The Brickers in Washington

The John W. Brickers of Columbus, Ohio, came to Washington. In 48 hours they presented themselves to the press and the Republican public at two receptions, three luncheons, one banquet, one "coffee," and two press conferences (one for him--see p. 43--one for her).

The capital found the round-faced Ohio Governor brisk, solid, usually direct, poised, in good voice, obviously well prepared. The candidate's slim, dark-haired wife was "gracious, charming, attractive," as the women reporters put it. Some of them, on the Republican hopeful side, were reminded of Grace Coolidge.

Great occasion of the stay was the annual Lincoln Day banquet at the Mayflower Hotel, where 1,500 Republicans--notably better-dressed than the Jackson Day Democrats--dined on terrapin soup and breast of capon, and heard the Governor explain his candidacy.

By the time the Brickers returned to Columbus, the capital had learned, without much of a shock, that the candidate was against the New Deal philosophy in general. He came out for freedom of enterprise, governmental "economy, common sense and sound business methods"; for fewer, simpler, and more stable taxes after the war; for an absolute prohibition of wartime strikes; for an amendment limiting Presidents to one term of six years or two of four (like Democrat Thomas Jefferson, he preferred the latter).

Internationally, he favored U.S. participation in "a cooperative organization among sovereign nations after this war," but stated that "we want no supergovernment, no central world authority over us." John Bricker then went back to Ohio. Having conducted himself well, though not brilliantly, he was over one high hump on the road toward the G.O.P. nomination, although perhaps no closer to it.

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