The Washington times., 1935-08-30
HOOVER STILL
AN ENIGMA
TO PARTY
Landon, Borah, Knox
Loom As Possible
Choices for Race
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
international News Service


Out of the mists of Republican
uncertainty and confusion there
appear to be emerging three
men who in the end may be bat
ting it out for the Republican
presidential nomination next year.
They are:
Gov. Alfred M. Landon, Of Kan
sas, who has performed the po-
litical miracles of reducing ex-
penditureS and taxes when all
about him were increasing theirs,
and of getting himself elected
and reelected in the midst OF two
Democratic landSlides.
Senator William E. Borah OF
idaho, long the lone wolf OF Re
publican politics, strong in the
West, weak in the East, getting
along in years, but still full OF
youthful fire.
Publisher Doomed
Col. Frank Knox, Chicago pub
Usher, the most active of all the
numerous possibilities, who is per-
fecting perhaps the most effective
delegate organization of them all.
Behind these three, the favor
ite son and other possibilities
string out in a seemingly endless
row - Senator Vandenberg OF
Michigan, Senator Dickinson of
Iowa, Senator Steiwer of Oregon,
Representative Hamilton Fish OF
New York ct cetera.
To many observers the Repub-
lican convention of 1886, now only
10 months away. is stacking up
at this early date as somewhat
reminiscent Of the famous con-
vention of 1920. In that year,
three stalwarts, Lowden. Wood
and johnson, battled themselves
into deadlock and defeat, with
the relatively obscure Warren G.
Harding coming along at the last
moment to gallop off with the
nomination and certain election.
Unity Need Stressed
It may or may not be that his
tory will repeat itself. Maybe not,
for all Republican factions are
agreed, even this early, that their
sole hope for victory next year
lies in unity, not division, such
as might conceivably follow a bit
terly contested convention.
The biggest question mark in
the Republican equation is the
attitude of Herbert Hoover. Osten-
sibly and publicly, he is not
candidate. Privately, his friends
assert he is itching" for another
try at the man who in 1892 sent
him into retirement as the worst
defeated presidential candidate
in history. Notwithstanding his
''itch," his friends say he will not
put himself forward as a candi-
date; that he wants to run, but
only if the nomination comes to
him on a platter. He wants, they
say. to be drafted.
It is exceedingly unlikely he will
be. But. at the same time, his
voice may be a determining factor
in the eventual choice. For in the
1896 convention as delegates will
be many of Mr.. Hoover's friends
and former appointees, who held
office under his Administration
and are to some extent under obli-
cations. if not to him, at least to
listen to him.
Deaf to Pleas
Mr.. Hoover has remained deaf
to all entreatieS, public and pri-
vate, that he take himself out OF
all consideration by making a
statement that he is not a candi-
date. To do so, he has contended,
would mean complete effacement,
and that he is not willing to do.
For, while he may not be candi-
date himself, as the titular leader
of the party and as the only living
former President, who, even in de-
feat, polled in excess of $4,000, 900
votes, he wants to have a voice in
the naming Of his successor and in
the erection of the Republican
platform.
Nominating primaries are only
eight months away, the conven-
ton ten.
Illinois, Nebraska, and Pennsyl-
vania all hold primaries in April,
to be followed by Maryland, Indi-
ana, Alabama, South Dakota,
Ohio, West Virginia, Oregon, and
New Jersey in May.
They should be revealing.
Democrats Hope to See