SINGING "DIXIE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 140, 15 June 1932, Page 7

SINGING "DIXIE."

CONVENTION OPENS.

REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Influence of Women Growing In U.S. Politics. LIVELY MEETING. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11.30 a.m.) CHICAGO, June 14. The Convention Stadium of the Republican National Convention opened to the music of "Dixie" played by the largest pipe organ in , the world and capable of a volume of the equivalent of 2000 band instruments. When it roared no human voice could make, itself heard.

The day's business on the convention from the opening prayer through the organisation of delegates and Senator Dickinson's eulogistic speech on President Hoover was, however, of an extremely routing character. The Republicans lived up strictly to the tradition of a "well managed" gathering.

Two deeply controversial matters still remain unsettled, namely, the wording of the prohibition plank and whether Mr. Curtis will be retained ae VicePresident. One was compelled to seek trends away from the main trend for rital meanings in this convention.

The vital meanings were interesting enough. Not wholly missing was the position of women for example. For the first time since they gained the suffrage they began to play a commanding part in the political struggle. It is no secret that hitherto the male Republican politicians have given women, and the latter were quite content with it, the only two decorative roles they played on various committees, but their real power was small. Many of them at this convention have been ousted from their seemingly important but really innocuous positions.

For instance, Mrs. Yost, West Virginia, and Mrs. Miller, Michigan, veteran women of the Republican party, were removed from their State committees, but this is the first convention in which women are actually doing the work of the leaders. "Wet" and "Dry" Forces. The "dry" forces are waging a losing fight here, but they are being ably and militantlv led by such women as Mrs. Boole, W.C.T.U. The "wet" forces of the party, which hitherto had no women leadership, are here powerfully and actively supported by Mrs. Pratt and Mrs. Sebin, of New York, two wealthy women delegates who, moreover, have conducted a very able pre-convention repeal fight throughout the country. Miss Addams, who was last year awarded the Nobel Prize, descended upon Chicago to-day with women delegates of the International League of Peace from every Stato and staged a demonstration calling for an expression by the convention on the question of armaments. She is a figure able to command the highest Tespect and is acknowledged as the most distingushed woman in the United States. Finally a Communist demonstration, which was held a short distance from the Convention Stadium under police surveillance, was led by a negro woman who vigorously harangued her followers.

The convention session lasted only about i.n hour and adjourned until tomorrow, when a platform will be approved and nominations will occur on Thursday, after which the convention will be adjourned sine die.

HOOVER'S DEEDS.

Keynote Speech Lauds Policy Of

President.

DEMOCRATS SCORNED. (Received 11.30 a.m.) CHICAGO, June 14. In a keynote speech, entirely silent on prohibition, the Republican National Convention on Tuesday was told by Senator Dickinson, lowa, that President Hoover haa prevented financial panic in the United States, had maintained social order, mitigated unemployment distress, and preserved the international financial structure. Senator Dickinson defended all the Republican policies. In these distressful times, he said, there was just one bulwark of salvation for the United States, and that was the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act.

He spoke in a red, white and blue auditorium in the Chicago Stadium to the accompaniment of the cheers of a thousand delegates and thousands of visitors. For two long years, he said, the Democrats had hampered the President at every turn; had belittled his effort and impugned his motive. They had called for inflation, whereas the safety of the country required a maintenance of the gold standard and a maintenance of the value of the dollar.

With scorn he pointed out that while the Democrats had inveighed against the Hawley-Smoot Act they had generously supported duties on copper, coal, oil and lumber.