PARTY PLATFORM

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 151, 30 June 1928, Page 9

PARTY PLATFORM

PROHIBITION PLANK ADOPTED IN ENTIRETY Australian Press Association—Onltod Servlc* ' HOUSTON, 28th Juno. The Democratic Convention . was brought to one of its high moments ' when Mr. Moody asked and received tho indulgence of the convention to address it,' but it was only an address of welcome to Texas. Then for the next four hours there were seconding speeches of various candidates. It was long past the dinner hour, and tho hall was three-quarters empty. The Democrats, however, wcro indulging to; the full their pene'r ant for endless windy talk, even heckling by soino disgusted delegates being unable to stop them. Tho Prohibitionist As- • speiation of the Southern States offered a petition to the convention protesting against the nomination of any "wet" candidate. " OUTSTANDING POINTS. The convention went into recess for ' dinner. Afterwards tho committee presented the following programme for adoption by'the convention: —The denouncement of tho Republican administration for tho failure to enforco Prohibition, and the promise of

an "honest effort to "enforce the Eighteenth Amendment, and all other provisions of the Constitution and all laws enacted pursuant thereto.'" This was the. strongest expression on Prohibition ever adopted by the Democrats. The outstanding points of foreign policy were endorsement,of the outlawry of war, but "freedom from entangling political alliances with foreign nations." The plank also condemned the for failure to enforce limitations of. armaments, ana asserted "thero is now a race between the nations in the building of unlimited weapons of destruction." The Labour planks defended collective bargaining and favoured restricted immigration. A BAIT TO THE FARMERS. The platform on agricultural relief plodged support for "the control' and orderly handling of agricultural surpluses in order that the price of the surplus may not determine the price of the whole crop." This is the theory of the M'Nary-Haugen Bill. The platform contained a resounding denouncement of Republican corruption, containing the words: "Turn the rascal out." On the tariff the platform said that the Democrats would hereafter levy duties to permit of effective competition being ensured against monopolies and the cquitablo distribution of the tariff burden. : AMAZING SPIRIT OP UNITY. The clerk's voice droned as ho road the platform. It was 10 o'clock. The hall was jammed, at least 35,000 persons being present. Mounted police- . men .blocked the gates, no more being admitted, and some late delegate's even being excluded, despite loud protests. A man fainted from the heat within the hall. The chairman rapped for order, and the ' clerk continued his reading, which had now consumed nearly two hours., The clerk grew hoarse, and another clerk took up the task. There was a short, sharp burst of applause when he read the Prohibition plank, and again when ho came to the plank approving independence for the Philippines. Mr. Moody then came forward with a minority report on Prohibition, which contained a reference to opposing^ the repeal of tho Eighteenth Amendment. Mr. Moody, however, declared that he would not ask for a vote thereon. This spirit of unity, and this determination not to quarrel among themselves is the most amazing outgrowth of the present Democratic Convention. The lesson of 1f)24 had been well learned. The platform was adopted in its entirety, with a few disscjiting votes. , SMITH VOTE ACCLAIMED. Balloting began for the Presidential nominoe, and when the first ballot was concluded Smith had 726 votes,, lacking seven of the necessary majority, but Ohio thereupon changed its vote, giving him 44 more, and nominating him, and thereafter other States changed their votes, until the convention ultimately made it unanimous, the total being 840. , As tho delegations began to change their- votes there. were some interesting fiat fights, iii which the police participated. Smith's nomination was fast, bijt the quarrelsome spirit had to

find a vent. The announcement of Smith's vtotal vote produced a "fine picture of madness. The convention let itself loose. Four bands and 35,000 throats and as many small devices for noise-making, and twelve Kloig lights gave a setting to the demonstration. The only tr.sk left the convention is to meet to-morrow to choose tho nominee for tho Vice-Prcsident.