Evening star., 1936-05-28
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

| ucIlL dilu 81 Was CalNlu COOlluS6, 10 DICK
two outstanding men who later became
| President. 1t is not to be expected that
| any man who aspires to be President
and who still was possibility for the
| presidential nomination of one of the
major political parties-would admit he
| would take vice presidential nomina-
ton. But after another has been named
| for the head of the party ticket, any man
| might hesitate before turning down
| nomination for second place on that
ticket. Some have done so and lived to
| regret it.
With Gov. Alfred M. Landon of Kansas
in strategic position to obtain the Re-
| publican presidential nomination in
| Cleveland couple of weeks hence, there
| naturally arises the question who is to
have the vice presidential place on the
| ticket. Senator Vandenberg of Michi-
| gan, who inSiStS-aS he has insisted for
months-that he is not q candidate for
the presidential nomination, can scarcely
be blamed If he says today that he is
| not a candidate for Vice President. In
the first place, Senator Vandenberg is
the choice of a good many Republicans
| for the presidential nomination. He Is
the man most often mentioned for the
nomination should Landon fail to obtain
a majority of the delegate votes in three
| or four ballots taken at the convention.
1t is not to be expected that he would
| snatch at the suggestion that he take
second place under such circumstances.
| He doesn't.
But If and when Landon was NOM
mated for President and the convention
should call on Vandenberg to make the
race for Vice President, would he refuse?
| What would he stand to lose if he did
take such a nomination? He is Senator
| from Michigan for the next four years
when his present term expires. If the
Republican national ticket were defeated
with him as vice presidential candl-
date-he would still continue member
of the Senate. He would, it is expected,
| gain rather than lose because OF his
| part in the presidential campaign. He
| would become a more national figure.
And If the Republicans failed this year
he would be in more commanding posi-
ton to make a bid for the presidency in
1910. A Republican ticket of Landon
and Vandenberg, however would be
strong combination, and one that might
win despite the odds that are said now
to favor President RooSevelt'S re-elec-
ton.
There are other vice presidential pos
sibilties with Landon as head of the
ticket. Former Gov. Frank o. Lowden
of Illinois has been mentioned. He comes
from a most important State this year,
a State that the Republicans must carry
for victory. If Mr.. Lowden was younger
| iS TE-ha mic ell ha ho
Dental nominee himself. And even now
there is talk of showing him into the pic
ture as the compromise candidate after
Landon has been stopped" But it does
not seem likely that any such thing is
going to happen. Another Illinoisan
| who might easily fit into the vice-presi-
| Dental nomination is Col. Frank Knox,
who at present is one of the serious con-
tenders for the presidential nomination.
The East seems to be content this year
| to have the presidential nomination go
to the West-and, by the same token, it
is likely to acquieSce in the yice-presi-
dental nomination going also to the
| Midwest or the West. The fact of the
matter is that the East has no outstand-
ing Republican possibilities for either
| OF these nomlnations-poSsibil who
would fit into the picture correctly. So
| the talk turns to the weSternerS and
to Senator Steiwer of oregon, who is to
be keynoter at the national convention.
~ **
Tonight Senator Borah of Idaho is to
go on the air in national radio hook-up.
His speech has been widely advertised,
on the theory that the Progressive Re-
publican who has made such a strong
| fnr fhn
nomination will tell the country Just
what his position is and what it is likely
| to be in the event he is not nominated
and Landon or one of the other aspirants
is. He has attacked the Republican old
guard and the organization leaders in
many States. His position has been that
II these old guardSmen are to continue
to dominate the party affairs, the Re-
| publicans have not the ghost of show
to win next November Doubtless he will
reiterate this denunciation of the old
guard Republicans. Borah has never
abandoned the Republican party in his
| long political career. It would be an
amazing thing if he did now, particu-
larly in view of his distaste for much of
the Roosevelt New Deal and its policies.
His address will be listened to with great
interest for he is a power in the party,
with many followers-aS shown by the
vote he has run up in many Of the presi-
dental preference primaries.
| Word has been received here that Gov
Landon will have the support in the con-
vention of the delegations from two more
Western States-whose delegates are
"uninStructed" They are Nevada and
Montana. If this be correct, the Landon
bandwagon is surely on the move and
gaining momentum all the time
| The selection of Representative Joe
Martin of Massachusetts, to be Landon
floor manager at the Republican Ma
tional Convention brings a new figure
into prominence. Martin has been q
member of Congress for a dozen years.
He has had plenty of experience in poll
tics. He is Republican whip" of the
House. He halls from a part of the
country which is reckoned not only New
Deal, but also rather strongly In favor
Of the nomination of Gov. Landon. But
up to the present time, despite his activ-
| ity in his own State and in the House,
Martin has not been a national figure.
His colleagues in the House think highly
| Of him and his leadership in the con-
vention will be watched with interest.
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