Evening star., 1938-02-24
PARTY FOR M'NUTT
DRAWS THOUSANDS
Observers Probe Effects of
Amazing Reception-Cab-
met Represented.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

political Washington at an amazing
reception given in his honor by Sem
ator and Mrs. Minton of Indiana at
the Mayflower Hotel yesterday aft
ernoon Political Washington today Is
trying to assay the possible effects of
this party.
The reception was amazing from
several angles. Its promoters are
frankly determined to promote the
nomination Of Mr.. McNutt on the
Democratic presidential ticket in 1910.
Coming, as it did, more than two
years in advance of the Democratic
National Convention. which will choose
the party standard bearer, it was an
unprecedented political maneuver.
Usually candidates for presidential
nominations are gun shy of such man.
euvering in the open.
1t was an amazing affair because of
Its size-with some three or four
thousand persons invited The official
count Of attendance was 3,14l. And in
addition. the tables in the big dining
room Of the hotel literally groaned
under weight of refreshments of
many kinds, while across the hall
cocktails were served in another room
scarcely smaller.
Bill for Party Split.
Report has it that Is ardent friends
OF Mr.. McNutt, former Governor of
Indiana. contributed to the expense
OF the party, and that in all, it cost
IN the neighborhood of $4,000
The high commissioner, who earlier
IN the day had denied he was a can
didate for any public Office, stood
beside his host and Mrs. Min
ton from 4 O'Clock until 7, as
long line Of guests streamed past
Immaculate IN formal afternoon dress,
the prematurely gray and sun-tanned
representative of the United States
In the Philippines, greeted smilingly
those who had come to do him honor
or out OF curiosity. A big man, with
strong personality, he was a striking
ngure. IT eventually he enters the
lists for the presidency, he is likely
10 be difficult man to stop
However. 50-odd members of the
House, dozen Senators and a couple
OF cabinet officers cannot by the
longest stretch Of imagination be re-
garded as a flood of party approval
Tor Mr.. McNutt's presidential ambi-
tions. The White House itself was
unrepresented No member of the
secretariat attended the party.
Widely advertised boom launch
ing party for the former Indiana Gov
ernor, the party failed to attract many
Democrats who wish first to see how
the wind is blowing before seeming
TO give approval to any candidate
1t failed to bring other Democrats
who do not want McNutt for Presi-
dent, but who want some one else.
The Presidents cabinet was repre-
sented at the reception by the At
torney General and Mrs. Homer S.
Cummings, Secretary of Commerce
Daniel c. Roper and Mrs. Roper and
Mrs Harry Woodring, wife of the Sec
retary of War. Photographers were
on hand to take the pictures of celeb
rites as they were greeted by Mr.
McNutt. The Attorney General re-
turned to chat with Mr.. McNutt sew
eral times, and on the final occasion
he said: There are no better Demo-
Gratis anywhere than those who come
out Of Indiana" This set the politi-
cal wiseacres gossiping, as they recalled
that the Attorney General was one
of the first adherents of the Roose-
welt for President movement back in
1881 and 1882.
More Than 50 From House.
Half a hundred members of the
House Of Representatives. in addition
to those who hail from Indiana. at
tended the reception, aid so did a
dozen or more members of the Senate
Among the latter were Senators
McAdoo Of California, Burke of
Nebraska, Herring Of Iowa, Shep-
pard of Texas, Ashurst of Arizona,
Bulkley Of Ohio, Bulow Of South Da-
kota and Duffy Of Wisconsin, Demo-
Gratis, and Austin of Vermont Repub-
ltcan. Senator Barkley Of Kentucky,
the Democratic leader of the Senate,
was not present. Senator Barkley
himself Is regarded as a potential
candidate for the presidential nomi-.
nation. Nor did the senior Senator
from Indiana, Senator Van Nuys, put
in an appearance.
Senator Van Nuys has been viewed
askance by the Democratic organiza-
ton created by McNutt and continued
by Gov. Townsend, McNutt's success
sor in the Governors chair, ever since
h broke with President Roosevelt last
summer In the fight over the court
bill. Van Nuys has announced he
will make the race for reelection in
November, even If he has to run as
an independent.
Government Departments Represented.
Ohcials of many of the Govern
ment departments, among them AS
sistant Secretary johnson Of War and
the newly appointed Assistant Secre-
tary Of the Interior, Ebert Burlew, we're
among the throng of guests, as were
literally hundreds of Indianans who
hold public ONCE here. Gov Town.
send and Frank McHale, Democratic
national committeeman for Indiana,
who headed q delegation 800 strong
which came to Washington for the
party, were prominent figures at the
reception.
While the Democratic leader of the
Senate failed to greet the high COM
missioner; who is here primarily to
make q report to President Roosevelt
on affairs in the Far East, the Demo-
cratic leader of the House, Represen-
tative Sam Rayburn of Texas, put in
an appearance and welcomed McNutt
10 Washington.
william Green, president Of the
American Federation of Labor, and
Frank Morrison, its secretary, were
among the guests. But John L. Lewis,
the dynamic leader Of the c. I. O.,
WAS not among those present.
A huge throug Of guests remained
throughout the afternoon. The chief
topic Of conversation was Mr.. McNutt
himself, as the guests conversed in
groups, and his availability for the