THE PRESIDENCY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 206, 13 June 1936, Page 5

THE PRESIDENCY

MR LANDON. NOMINATED.

THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE.

EXCITEMENT DURING VOTI‘N‘G

(United Press Association—Copyright.)

NEW YORK, June 11

Mr A. M. Landon (Governor of Kansas) has been nominated as Republican candidate for the United States Presidential election.

After a few moments for approval of the Republican platform at the convention, held at Cleveland (Ohio) States from Alabama to Illinois d‘efeiTed _to Kansas, and Mr A. M, Landon’s campaign manager, Mr John Hamilton, rose and read a telegram from Mr Landon which caused a mild sensation. It stated that he disagreed with two planks of the platform. First, if necessary, he will approve a constitutional amendment protect-ing Women and children in industry in respect of wages and hours. Second, he interprets sound currency to mean currency in terms of gold and convertible into gold, but the latter is not to be sought until it can be achieved without injury to domestic economy and foreign trade. Mr Hamilton then put up the name of Mr Landon for nomination, and the delegates began. their expected demonstration, headed by the Kansas banners. virtually all the state delegations, aided by every conceivable noisemaking device, paraded on the Convention floor..

It was in the best manner of American conventions—noisy and very artificial.

Mr Landon’s daughter and father were occupying a box in one corner of the hall. Two enterprising wireless men, walking seemingly over the heads of spectators, hauled a. microphone toward Miss Peggy Landon. She laughed, but apart from sending a “Hello” to her father, listening in at Topeka, she would say} nothing. No Other Candidate. No other State would offer a candidate. There were only seconding speeches by Senator A. H. Vandenberg and other aspirants’ representatives, who announced their withdrawal and the path was quite clear for Mr Landon. The Lhall was in tremendous excitement as the State-by—State voting started. One by one, the chairmen of the various delegations rose and cast their full voting strength for Mr landon. It was an unbroken parade until the ~West Virginian chairman, Mr Buchman (Senator Borah’s manager), cast 16 votes for Mr Landon- and one (his own) for Senator B‘orah. - Sixteen of the \Visconsin delegates voted for Senator Borah and six for Mr Landon. At the end of the poll call, however, the \Visconsin delegation put forward a motion that the nomination be made unanimous, and this was carried with a thunderous burst of applause.

THE VICE-PRESIDENCY. COLONEL KNOX NOMINATED. (Received. This Day, .9 a.m.) NE'W' YORKJ June 12. Colonel Knox has been nominated for Vice-Presidentiby the Republican Couvention. MR LANDON’S CAREER. CONTRARY VIEWS OF ABILITY. Mr Alfred Mossman Landon, who has been Governor of Kansas since 1933, was born in 'West Middlesex, Pennsyl—vania, in 1887. He graduated LL.B. at the University of Kansas in 1908, and the degree. of LLJD. was conferred on him in 1933. From 1912 {he was in busi—ness as an oil! producer, then serving as a. first lieutenant in the United. States Chemical Warfare Service in the Great \Var. In 1928 he. was elected chairman of the Republican State Central Committee.

“Frugal Alf” is the nickname widely given to Mr Landon in the United States, because of his apparent ability-‘ to out expenses in the administrationl of his own State of Kansas. ()ne American paper stated recently: “The ad—vantage he has is that in his ownl State he has met the situation and‘ that he knows how to say a, true thing} in a. clear and comprehensible way.” Another testimony, from an independq ent Democratic source, is that Mr Lan—don, more than anyone» else, seems to reconcile the sharply conflicting interests within the Republican party. Though his sympathies with agriculture are taken for granted, his insistence on strict economy in public expenditure is considered to be enough to satisfy business interests. Interesting, if true, is the published story that Mr Landon wears in public, as in private, the same “battered, greasy—banded felt hat, and shiny blue serge suit.” There are contrary views of Mr Landon’s ability, typical Ibleing the statement by an) American paper: “He is not intellectually profound, He is a small-town politician, sinfiere enough, and reasonably, well fitted to hold minor positions of public trust, but reaching entirelyr beyond the proper field of his capacities in seeking; the Presidency. ”