Evening star., 1935-12-20
BOrah i'm Wisconsin,


Senator Borah has agreed to "go along"
with plans of two of his admirers in
Wisconsin to send Wisconsin delega-
ton to the Republican National Con-
vention next June instructed for Borah.
This presumably makes the Idaho SEN
ator a candidate for the presidential
nomination, without an actual announce
ment from him that his hat is in the
ring. And, presumably, the friends OF
the Senator in other States where preSi-
dental primaries are to be held will take
steps also to enter his name in those
contests. There is no reason to believe,
now that the ice has been partially
broken, that the Senator will draw back.
1t looks very much as though he is to
become an out and out candidate for the
nomination, despite the predictions OF
many persons that he would not take
that step.
There is Of course. the alternative
idea that Borah is intent merely upon
gaining strong hold on the Republican
National Convention, with delegations
pledged to himself, in order that lib
eral platform be written and liberal
candidate for President be nominated.
A man would be more than human, how
ever, if the presidential nomination were
within his grasp and he should wave 1t
away. The Republican presidential
nomination of 1896, accounted year ago
as probably of little value, now looms
real prize, with the waning Of the New
Deal popularity.
If Borah is to be nominated by the
Republicans it will be because he has
demonstrated his strength with the rank
and file of the Republican voters OF the
country. Presidential preferential pri-
marieS are held in less than score OF
States, but in enough to give a good in
ment. There are groups among the Re-
publicans who are antagonistic to Borah,
who would not welcome him as candi-
date. Generally speaking. the group in
cludes many of the big business men and
those interested in great combines of in
dustry. While his group has dominated
presidential nominations in the past, 1t
is doubtful that it will be able to do so
in the year 1886.
The Wisconsin primary is to be held
the second Tuesday in April, an early
date. The first primary takes place in
New Hampshire in March. That seems
to have been pre-empted by Col. Frank
Knox, publisher of the Chicago Daily
News, at one time a New Hampshire
publisher. If Senator Borah determines
to go into the primary in Illinois and
the primary in Ohio, the fur really will
begin to fly. Knox is regarded as
potential "favorite son" candidate Of
Illinois, and in Ohio the Republican
leaders have joined in an agreement to
nominate favorite son, merely to hold
the delegation in line until the time
arrives for the real choice of the con-
vention.
Senator Robert M. La Toilette of Wis
consin, an old friend of the Idaho Sen
ator, has taken himself out of the Re-
publican party and into Progressive
party sponsored by the Republican group.
In such circumstances it might be sup
posed that he no longer had any inter-
est in the Republican presidential nomi-
nation. But should Borah be the choice
of the Republican convention, what then
is to be the attitude of La Toilette? Is
he to support President Roosevelt or
Senator Borah? This is bridge which
the Wisconsin Progressive leader does
not have to cross at present. 1t presents
interesting possibilities, however, par
ticularly for the Roosevelt Democrats
who are counting on the progressives Of
the West to put the President into Office
for n second term