ROOSEVELT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 151, 27 June 1936, Page 9

ROOSEVELT.

DEMOCRAT NOMINEE. Proposal Arouses Colourful Demonstration. PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION. United Press Association. —Copyright. (Received 10 a.m.) PHILADELPHIA, June 26. Mr. Roosevelt was placed in nomination as Democrat candidate for the Presidency at the convention to-day by his life-long friend, Mr. John Mack. In doing so Mr. Mack said: "With our decks cleared for battle, with justice, right and progress with us, we are ready for more action under the inspired leadership of that great American, whose name I give you as your candidate for President, no longer a citizen of merely one State but a son of all the 48 States. Franklin Delano Roosevelt." Delegates immediately staged a demonstration, which for noise and colourfulnsss, has rarely be?n exceeded. The remainder of the session may be taken up in the seconding speeches. Earlier proceedings of the convention were interrupted by a group of young men who appeared in a corner of the upper balcony carrying banners inscribed: "We Want Smith." Kleig lights were turned on them and they were soundly thrashed and hauled out of the hall, their banners being destroyed.

It is alleged that the demonstrators were Republicans and that the scene was arranged by the Republican organisation of Philadelphia in order to annoy the convention. When the party's platform was proposed it was carried unanimously. It opens with the following rather remarkable observation:—"We have begun, and shall continue, our successful drive to rid our land of kidnappers and bandits.'" Traditional Planks of Platform. Then the document launches into the more traditional subjects dealt with in the platform. The agricultural plank favours "the production of all that the market will absorb," farm co-operatives and the continued retirement of submarginal lands. The labour plank recounts the achievements of the New Deal, but makes no mention of instrumentalities to make effective what the ' Supreme Court negatived. A monopoly plank pledges the party "vigorously and fearlessly to enforce the criminal and civil provisions of the existing anti-trust laws." The platform promises a continuation of the work-relief programme, and pledges the party to seek a solution of economic and social problems through legislation within the Constitution, but it will seek such a clarifying amendment as may be necessary to make the desired legislation effective. The finance plank approves the objective of a permanently sound currency so stabilised as to prevent the former wide fluctuation in value. "We assert that to-day we have the soundest currency in the world," says the platform. The foreign policy plank promises "true neutrality in the disputes of others," and to continue to "seek by mutual agreement the lowering of those tariff barriers, quotas and embargoes raised against our products." Finally, the platform pledges the party to "oppose equally despotism and Communism and the menace of concealed Fascism."