The Gisborne Times SATURDAY. JUNE 12, 1936. THE FIGHT FOB THE U.S. PRESIDENCY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12887, 13 June 1936, Page 4

The Gisborne Times SATURDAY. JUNE 12, 1936. THE FIGHT FOB THE U.S. PRESIDENCY.

The electors of the United States aro once again in the throes of a Presidential campaign, and the first of the customary colorful party conventions is turn over, with the rrsr.lt that -Mr. London, Governor of Tviu--as, has bran selected to carry the Republican banner. It is clear a!r:o that tho Democrats will have no difficulty. when their turn comes, di making their choice of nominee, i'oi President Roosevelt has contrived to maintain his personal popularity despite the ups and downs which have attended his party’s efforts to bring about the economic rehabilitation of the great republic. At lho outset, it seemed, the task aifo.vl of tir Republicans might not lie so easy. ’l'he most favored aspirant on that side was plainly the Kansan governor, Air Lar.-don, and he .s.oi>’-c:l the nomination without a real fight. In some quarters, it was supposed that Republican, c x-P> caidont Hoover was

angling for the nomination. But, it so, he was eventually sido-trac-k----ifl. in moip than or.e way the wonderful display of enthusiasm wliieh "reeled Mr, Hoover o:i his visit, to the Convention Hall may he explained. Even if he had not delivered an address; ho would have been assured of a very cordial welcome. What led to the remarkable demonstration in his favor was. clearly, the high national note which ho struck in the course of his speech. Mr IToovcr did not mince matters. Ho attacked the Democrats with all tho vigor for which he was formerly noted. And, above all, lie succeeded in arousing those present with his rallying call to the party to set about too work of restoring the nation to prosperity. Mr Hoover was assuredly applauded much more on account of fho outspokenness of his address than on account of a feeling that he should permit himself to be re-nom-inated in the hope that he might stago a successful “comeback” into tho active political life of the nation. It is. of course, difficult to judge what margin of voting strength lies between tho two major political parties in the great republic. The Democrats were placed in power at the last previous election because ft was felt that the Republicans bad fallen clown on the job of rehabilitating the nation. It cannot, however, be said that they have achieved economic v. onders although they have been great triers. The main handicap which the Republicans are up against i-s that they had their chance—and missed i fire. In such circumstances, what is likely to aid the Democrats again is a belief that the Republicans might not have doiie any better even if they had remained in office. Neither sido is, apparently, willing to attack the main problem at the root o F tho nation’s 'troubles—lower the tariff avails and encourage international trade -moro widely. Whatever tho result 'of i the pending electoral conflict, it is very clear that a great task still lies ahead of the United States before it will be able to claim Hat it has escaped from the depres-