The Washington times., 1935-11-14
B0RAH ISBACK;
UNCERTAIN OF
CANDIDACY
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
international News Service

Senator william E. Borah, the
lone.Wolf statesman from Idaho,
one of the biggest enigmas in the
Republican presidential campaign
of 1885, returned to the Capital
today in a state of indecision as
to whether he will or will not be
q candidate.
He has five months to make
up his mind. Five months from
today, on Apr IA, the country
will be witnessing the first Of the
presidential primarieS-in Illinois
and Nebraska. Two weeks later
Pennsylvania follows.
Senator Borah is not the only
one who is going to have to make
up his mind in the next five
months. A similar decision re-
garding entrance into primaries
is going to have to be made by
Gov. ALI M. Landon, Kansas;
Col. Frank Knox, the Chicago
publisher; Senator Arthur H. Van
denberg. Michigan, and sundry
others, not excepting ex-PreSident
Herbert Hoover.
without Precedent
The Republican candidatorial sit
uation is. without precedent or
parallel in the party's history.
Five months from the date Of the
first of the presidential primaries
there are no avowed, in-the-open
candidates. There are innumer-
able receptive" candidates. But
none of the dozen or so men
whose names have figured in the
speculation has cared to step out
in front with a frank avoWal of
their ambitions.
Colonel Knox prob a bly, has
come closer to it than any Of the
others, and yet he has never ad-
mitted, publicly, that he is can
didate. He has been merely max
ing a great many politic a l
speeches, as have some of the
others.
Both Mr.. Hoover and Senator
Borah are credited in the inner
circles of the party with the same
ambition-they would like to have
the nomination if it could be OBJ
tanned without fight, and, fail
ing in that, they would like to
have the deciding voice as to who
is to be the candidate to oppose
Franklin D. Roosevelt next year.
Hoover Eager to Run
Mr.. Hoover's intimates, with
whom he has talked in recent
months, make no bones about the
fact that the former President Is
etching" for denomination, and a
chance to vindicate himself and
his policies. But they assert that
under no circumstances will be
engage in any contest, either be-
fore the convention or in the con-
Vention.
He would like the chance for
vindication, but only If the noni-
nation came to him on a platter.
with the assurance OF a united
party behind him. In other words,
Mr.. Hoover would. like to be
drafted. The politicians do not
believe he will be.
But Of one thing they are sure.
It is that Mr.. Hoover is going to
the convention, or his friends are,
determined that, if he is not to
be the nominee, then to have the
dominent voice as to who will be.
Senator Borah is credited with
much the same idea-only applied
to himself. His friends assert that
he is personally indifferent as to
his own chances for the nomina,
ton. He is past 10 years Of age
in none too rugged health and the
prospects of a long and arduous
campaign, under the circum'
stances, does not appeal to one OF
Senator Borah'S sedentary mode
of life. Still, If the "call comes,
as they put it, they do not believe
he would fail to answer.
To Fight "Old Guard"
One thing which the Idaho
Senator is determined to prevent
if possible. That is the domina'
ton of the convention by the Re
publican "Old Guard" and the
nomination of a candidate subser
Went to those interests.
On that issue, the lion Of Idaho
Is prepared to fight to the last
ditch. He has already declared