DRAFT COMPLETED

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 9

DRAFT COMPLETED

REPUBLICAN PLATFORM

ENTHUSIASM FOR HOOVER

N K\Y DEAL BERATED ; j United Press Association —By Elcctrlc Telegraph Copyright J CLEVELAND, June 11. At an early hour this morning the platform committee of the Republican Convention completed a draft of a platform ostensibly satisfactory to all sides. It was then transmitted by trunk line telephone to Mr. A. Landon at Topeka (Kansas) for his .final approval before submission to the convention, "as he will undoubtedly be a candidate," said a member of the committee. The appearance of Mr. Herbert Hoover at the Convention Hall introduced the first genuine ingredient of excitement to the convention, and after delegates had cheered him to the echo for fifteen minutes, he launched a harsh and bitter attack on the New Deal and made a solemn exhortation to Republicans to come to the rescue of the nation. "In this room rests the greatest responsibility that has come to a body of Americans in three generations," he said. "To some people the New Deal appears to be a strange interlude in American history because it has no philosophy, because it is sheer opportunism, because it is a muddle of the spoils system, emotional economics, reckless adventure, unctuous claims to the monopoly of human sympathy, greed for power, and desire for popular acclaim. That is not a charitable view. GOSPEL OF CLASS HATRED. "To other people it appears to be a cold-blooded attempt by boys to infect the American people by a mixture of European ideas flavoured with the old native predilection to get something for nothing. For the first time in the history of America we have heard the gospel of class hatred preached from White House. That is a human poison far deadlier than fear. Every reader of the history of democracy knows that it is the final rock on which all democracies have been wrecked."

It was evidence of the startling lack of picturesque or vital leaders of the Republican Party that the convention rallied so strongly to Mr. Hoover. It has not had anyone to cheer so far, and there is little prospect of having anyone, for although during the day and night the strength of Mr. Landon continued to grow by additional State delegations indicating their intention of voting for him, it is a commonly-ac-knowledged fact that Mr. Landon is a virtually unknown figure in his own party. He has said little and has repeatedly declined to make any declaration of opinion on controversial issues, and, besides the fact that his personal fortune comes from the petroleum business, there is scant information available of his background. UNOBTRUSIVE BORAH. As for Senator Borah, he has not even appeared at the convention so far, being content to remain in his hotel room dickering for support or making threats. Thus, to convention delegates and even spectators, Mr. Hoover represent ed a cause, even if it was a lost one. As he was completing his speech a heavy thunderstorm outside caused the steel rafters of the hall to crackle ominously and to give startling emphasis to his concluding words: — "Republicans and fellow-Americans, this is your call to stop retreat in a chaos of doubt, confusion, and fear. Yours is the task to command, turning the eyes of your fellow-Americans to sunlight and freedom and to lead the attack to re-take and re-man the citadels of liberty. Thus can America be preserved. Thus can the opportunity, inheritance, and spiritual future of your children be guaranteed and thus you can win the gratitude of posterity | and be able to sing to Almighty God." "THIS IS ENTHUSIASM." After nearly half an .'hour's cheering upon the former President leaving the rostrum, delegates from the floor began an impromptu chant, "We want Hoover," which the gavel was able to drown out only with difficulty. The Californian delegation raised its banner and began an ecstatic march round the hall. Finally the chairman made himself heard above the clamour, saying: "Mr. Hoover has left the hall. He had to catch a train and go to New York," .but delegates were not so easily satisfied. They continued to make a tremendous noise and broke into "Onward, Christian Soldiers." Mr. Fletcher, chairman of the Republican national committee, bent down from the official stand and said to Pressmen: "This is enthusiasm." After another half-hour's enthusiasm the stentorian voice of the chairman announced the adjournment of the convention for the night. No account of the day's proceedings would be complete without recording the arrival of a number of members of the Oxford Group under the leadership of the Rev. Frank Buchman. leader of the movement, himself. The group had just concluded a long meeting at Stockbridge (Massachusetts), and came to Cleveland to "put the thoughts of delegates on God."

THE CONSTITUTION

WIDER INTERPRETATION PLEA BY MR. ROOSEVELT NEW YORK, June 10. President Roosevelt took some of the spotlight away from the Republican convention today when, in an address at Little Rock, Arkansas, he reiterated his plea for a broader interpretation of the Constitution and obliquely attacked the Supreme Court. The occasion was the celebration of the admission of Arkansas to the Union, and in a historical review of how the Mississippi Valley territory was acquired by the United States, the President pointedly remarked that the Missouri purchase of 1803 was not "carried to the Supreme Court." Without suggesting a Constitutional amendment, President Roosevelt insisted that it was broad enough to allow "legislation necessary to safeguard human welfare under modern conditions."

As before he left Washington the President declared that his southwestern speakir" trip would be devoted to non-poT.tical subjects, today's remarks came as something of a surprise. Several New York newspapers featured them above the proceedings at Cleveland.