PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 220, 11 June 1924, Page 9

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

REPUBLICAN CONVENTION OPENED ATTITUDE TO LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND WORLD COURT ASPIRANTS FOR THE VICE-PRESIDENCY At the Republican National Convention at Cleveland women participated for the first time. The temporary chairman, in his keynote speech, regretted that the Japanese exclusion law had been passed without giving the President time to negotiate with Japan. He said the United States would not join the League of Nations, but he recommended participation in the World Court. When the time was ripe, he declared, another arms conference would be called.

Bi Tei.fgra.ph—Press Association Copyright.

(Rec, June 10, 5.5 p.m.) New York, June 10. At Cleveland, Representative Burton, temporary chairman of the Republican National Convention, delivered a keynote speech. For the first time women participated in the convention, four hundred being delegates and alternates. The speaker reviewed. the record of the Republican Administration, laying stress on the Washington Conference, <tho; tariff, which had brought a revenue of two hundred million dollars more than' during any Democratic Administration. and the funding of the foreign debts. He regretted the Japanese exclusion provision, without giving the President time to negotiate with Japan. The farmers had been aided, but the Republican Party could not subscribe to impractical theories. Economy in the public expenditure and a reduction of taxation must assume the utmost importance. The speaker hinted at the advocacy of prohibition enforcement, and condemned the increasing belief that the Government was a paternalistic institution. He protested against the impression that there was widespread corruption at Washington. The Government blamed the war for weakening the moral fibre of certain portions Aof officialdom. He condemned the third party movement, and insisted that the people had confidence in Mr. Coolidge. He said the United States would not join the League of Nations, but when the time was ripe another arms conference would be called. He recommended participation in the World Court.

VICE-PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS. > The Vice-Presidential aspirants include Mr. Hoover, Senator* Watson, of Indiana, General Dawes, ex-Senator Ken von, Senator Curtis, . Governor Hyde, of Missouri, .Senator Capper, > Dr Burton (president of Missouri University), and ex-Senator Beveridge. • Senator Borah and Mr. Lowden have

declined the honour. Mr. Harding’s death has impressed the need for carefully selecting a Vice-President able to assume the Presidency during an emergency. A platform has already been written and submitted to President Coolidge, who remains at Washington. Three planks are expected to give great trouble—prohibition, the Ku Klux Klan, and the World Court. Tho “wet” clement, led by President Butler, of Columbia University, is expected to stage a sharp, though ineffective fight to secure a modification of the Volstead Law, while southern Republicans will ask for an expression again the Klan: President Cooliige wants Mr. Harding’s "World Court, while the Republican Senators favour Senator Pepper’s. On tho eve of Repuolican Convention the usual excitement prevails, despite the fact that the chief issue has already been long decided. President Coolidge’s choice for the Presidency being a foregone conclusion.

THIRD PARTY MOVEMENT. The third party prospects hang like a black shadow. Senator La Follette has made an open threat, ana the silence of the other Radical and Progressive leaders is even more disturbing. The irreconcilable Senatorial leaders are sulking in their tents. Senators La Follette, Johnson, and Borah have declined to attend the convention. The Republican leaders fear the third party may produce a situation where no candidate has a majority of the Electoral College, after the election, and the House of Representatives may be called upon to choose a President. Deep and perplexing constitutional questions are involved in that prospect The choice of a Vice-Presidential candidate, which in previous conventions , has been a slight and unimportant matter, has now become a serious affair. The present aspirants for the office would easily grace the Presidency itself.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.