The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-03
Secretary's Custer Starts
Governor Nomination
Campaign.
jockEYlNG FOR VOTES
Day After BIowup Finds
Big Three Well Out
in Front.
BY JAMES DOSS

lhe day after the big
Greenlee explosion finds three
men in Indiana Democratic
politics VIII ose waking
thoughts are on next June
when a Democratic candidate
for Governor will be nomi-
mated to the shouts of 1881
sweltering and harassed dele
gates.
Before the Democratic Big Three
are visions of a mystic number
l222-the two-thirds majority of the
convention necessary for nomina-
ton. The fight for a stable portion
OF that number has been under way
Tor some time and the intensity of
the advance struggle for those
coveted delegates is gathering mo-
mentum almost hourly.
The Democratic Big Three. list
ing them alphabetically and not in
order of their Importance neces-
sarily, are Pleas E. Greenlee, E. Kirk
Mckinney and M. Clifford Town
send.
Team Splits Up
Until tomorrow, Mr.. Greenlee will
be executive secretary to Gov. Nc
Mutt. But the McNutt- Greenlee
team which has combined to form
the powerful political weapon known
as the state administration" has
come to parting of the ways. Gov.
McNutt made his patronage secre-
tary walk the plank yesterday be-
cause of Mr.. Greenlee's political
activities in behalf of his own can
didacy. His potential strength is in
the state organization.
E. Kirk Mckinney, until Jan. l.
was Indiana manager of the Home
Owners Loan Corp. His is chiefly
Federal strength.
M. Clifford Townsend is Indiana's
Lieutenant-Governor and the state
commissioner of commerce and in
dustry as we'll. His is farm strength.
OF course, there are other possible
candidates and there will be more,
but these three appear at present
to be the strongest in the field.
Situations Not Comparable"
Asked today about two phases of
the Greenlee retirement, Gov. Nc
Mutt talked fully about one and re-
fused all comment on the other.
The situations are not compar-
able" was the comment of the Gov
ernor on the gubernatorial aspira-
lions of Lieut.. Gov. Townsend and
Mr.. Greenlee.
The Lieutenant Governor, it was
explained, has no patronage to dis
pense, as was the situation with Mr..
Greenlee.
Nothing to Say"
Absolutely nothing to say" was
the Governors reply as to what fate
may be in store for Greenlee sup
porters still on the state pay roll,
and who in all likelihood many of
whom are expected to back the
former patronage secretary's race
for the Governor nomination.
Among the Greenlee supporters
are numbered Paul Fry, state excise
administrator; Harry McClain, in
surance commissioner, and Martin
H. Lang, food and drug commits
Sioner.
UneaSiness was apparent today
among many state jobholders. The
impression prevailed that the Nc
Mutt forces will await developments.
and if the Greenlee retirement is
resented very strongly there may be
some changes.
Mr.. Greenlee's greatest political
strength is in his hold on county
chairmen and precinct committee
men, and in the allegiance lowed"
him through the exercise of his re-
cent patronage powers as the off,
cial job dispenser for the admins
tration.
Now that he no longer holds that
extremely stragetic position, an
evaluation of his strength must
Turn In Pare Threel