Evening star., 1937-10-19
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Cne RepuDuCan uOIilIlec IOT TTeSlucIlI
| last year, is about to stage his first talk
to the American people since the close
| of the 1886 campaign. He will speak
over Nationwide hook-up tonight.
1t is not without significance or in
terest that the latest Republican Presi-
dent, Herbert Hoover, is 10 take the
people into his confidence on things Re-
publican-and also to discuss the New
Deal-in national radio speech on Tues
day, October g. one week from today
He is to address the State Republican
Club in Boston and what he says will
60 out over the air.
Within week, therefore, the two
most recent Republican candidates for
President will give their views on present.
day issues. Mr.. Hoover agreed to make
his speech some time ago. Mr.. Landon
also has had in mind statement to the
people, and he determined quickly on
Sunday to go on the air without further
delay.
How far the views of these gentlemen
will coincide, it is impossible to say until
their speeches have been presented. 1t
has been limited in some quarters that
Mr.. HoOvers address will contain a
statement of considerable political sig
nificance. 1t may be, it is said, he will
make some statement regarding his own
future political plans, and that he may
say he is not to be candidate again
for public office.
Whether either of them will discuss
the question of national conference
of Republicans to be held next Spring
is not now definitely known. Perhaps
neither will do so. That is a matter
with which the Republican National
Committee will wrestle at its meeting
November S in Chicago. Hoover has
been an ardent advocate of such ma
tional conference. Landon has made no
statement about it, although he has let
it be known he would only favor con-
ference at which all the elements and
groups of the Republican party are
represented. If he wishes to state his
position on this projected conference,
he will, of course, have ample opportu-
nifty to do so, either in his radio address
or in a separate public statement
Ever since the proposal for national
conference of Republicans was ad-
vanced. the proponents of the confer
ence plan have insisted that they were
That goes for Mr. Hoover as well as for
Mr.. Landon. The objectors, those who
oppose the conference. take the position
that it will not be possible to have full
representation, and that it would be ex
| ceedingly difficult to elect or choose dele
gates to such a conference. They have
| interpreted Mr.. Landons reticence as
| hostility to the whole idea. And GER
tainly Mr.. Landon has not come out
whole-heartedly for the plan SO far, as
has Mr.. Hoover.
There is a great deal of support. how
ever, for the national conference idea.
Men and women of prominence in the
party in many parts of the country are
for it. The matter has gone quite far,
in a quiet way. If the Republican Ma
tional Committee acts favorably on the
conference plan, and sets machinery in
motion, it is likely that the great ma
jority of Republican leaders will fall in
line A leader of a group, holding aloof,
would scarcely be in an envlable posi-
ton with the rank and file of the party.
Whatever the attitude of Mr.. Landon
himself some of his friends apparently
are intent upon Landon's keeping aloof
from Herbert Hoover and at the same
time are jealous of Hoover and such in
fluence as he yet possesses in the party.
This is not a particularly favorable con-
dition for harmony or for team work
among the Republicans. Both Landon
and Hoover may be helpful in rebuild
ing the c. o. P. Senator Borah and
some of his followers, regarded as
liberals. would like to see both Hoover
and Landon take themselves out of the
spotlight-and out of the picture entirely,
for that matter
A lot of Republicans have been en-
deavoring ever since the defeat Of Mr.
Hoover in 1882 to keep away from the
former President believing that a de-
feated candidate, President at the time
of the stock market crash and the be-
ginning of the depression. would be eX-
ceedingly unpopular with the voters. Mr..
Hoover, however is a man of great
ability and has a faculty of clear state
ment of issues, which he has demon
strated again and again. Mr.. Landon,
like Mr. Hoover, was defeated at the
polls, and the defeat of one was about
as drastic as that of the other.
The Republican party in recent years
has not been noted for large number,
or even a considerable number, of out
standing public speakers. There is one
man, who recently left the more or less
clustered position of university presi-
dent, who is likely to be heard more and
more. He is DR.. Glenn Frank. DR.. Frank
spoke last week before the Washington
Board of Trade. Any one who heard his
address on that occasion will admit he
has the gift. He is logical, he has the
ability of turning off phrases that catch
attention, he has the voice. He is no
longer the president of the University
of Wisconsin. He was ousted from that
position by the La Toilette progreSsiveS,
and particularly by Gov. Phillip La
Toilette.
While DR.. Frank was still at the uni
versity he was suspected of having politi-
cal ambitions He has been mentioned
| in the past as a possibility for the Re-
publican presidential nomination. What
| his future political plans are, if he has
| any, has not been announced. 1t has
| been suggested, however, in some quar-
| ters that if he should be selected by the
| anti-La Toilette group in Wisconsin to
| make the race for governor of the
| Badger State next year and should do
| we'll, he would loom large on the horizon
| for 1910. If he should actually carry
| the State, he would be almost natural
| for the presidential nomination later.
X X
DR.. Frank is one of those who believes