The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-12-26
26, 1885
Washington
Merry-Go-
Round
BY DREW PEARSON and
ROBERT 5. ALLEN.

VNAsHINGToN, Dec. 2s.-Dont
w Jump to hasty conclusions
about this Borah candidacy" for
the G. o. P. presidential nomina-
ton. 1t is not all it appears to be
on the surface.
Mr.. Borah's decision to go after
convention delegates in the Wiscon-
sin. Ohio and other state primaries,
does NOT mean he has made up his
mind he wants the nomination.
The paradox proves the truth OF
that old axiom: In politics, two
and TWO do not necessarily add up
to four"
The real inside on the situation
is this:
Mr.. Borah is approaching II. His
senatorial term expires next year.
He has been in the Senate 20 years,
is dean of the chamber in length Of
service. He is virtually certain OF
reelection. Furthermore, continued
public life is as necessary TO Mr..
bOran as is uSnL ana Az.
That is one set of controlling fac
tors. There is also another.
Mr.. Borah, privately, is very
doubtful of the present possibilities
Of defeating Roosevelt. FSuz
months later, the situation may be
different. But right now he con-
slders Mr.. Roosevelt far in the lead.
At the same time Mr.. Borah is
deeply and bitterly hostile to Mr..
Hoover. To a lesser degree, but still
strongly, he disapproves OF Knox,
Landon, Vandenberg and the herd
Of 'favorite son" aSpirants.
Regardless of what he may think
Of the chances of licking Mr.. RooSe-
welt next June, Senator Borah is
determined to do two things: %
Leave no stone unturned to prevent
the nomination of Mr.. Hoover; %
have a big say in the writing of the
Republican platform and the selec-
ton OF the candidate.
This, in brief, sums up the be-
hind-the-scenes picture.
On the one hand is Mr.. Borah's
Senate seat, priced by him almost
as much as his own life. On the
other hand is the heady lure of the
presidency, his current secret doubt
of the value of the Republican
nomination, his deep hatred of Mr.
Hoover and grim determination to
be the big gun" Of the Cleveland
nomination.
CENATE colleagues are saying
- jocularly of Mr. Borah that he
is quaking in his boots for fear he
actually will get the Republican
nomination. There is much truth
in the jest.
The Idahoan is laps ahead of any
other Republican runner. He has
tremendous popular support
throughout the Republican Party,
not merely in the West. Eastern
Old Guard leaders are against him,
but among the rank and file, even
in the East, Mr.. Borah is tops" by
wide margin.
OF the ID states that hold prefer
entail primaries he is a sure VIM
ner in IL, and would have an even
chance of carrying the other three
should he decide to take on the
"favorite son" candidates.
Faced with a popular mandate of
this magnitude, the Cleveland con-
vention would have a difficult time
defeating Mr.. Borah-if by that
time he will have made up his mind
that the chances of beating RooSe-
welt are worth risking his sure Sem,
ate seat.
Will this inner doubt be dis
solved sufficiently by next June so
he can grasp the prize that has SO
long eluded him? Or, after all these
years, will he still be so uncertain Of,
victory that, with the nomination
his for the taking, he will not dare
hazard his Senate toga? !.
ITO be or not to be?" With Sem
ator Borah that is the burning
question.
HOMESTEADERS' Chris mas
4 Il dinners were more bountiful
in West Virginia yesterday because
Mrs. Roosevelt put her foot in.
A week before Christmas the First
Lady heard that homesteaders in
her pet projects-Reedsville and
Elkins-had been unpaid for four
weeks. So she picked up the tele-
phone and called Resettlement Adj,
ministrator Rex TugWell.
Homesteaders raised an extra
cheer when they looked at the
checks. In many cases, they were
paid double-two checks to one
man.
This, they thought. was a Christ
mas bonus, unaware that the Audit
Division soon will catch the mis-
take.
Copyright. 1885, by United Feature
Syndicate. Inc)