The Washington times., 1935-04-04
c. O,P.HUNT|NG
FOR CANDIDATE
FOR 1885
Party BaffIed; Conference in
Kansas City Only 9 Months
Away Stirs Leaders
By JOHN SNURE, Jr.

l
With only il months to go be-
fore the 1885 convention, members
of the Republican party are crying
in the wilderness for a Presidential
candidate.
The Kansas City G. o. P. con-
ference is month away and lead
ers are wondering whether they
will be forced to put up a candi-
date in 1885 for the sole purpose
of going through the motions Of
a fight.
1t is obvious, they say, that un-
less there is a stupendous recess
sion of Roosevelt power, there can
be but one reason to make the
1885 campaign. That is to keep
the G. o. P. elephant before the
people as a symbol of a party that
used to be powerful, now fallen
into the depths from which it
hopes to rise again.
Statements of this character are
made only in private, however.
Turning to the Senate, where
candidates sometimes are picked,
Republican observers say they
find none who can lead the party
to victory in SO.
The list in the upper branch Of
Congress is pitifully weak, al
though, in some desperation, OBJ
servers are heard to mention the
names of a few members Of the
Senate.
One hears the name of Senator
Arthur H. Vandenberg, of Mich
igan. But Senator Vandenberg,
rising to a fair position in the
party after his initial appointment
in 1928, stradGled the fence until
now even his own colleagues are
uncertain which way he will jump.
BOrah, Johnson Too Old
AS of old, Senator William E..
Borah, Utah Progressive, is men
toned. Senator Borah is almost
10 years old. His health is poor
and he has reached the age that
stands as an almost insurmount-
able obstacle in the path of men
aspiring to the Presidency.
In this category, also, is Sen
ator Hiram johnson, Of Cali
fornia, able as a Senator, yet So
years old and, like Senator Borah,
in the age group from which men
are never chosen.
West Coast men mentioned are
Senator Charles L. McNary and
his colleague, Frederick Steiwer,
of oregon.
Senator Stiewer, "the man with
the mask" appears to have no
chance. And genial Charlie Nc
Nary would please his colleagues
better if he stayed in the Senate.
Senator Arthur Capper, the
quiet Kansas wheat belt news
paper man, known around Wash
ington as social light and former
chairman of the Senate District
Committee, also has attained the
age of 10.
Nye Lacks Following
Although mention has been
made of Senator Gerald P. Nye,
of North Dakota, his colleagues
recognize that he does not COM
mand national following.
White-haired conservative Sen
ator Lester j. Dickinson, Of Iowa,
is looked on as too much of Re
publican wheel horse"
Progressive George w. Norris,
of Nebraska, could never obtain a
Republican nomination because Of
his age Che is 73) and his support
of Al Smith and Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
In the House the presidential
type is even more noticeably lack
ing, although Representative Har-
old L. KnutSon, of Minnesota. had
the temerity to suggest that Rep
resentative Hamilton L. Fish be
given the call.
Two Governors Mentioned
| OAAAV GWO SONC4 AAOAO eb4C IA GA4C
running at this time.
They ore Gov. Harold G.. Hoff-
man, of New Jersey, and Al
fred M. Landon, of Kansas. Both
men, however, are comparatively
new in their present jobs and
unless they move rapidly in the
next IA months will not have
achieved much national promi-
nence.
Former President Herbert Hoo
yer continues to break the silence
with occasional verbal fuSilladeS,
much to the CONSERVATION of
most Of the Republican leaders.
And in 1886 if anyone mentions
the name Of Herbert Hoover at
the convention it probably will
cause a riot. Personally liked,
he is politically as unpopular as
Taft after 1912.
Others mentioned include Col.
Frank Knox and Col. Robert
Mccormick, of Chicago, rival pub
fishers, neither of whom, how
ever, has struck fire.