Evening star., 1938-08-23
I Wanted to Be President
BY ALFRED M. LANDON-

the presidency in 1875, further en-
forcing his statement that he Dould
not accept the nomination "in the
remote contingency" it ,6as offered
to hin, in 1910, presents here, In the
third OF a series OF four daily arti-
cles. his impressions OF his losing
fight and the lessons he learned In 1t.
TOPEKA, Kans., Aug. % (N.ANA).
Il was not unprepared for defeat, and
hope that I knew how to take it,
out of my training in politics and
business. There is the story Of the
farmer in the Kansas. cyclone. which
have often told. After he saw his
outbuildings blown away ona by one,
and then the roof of his house, he
burst out laughing.
What are you laughing about. you
old fool?" his wife asked Because
1t is SO complete" he said. had to
laugh because my defeat was so COM
plete.
In the succeeding weeks I learned
who remained my real friends Que of
the siege Of attention I had received.
The most gratifying personal compen-
satlon was in the immense personal
correspondence, which was larger than
during the campaign. 1t helped me to
think that I had fought the good
fight.
There were letters from men and
women whom I had not met and
probably would never meet; from
among the host of volunteer workers,
who had had no part in politics be-
fore, but had answered the call Of the
cause: from those of type whom I
wanted to meet, but were too modest
to press themselves forward and now
felt free to write me in expression of
their feelings, and from mothers and
fathers who told of their children in
tears because Landon had been beaten.
Back as Private Citizen.
AS soon as my term as Governor was
over, and I had little rest. I was
back as private citizen earning my
living at my business, the oil busi-
ness. I may say that one of the irri-
tatlons of the presidential campaign
arose from the solicitude of my we'll
meaning and devoted advisers that I
should be "smeared with oil" at the
cost of votes.
I am proud of being smeared with
OIL, 1 like to be. I was yesterday
1t goes with the days work. The
smear which the political advisers had
IN mind is connected with old-time
corporate monopoly in crushing COM
petition, the dictation of prices and
corrupt practices, and personally with
men from distant Offices who, if they
visit the fields of production, do not
nave to send their clothes to the clean
er or sound hurry call for the boot
black
Tradition had given oil an unpleas-
ant odor. The smell of oil that know
comes fresh from the earth. It means
to me what the smell of ink and paper
does to the printer, fresh wood shay
1ngs to the carpenter. 1t means
wealth out of the earth in the service
OF man. drill and own wells in the
poor mans" fields of "stripper wells"
IN Southern Kansas. which yield mod
crate production with no sensational
gushers
Thrill Of the Explorer.
have the thrill of the pioneer and
explorer as I hold in my hand sands.
sunk millions of years under the earth.
revealing treasure which will give
power and light and send automobiles
speeding along our roads.
After long spell of drilling we NAV
reach point-wc often do-where We
know we are losers from indications
as decisive as the election returns of
1886. We have dry holes" drier than
the Republicans had then. There is
not even Maine and Vermont for
solace. Another time, the victory is
ours.
My interest in oil is in producing
oil. have never speculated in oil
stocks. I am proud of the fight
which my father made before me-in
safeguarding the rights and opportuni-
ties OF the small producer.
A candidate is near enough to the
presidency to realize the manifold re-
straints and exactions which 90 with
Its power. in contrast with the COM
pensations of private life. AS Presi-
dent, if I had dropped into dinner
with Clay Wiley, my oil foreman. and
the Workmen, it would have been
SHOW occasion, with the newspaper-
men, cameramen and Secret Service
men present. I take care not to track
mud onto Mrs. Wiley's floor, but sup
pose it would be all right if the Presi-
dent did into the White House.
Wherever went as President, there
would be no escape from being Presi-
oent; no escape for Mrs. Landon from
being the Presidents wife, nor for
Peggy Anne being the Presidents
daughter, or little Nancy 10 and Jack
from being the Presidents children.
The Presidents Schedule.
The other day, the job in the oil
field kept me so late that it was 5 in
the morning before I arrived home.
What fuss there would have been in
the White House if the President, un-
accompanied, driving his own car
through the night, had not returned
until daybreak when he was down on
the schedule to be back at 6 in the
evening! He would have had to be
back. There might be formal dinner
of which he was the host; appoint
ments he must meet.
His time is not his own. 1t is the
peoples, and rightly SO, in all he has
to give of strength, ability and wis