Evening star., 1936-03-09
THE POLITICAL
MILL
By C. Gould Lincoln.

that he is the political head of his own
campaign for the nomination. Gov.
Landon's refusal to enter into any pri-
mary in any State for the election of
delegates to the Republican National
Convention looks as though it would be
100 per cent perfect. He even backed
away from the Nebraska primary when
Senator Borah of Idaho insisted upon
entering that State in search of dele
gates. Nebraska, the neighbor of Kan
sas, has been considered fertile ground
for crop of Landon delegates Landon
may get them, but. at least he is not
going into free or-all contest for these
Nebraska delegates.
This method of winning a presidential
nomination may prove successful. In
fact, Landon is receiving assurances from
Republican leaders In many parts of the
country that they will go along with him
at the convention. Particularly from
leaders who are strongly opposed to the
candidacy of the outspoken Mr.. Borah.
They are, they say, satisfied that the
Kansas Governor is the type of candi-
date they desire. He is safe and sane.
That is the character which the Landon
supporters have sought to build UP for
the Governor from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. They are doing pretty good
job and, from all accounts, that is lust
what the Kansas Governor is-a safe
and sane candidate.
Earlier in the pre-convention cam
paign Col. Frank Knox, publisher of the
Chicago Daily News, was making all the
running. He found many friends in the
East and in the South, as well as in the
Middle West. If reports are true, how
ever. many Of the Fasteners who a few
months ago were inclined to go along
with Knox have shifted and now prefer
Landon. KnoXS friends went after the
Southern delegates, and are still after
them. The Democratic solid South"
has large bloc of delegates in Repub-
lican National Conventions. If this bloc
of delegates supported Knox, for ex-
ample, with unanimity, it would give
him strong position in the convention.
But the Southern delegates to the Re-
publican National Conventions are fire.
quently governed by a desire to be on
the bandWagon of the successful candi-
date for the presidential nomination.
They hesitate to tie up too strongly to
any candidate, unless they think he has
real chance for success.
This may weaken the position of Knox
with these delegates Of the Southern
States, in view of the big drive which is
being made for Landon throughout the
North and East-deSpite the fact Landon
is keeping out of all primary contests.
Here in New Jersey Republican lead
ers are giving lot of thought to the
Kansas Governor 1t is not long since
former Ambassador Walter Edge made
fiat announcement that Landon would
have the support of New Jersey at the
convention. New Jersey has a preSi-
dental preferential primary. But here.
as elsewhere. Landon is keeping out of
the open scrap.
Senator Borah is the "one-and only"
the champion ready to meet all comers
in the primaries for the election of the
delegates to the Republican National
Convention this year. He has tried. ap-
parently in vain, to entice the other
candidates to come into the primary
fights. Col. Knox. it is true. has been
unable to avoid at least one contest with
the Idaho Senator-that is, his, Knox'S,
home State. Illinois. For Illinois has
presidential primary April IS Knox
might stay out of all other primary con-
tests, but he could not afford to stay
out of the Illinois contest.
The hope of the Idaho Senator for
the presidential nomination rests with
the run-of the mine voters. 1t is easy
to understand, therefore. his strategy
which calls for contests at the primary
polls.
He faces odds in Illinois. for the Re-
publican organization there is pretty well
committed to Knox. and the Knox man
ayers are putting on steam to roll up
big victory over Borah. Borah faces a
real fight in the Ohio primary. too For
there he will be opposed by Robert Taft
son of the late President. "favorite son"
candidate with the backing of the Re-
publican organization. 1t is a decided
guess still how we'll the veteran Senator
will run in these two important Middle
West States. If he f1ivVers in Illinois and
Ohio, 1t would look as though the Idaho
Senator was out of the running and that
he will finally be seeking reelection to
the Senate next Fall.
1t is scarcely matter of wonder that
the Borah supporters, and probably SEN
ator Borah himself, are disguised with
the tactics of Landon. Knox and others.
They see in these tactics determination
to gang UP" against Borah, with the
supporters of all other candidates casting
their votes against Borah in the primaries.
The declination of Gov. Landon to try
test of strength at the polls has irri-
tated the Borah people almost to frenzy.
They are insisting that Landon instead
of being a candidate of the progressive
Republicans of the country, is, after all,
the choice of the Republican Old Guard
in the East. They are trying their best
to make such Characterization stick
And so it goes New Hampshire, the first
to hold a presidential primary this year,
is expected to elect slate of delegates
on Tuesday pledged to Knox: Knox
formerly lived in New Hampshire and
ran newspaper there. Many of the Re-
publican leaders in the White Mountain
State have come out openly for Knox.
Beating the Supreme Court of the
United States around the bush is proving
something of trial to the Roosevelt New
Dealers supporting the administrators
new farm relief bill They are trying to
keep away from the contracts" laid
down for crop reduction and the payment
of benefits to the farmers since the court
held such contracts illegal. Secretary
Wallace and his aide have sought to
make the cotton farmers understand at
a meeting in Memphis, Tenn, that the
farm program of the administration,
under the new bill. calls for "non-
contract" "purely voluntary" and "con-
ditional" payments to the farmers. It
has been difficult for the farmers to I'M
derstand just what they must do under
such phraseology, to obtain the Govern