The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-11
BROWNS OHIO
GANG SEEKING
new FOOTHOLD
And Therein Lies Germ of
Budding Revolt Against
Gov. Landon.
Cartoon, Editorial on Page 1O)

By scripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance
CLEVELAND, May 1l.-A rem
nant of the ohio Gang" which for
a decade or more played so promin-
ent part in national affairs, is
fighting for its life and for voice
in selection of Republican candi-
date for President at the coming
convention here.
The test comes in tomorrow S
primary.
The remnant is largely embodied
in Walter F. Brown, who started
as boss in Toledo and edged his
way upward to take a leading role
in the nomination of Herbert
Hoover in 1923 and to become Post
master General in the Hoover
cabinet.
Mr.. Brown is backing Robert A.
Taft, son of the eX-President, in
the Presidential primary as a
"favorite son" to meet the chal-
lenge offered by Senator Borah of
Idaho, who is stalking much in his
battle for share of the states So
delegates at the June convention.
Rallies "OId Guard"
Mr.. Brown has rallied about him
what is left of the "Old Guard"
which helped put Warren c. Hard
ing in the White House, which con-
tinued to exert power in the Calvin
Coolidge regime, and which gave
IInrhorf = n
healthy push through the Ohio pri-
mary in 1923.
The Ohio politician, strategist
of the old school who works in mys-
ferrous ways, is interested first in
being reelected as national COM
mitteeman, and therefore wants
control of the convention delega-
ton to assure this post.
This achieved, he is reported to
nurse hopes of becoming a Warwick
at the convention.
Interested in Hoover
He is said to be interested In
nominating Herbert Hoover or any,
body Mr.. Hoover wants, and those
who want to know what the ex-
President is up to at the national
convention would do we'll to keep
hot on the trail of Mr.. Brown as
he slips about from hotel room to
hotel room.
Working closely with the National
Committeeman is Ed Schorr, state
chairman, who likewise wants to
maintain his power against the
threats of those behind the Borah
candidacy. who would unseat the
Old Guard and institute a more
liberal Republican leadership in the
state.
Popularity, the Robert A. Taft
slate Of delegates, backed by the
Brown Schorr combination, is sup
posed to be cloak for Gov. ALT M.
Landon of Kansas, but this is not
the whole truth For Mr.. Brown
has sandwiched in delegate candi-
dates friendly to Frank Knox and
Mr.. Hoover.
Both "Ohf" and "On"
When Senator Borah entered the
Ohio primary Mr.. Brown sought to
inveigle Gov. Landon openly into
the state. The Governor refused.
Then the National Committeeman
adopted the "favorite son" strategy
which he opposed SO strenuously in
1928 when he was directing the
Hoover campaign in Ohio.
In Toledo, Mr. Browns home
city, the Taft delegates passed a
resolution declaring for Gov. Lam
don when, as, and if they have
discharged their obligations to their
first and second choices for Presi-
dent. Mr.. Brown dispatched this
resolution to Maurice Maschke,
former national committeeman, at
Cleveland, suggesting that the six
delegate candidates in the three
Cleveland districts do the same.
They complied.
But later. when the full slate of
So delegates met at Columbus, Mr..
Brown and Mr.. Schorr blocked a
move to swing the group for
Landon.
Thus Mr. Brown is both "off" and
son." He has Unanswered himself
into a position where he can throw
the delegation behind Gov. Landon
if the bandwagon starts bowling
through the convention-or, if the
Landon movement is checked, then
he can trade and deal, and he is a
past master at that.
Never Commits Himself
To understand the potentialities
of Mr.. Brown you must follow the
trail beyond Ohio to what is known
as the Eastern Triumvirate - Ma
tional Committeeman Charles D.
Hilles, New York; j. Henry Rora-
back, Connecticut, and Daniel E.
Pomeroy, New Jersey, with whom MI
Brown has operated effectively in
the past and with whom he is still
allied.
Mr.. Hiiles, like Mr.. Brown, works
mySteriously. He and his eastern
associates will control quite block
of delegates, to which may be add
ed numerous southern delegates
whom the New Yorker is likely to
. have at his beck and call.
Mr.. Hilles is supposed to be friend
ly to Gov. Landon, but he never
commits himself. He waits for the
breaks.
Thus there reposes in Mr. Brown
the germ of a revolt against the
Landon candidacy which, of course,
may lie dormant.
And all of this depends on the
Orleans election as a delegate,
himself. He is regarded as the
weakest candidate on the "favorite
son" slate. OF course if he is de-
feated, then his manipulations are
all in vain.