The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-05-04
Endorsement OF Vandenberg
Threatens Dark Horse Role
Senator From Michigan
Has Become More Active
During Recent Months
In Various Activities
BY BYRON PRICE
'Chfef of Bureau, The ASSOciat
Press tIaShinwfnnl

'SHfeE Oh bureau, The Associate
Press Washington
The Michigan Republicans sur.
prised many of the political prog
nosticators by their open en-
dorsement of Senator Vandenberg
fer President.
1t had been assumed widely
that, however strong the sentiment
for him might be in his home
state, that the brakes would be
kept on effectively until conven-
tion time.
Senator Vandenberg long has
been viewed by his friends as the
No. l dark horse possibility for
the nomination in case of a dead.
lock. Many of these friends have
argued that absolute aloofness
from the pre-convention scramble
would strengthen him in that
position.
If he had no delegates at all
pledged to him, it was suggested.
ne could hardly be accused OF
having kept a single. vote away
from any other candidate, and he
would come up to the starting
post singuIarly free of those ami
mosities which normally spring up
.. s,tPrg 9 presidential -asEirants. :,
1t can only be coniectured
whether, or in what degree, the
action of the Michigan state con.
vention may have changed that
situation.
Faithful To Role
The senator himself has been
entirely faithful to the role mark.
ed out by tradition for presiden.
tial dark horses.
He has Secome somewhat more
active in recent months in the
senate where he has sworn Off
cial duties to perform. but he ha:
embarked on no extended speak
ing trips and if he has any or
ganfzation outside of Michigan N,
one has been able to discover it
He rarely has referred in hi.
speeches to the coming presiden
tial contest, and he had made M
public comment on the activitie.
of the several candidates. He ha:
conferred in private with adj
herents OF the various. rival camps
but seems to have done nothing
and said nothing to offend any o.
them.
During all of this time talk o.
his availability as compromise
candidate has persisted. In some
respects. the prevalence of thi.
talk has gone against precedent
in view of, his twn continued
failure to ask for delegates OF
even declare himself receptive.
The innermost thoughts of Sen
ator Vandenberg's Michigan ad
mirers are not available, but i
would seem that only one or TIVE
explanations are possible.
Perhaps they felt this style O.
campaign really was getting no
where. and that the nomination
was about to be foreclosed fol
someone else: or perhaps they de
cided that regardless of the wis
dom of the first approaches. tn,
time had come for boldel
strategy.
Now A Candidate?
AT any rate, the Michigan Re
publicans have done what the.
could to put the Vandenberg ha
into the ring. and he has express
ed qualification at the act. Futur,
calculations of the delegate situa
ton must go on from that point
The development, furthermore
has come at time when it APP
pears certain the national conven
ton will contain a very larg,
number of uninStructed dele
gates. Many of these are pledge,
to one candidate or another. Blu
the nature and binding quality o
such pledges vary widely. Man,
are not openly pledged to any
one.