LANDON CHOSEN

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 220, 13 June 1936, Page 11

LANDON CHOSEN

Republican Candidate For Presidency

GREAT EXCITEMENT Noisy and Animated Scene In Hall NOMINATION ULTIMATELY UNANIMOUS By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright (Received June 12, 10.15 p.m.) Cleveland, June 11. Mr. Alfred Landon, Governor of Kansas, has been nominated by tbe Republican Convention as tbe party’s candidate for tbe Presidency of the United States. Witbin a few moments of tbe approval of tbe platform. States from Alabama to Illinois deferred to Kan sas and Mr. Landon’s campaign man ager, 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 amend meat protecting women and children in industry in respect to wages and hours. Secondly, that 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 for eign trade. Parade Round Hall. Mr. Hamilton then put the name of Mr. Landon for nomination and dele gates began the expected demonstration, beaded by the Kansas banners Virtually all the State delegations, aided by every conceivable noise-making device, paraded 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 ball and two enterprising wireless men walking seemingly over the heads of spectators, hauled a microphone toward Miss Peggy Lan don. She laughed, but. apart from sending a “hello” to her father, listen ing in Topeka, she would say nothing No other State would offer a candl date. There were only seconding speeches by Senator Vandenberg and other aspirants’ representatives who announced their withdrawal and the path was quite clear for Mr. Landon. The hall was in tremendous excitement as the State by State voting started. One by oue the chairmen of various delegations rose and cast their full voting strength for Mr. Landon. Il was an unbroken parade until the West Virginia chairman, M.r. Bachman, Senator Borah’s manager, cast 16 votes for Mr. Landon and one, his own, for Senator Borah. Sixteen of the Wisconsin delegates voted for Senator Borah and six for Mr. Landon. At the end of the poll call, however, the Wisconsin delegation put forward a motion that the nomination be made unanimous, and this was carried with a thunderous burst of applause. Widespread Support-. Following Mr Hamilton’s nomination speech, there was a rush by previous opposition candidates to express approval of Mr. Landon. In addition to half a dozen scheduled addresses, every candidate with the exception of Senator Borah, who had departed for Washington, spoke in seconding the nomination of the Kansas Governor. These included Colonel Knox and Senators Nice. Dickinson and Vandenberg, whose strong pledge to Mr. Landon was taken by many as an indication that he would accept the VicePresidential nomination, voting for which was postponed until to-morrow. “In this convention I belong to but one block, and it has but one slogan, ‘Stop Roosevelt,’" said Senator Vandenberg. Even after he left Cleveland, Mr. Borah added something of a discordant note to the otherwise seemingly harmonious Republican situation. According to reports from Akron, he was stunned at Mr. Landon’s interpretation of the currency plank as meaning a return to gold convertibility when possible and his insistence on support of a constitutional amendment to allow States to protect labouring women and children if other means fall to gain the desired objective. GOVERNOR LANDON Loves Kansas and Loved by Kansans Dominion Special Service. (By Richard H. String.) Portland (Oregon), May 1With tbe Republican national convention in the offing, two candidates for tue Presidential nomination are to the tore. One is Senator William E. Borah, of 'he State of Idaho, and a well-known internationalist. The other is a comparative newcomer—-Governor Alfred M. Landon. Mr. Landon first achieved nation-wide fame by being the only Republican Governor elected in the Roosevelt landslide of 1932. Before that he was unknown But that is American politics; Americans figure if he could withstand the Democratic onslaught he must be “good.” And this is what Landon boosters are proudly saying: » "He’s a miracle man. He lias cut taxes, saved 33,000,000 dollars on the cost of running the State, balanced his Budget, and carried on a relief programme.” And the people of Kansas, located in trie Middle West, love “Alf" Landon. The door of his big office in the State capital in Topeka is never closed. A very easy man to see. this Governor; and apparently the whole Stale brings its problems through that open door.

Alfred Landon came to Kansas when he was about 10 years old. with his dynamic, two-fisted father, John Landon, of the State of Pennsylvania, who wap an old man. He came to Kansas seeking oil. and his son rode in a buekboard It was in this manner Landon learned to know and love Kansas. Bfean.se bis father wanted him to heroine a lawyer. “Alf" Landon went to the University of Kansas where, after one year prenaratorv and three years of law he graduated He did not care much about practising law: not enough happened. Then he decided upon a banking career and entered a bank, hut he did not like being inside all day—a man used to the Open, to fishing and hunting and riding—so he went back to the oil business.

The oil business was kind to him. He is not any millionaire, has really never tried to be, but in Kansas he is regarded

as a well-to-do successful oil man. He married young, but his wife died when his daughter, Peggy Ann, was born. She is 18 now.

Then followed years of oil business and a little politics from behind the scenes. He was chairman of the Republi'-an State Central Committee for a number of years. But the Landon family is progressive His father bolted the Republican party with Theodore Roosevelt, and became a prominent Bull Mooser early in the century. That is the kind of folks they are; the Landons are progressive and bolt the ticket if the ticket’s dead wrong. Alfred Landon is not much of an orator; not the table pounding kind, but be knows bow to get things done. When be ran for Governor the Republican party in the State was split wide open, and the State bad a Democratic Governor. But Landon reunited the forces and got himself elected in 1932, although Roosevelt and the Democrats carried every other office in the State,

Eight years ago. Alfred Landon married again, after he had met and wooed Miss Theo Cobb. Now there are two younger children—J.ack and Nney, a brother and sister to join their older step-sister

Like nstufe politicians. Landon has been silent in his criticism of President Roosevelt and the New Deal He has not publicly entered into an.v argument over •Im President or his polities. And these things are in Landon’* favour in obtaining the nomination He is from the Middle West; be is f

soldier and a member of the America: Legion; be is liberal and should satisfy the liberal agricultural west; he has not been in a political office long enough to have made enemies.