American Presidential Campaign

Evening Star, Issue 19891, 13 June 1928, Page 5

American Presidential Campaign

Republican National Convention

Politics and Emotions at Kansas City

Serious Situation at Peking

Cooks’ Strike Expected to Collapse

Presi Association—By Telegraph-Copyright. NEW YORK, June 11. News from Kansas City states that the Republican National Convention will be opened there to-morrow. Ostensibly it is an instrument _ whereby democracy indicates its political convictions, but it has also the aspects ot ceremonial spectacle with tho rites, ritual, music, and even some forms of danco moro intimately associated with primitive man. Preparations for this demonstration of politics and emotions are now complete, and the city is literally swathed in bunting, with every _ automobile moving in its streets bearing placards shrilly calling for support for some favourite aspirants for Pi evidential nomination.

Out hundred street corners arc occupied by blaring bands, which have either just arrived with some delegation or have been supplied by the municipal authorities. delegates, to the number ot 1,069, mtli ns many alternatives, arc hero or arc arriving every hour on special trams, and, in addition, there are their taimlies and friends and countless politicians only unofficially connected with the convention. With the exception ol Mr Kellogg and Mr Hoover, who will not attend, all the officialdom of Washington lias loft for Kansas City, and there are also JO,OOO visitors, who have been attracted solely by the spectacle. It lias, moreover, been promised that 50,000, or even 100,000, farmers will march upon the fitv “to make America sale lor agriculture,” and for them a large city park has been turned into a camping ground, although it is freely surmised that no such horde can conceivably come from the Helds at this time in the spring. The convention ball, which has just been finished, will bold 12,5b9 persons seated, and it will bo more than fml. Millions of invisible participants must also be mentioned, for by way cf radio 40,000 people will hear and have described to them everything that occurs. Senator Borah, America’s gloomiest political prognosticator, summed it all up yesterday in the epigram: _ Jfio eve of the National Convention is dim with the self-deceiving twilight of sophistry.” Women are playing a more prominent part in the convention than in past years, even if they are still far from dominating the issues or playing a predominant part in the choice ot candidates. They comprise more than 4U per cent, of the electorate, but they muster less than 10 per cent, of the motive power behind the convention. Socially, the convention is exclusively in the'hands of the women. Prohibition may prove troublesome, but the platform will undoubtedly declare for law enforcement, as it has in the past, and both Prohibitionists and anti-prohibitionists will see what they wish to sec in this plank. Three persons and one economic group will dominate the gathering. Chief and foremost there is Air Hoover, and it is clear that ho is stronger today than he has ever been since ho became a candidate for nomination. This, however, does not mean that his nomination is assured. Five times previously in the history of Republican conventions dominating figures have been swept aside and compromise nominees chosen, the last instance being in 1920, when Air Lowdon and the late General Wood had to step down before Mr Harding. President Coolidge’s intentions are closely interwoven with Air Hoover’s fate, and the former’s renouncement of nomination would hearten Air Hoover’s supporters, though possibly it would bo insufficient to assure Air Hoover’s ascendancy. The President is at present on vacation in the forests of Wisconsin, surrounded by a retinue of some eighty-eight persons. Senator Curtis, Mr Watson, and Air Lowden are using the farmer as an anti-Hoover weapon, and say that the middle western States, which are normally Republican, will vote for Governor Smith or any other Democratic nominee if Air Hoover is chosen. Aloreover, they are trying to write into the Republican platform a plank which will declare out and out for the APNary-Haugeu Bill, despite President Coolidge’s veto. Air Hoover’s backers are offering a counterpoise plank endorsing President Coolidge’s action and promising agricultural relief in indefinite terms. The compromise group is more interested, in party solidarity than in the fortunes of any one candidate, and prefers to offer agricultural relief in terms of a revision of the tariff—up on such products as the fanner sells, and down on the product ho buys. The announcement is made that Air Butler, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, and a lose friend of Mr Hoover’s, has informed those associated with‘him-that he will vote for Air Hoover, and that Mr Mellon has indicated a similar intention. It is further stated that the delegation from Vermont, the President’s own Stale, will cast their ballots for Mr Hoover, and from his it is inferred that those closest to the President are discounting the movement to draft him again, and are turning to Air Hoover.—Australian Press Association.