(4 of 5)
Liabilities of Paul McNutt begin with a masterfulness so driving it is sometimes repellent. Basic equation of his national political career will be whether he can overwhelm more people than he offends. His autocratic tendency was seen in his "execution" of pleasant Emory ("Pleas") Greenlee, his popular secretary, whom he dismissed abruptly for aspiring to succeed him as Governor. Labor views him with some alarm because he called out the militia. Many Legionnaires feel that he exploited his national commandership too brazenly to build up a personal following; they are now reminding each other of the Legion's rule against official partisanship. Also reports that New Deal investigators are snooping into the finances of their machine, are not reassuring to the McNutters, even though old friend Frank Murphy is Attorney General.
Should Paul McNutt overstride these obstacles and win the Democratic nomination for President, he would undoubtedly make a stirring campaign. But between him and the White House one other obstacle would remain, unfair and unfortunate, but essentially American: the name McNutt. Cartoonist Reuben Lucius ("Rube") Goldberg's moronic, shock-headed character "Boob McNutt" has been retired from the comic strips for six years, but he lived in them for 15, and not for nothing did Cartoonist Goldberg, student of the U. S. funnybone, choose that name. It is a heavy cross for even so magnificent a crusader as Indiana's white-haired boy to bear.
Crippled Elephants & Pawpaws. Last week Paul McNutt spent the night before his homecoming party at Bo Elder's $100,000 mansion at Traders Point. When they motored into Indianapolis next morning, the sun was as bright & hot as in Manila. Most of the townspeople went about their regular business but perhaps 25,000 from town and country thronged Monument Circle to hear Fred Bays's bands (theme song: "Back Home Again in Indiana"), to see his well-disciplined county delegations of farmers, housewives, Legionnaires, and clowns disguised as crippled elephants. For the benefit of the crowd around the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument President Edward Charles Elliott of Purdue University welcomed the McNutts "back to the homeland of the pawpaw* from the faraway land of the papayas." Quite a few hearers drifted away as Paul McNutt, preserving the proprieties by speaking as High Commissioner to the Philippines, not as a candidate for President, urged that the U. S. keep the Philippines for their wealth† and to preserve peace in the Orient. Indianapolis was not greatly stirred about Manila.
Program. Candidate McNutt was to go to Washington this week, to report to "my chief." An early sound-off spot is arranged for him at the Institute of Public Affairs (University of Virginia). Just when he will openly avow his candidacy was not announced last week, but not before resigning as High Commissioner to the Philippines. First big stop for his bandwagon will be the Young Democrats' national convention at Pittsburgh in August.