The Washington times., 1935-10-12
HOOVER TRIES
TO WAKE UP
REPUBLICANS
BY EARL GOODWIN


Former President Hoover's role
Is now disclosed to be something
like that Of football coach with
q good team that won't fight. The
coach is now engaged in making
his charges so mad they will go
out and fight that other team
which has a long lead in the first
half.
Mr.. Hoover Is supplying his
crowd with fighting terms and a
lot of ideas they didn't have up to
last week; and it may be that the
campaign on the Republican side
will descend from the highly in
tellectual Union League Cub at
mosphere of constitutionality and
tradition to the ear-biting, eye
gouging fish-wife level that the
people like and understand.
Trip East Significant
Mr.. Hoover's sojourn in New
York for few days will, no doubt,
result in a lot of weekend ma
tional political news; but no one
here expects Mr.. Hoover to an
nounce for publication that he
will not be a candidate. He would
lose prestige as Head Coach and
Medicine Man.
If he tells the people definitely
he is not a candidate, the public
will mark him definitely as q
''has been" and go on to the next
man. As long as he remains
former President" and not "ex-
President" he is a live wire.
The country is definitely for or
against Mr.. Hoover-divided that
way; but once he declares him.
self out, he becomes subject for
the historians. not news writers.
At this time there Is something
stirring deep down in the G. Q. P.
ranks which may have its effect
on Republican leadership. Local
and county leaders are quite Seri-
ously concerned about electing
their own local officials to State
house and county court house
jobs; and they want a national
ticket sure to win, because that's
almost a sure way of electing a
lot Of State and local Republican
officials, too.
G. o. p. Unity Sought
This year, the grass roots"
feeling is permeating everywhere
and is being given due conSidera-
ton by the members Of the Re
publican National Committee. If
it goes far enough, the next Re
publican candidate will be repre-
sentative Of a solid Republican
party; he will be nominated on
the first or second ballot in the
nominating convention. not pick
ed as a compromise by leaders
after the convention has Snarled
itself into a deadlock.
Former President Hoover does
not have enough Of this practical
political strength right now to
make him q contender. He has
plenty of friends, but they don't
think he can beat President
Roosevelt.
The only talk you hear about
Mr.. Hoover being a candidate,
nominated by the Republican
convention, is in event President
Roosevelt becomes so unpopular
that Mr.. Hoover could sail in as
q matter of vindication.
The G.. o. P. candidates who
now interest the leaders are Gov
ernor Landon, Of Kansas; Col.
Frank Knox, Of Illinois; Senator
Vandenburg, Of Michigan, and
Senator Dickinson, Of Iowa.
Colonel Knox, nationally I'm.
known a few months ago, is ac-
lively engaged in letting people
hear him, see and read d about
him.
LandOn Inactive
Governor Landon of Kansas is
making no effort of his own to
build up his figure in the eyes
Of the general public. Whatever
publicizing he receives is entirely
the result of his friends and ad-
mirers' efforts.
NHWH