Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit MONDAY, JUNE l5, 1936. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 207, 15 June 1936, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit MONDAY, JUNE 15, 1936. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Interest in the presidential election in the United States is by no means confined to that country. Political events in all the leading countries tend to become of world-wide importance, and the powers inherent in the American presidency are so great that the person to whom they are entrusted is thereby selected to a place in the inmost circle of international leaders, in spite of the current fable about “no entanglement in Eurpean affairs." An arbiter of foreign policy, according to an express provision which Congress has not yet succeeded in reducing to a dead letter, he counts weightily in world politics. Though the election does not take place until November the campaign has been in progress several months and the Republican convention just held at Cleveland is the first decisive stage in the contest, the Democrats holding theirs later. The purpose of these conventions is twofold: To select the party nominees for the presidency and vice-presi-dency and to formulate a policy to which the candidates have to subscribe. Prior to 1932, when the last election toolc place, the candidates were selected first, but in that year the Republicans reversed the order of business, a procedure that was adopt—ed this year. Thus is came about that Mr Landon, the selection for the presidency, was in a position to surprise the convention by announcing his disagreement on two planks of the platform. But his attitude did. not cause his rejection, for, as was indicated by the reports of the progress of the convention, the support behind him was solid. Whatever may have been the diflerences between Republicans and Democrats when the distinctive party labels were introduced, there is to-day little between them as re~ gards fundamentals. Even in connection with Mr Roosevelt's New Deal the parties are not absolutely cleancut, for though the rival leaders praise or condemn the President according to their party creed, a section of the Democrats criticise his policy and certain of the Republicans are anxious to embody some of its aspects in their own programme. So far as the policies in the present election are concerned the Republicans will champion State rights, with reservations, and the Democrats will pledge themselves to greater concentration in the Federal Government, out of loyalty to the New Deal. lVlr Roosevelt's nomination for a second term is not likely to be seriously challenged at the Democrat convention and with his personal ipopularity he will prove a difficult man to displace. '