidency, 1t is not likely that the
Idaho Senator will forget his Repub-
llcan affiliations to that extent. 1t has
been suggested by many of Senator
Borah's friends that he himself be a
candidate for the presidential nomi-
nation Of the G. o. P, or that he run
as an independent.
The proposed candidacy of Senator
Hiram johnson Of California for the
Republican presidential nomination viii
face a showdown before long. Febru-
airy IS is the last day, according to the
North Dakota Senators, on which can
didateS may enter the presidential pref
erential primaries in that State. Back
in 1920, when Senator Hiram johnson
was a ful1-f Pledged candidate for the
presidential nomination and went tc
Chicago with large delegate following
Senator Borah was an ardent advocate
OF Senator Johnson's nomination. What
is Senator Borah going to do II Senator
johnson gets into the field again this
year, running in North Dakota and
other primary States2 There hasn't
been that warmth of sympathy between
Borah and johnson that existed In 1920
And what will William Randolph Hearst
do about the johnson candidacy If IL
materializes? Mr.. Hearst was a sup
porter of johnson in 1920, and he may
be again, although up to date Mr.
Hearst has contented himself with de-
handing the nomination of Calvin
Coolidge on the Republican side and
Speaker John N. Garner on the Demo
cratic.
The Garner boom for the Democratic
nomination Tor President has grown
considerably since it was first launched
in Texas when it was expected that Mr.,
Garner would make strong bid for
the speakership of the present Con-
greSs. He is Speaker of the House now,
an outstanding figure in the Federal
Government as well as in the Demo-
cratic party. 1t looks as though the
Texas delegation to the Democratic
National Convention next June would
be shouting Carriers name, and the
Texas delegation numbers At, pretty
good nucleus. Gov Franklin D. Roose-
welt and his friends, according to re-
ports. had hoped to sew up the Texas
delegation for Roosevelt. 1t NAV be
that the Roosevelt supporters will be
able to have it so arranged that their
candidate will be the second choice of
many OF the Texas delegates perhaps
the hrSt choice at heart Just where
Mr.. Garner Is to obtain other dele
gates to the convention is not clear.
Oklahoma and Arkansas, neighboring
States, have faVorite son candidates of
their own. But Mr.. Garner, even if
he does not have the nomination him.
self, may be in a position to throw the
Texas delegation to the man who will
win at the psychological moment, which
is something to think about
X
Not since 1924 has there been such
a scramble for the Democratic nomi-
nation for President. In 1923, former
Gov. Alfred e. Smith had the norni-
nation well in hand long before the
national convention met in Houston.