U.S. POLITICS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 July 1924, Page 5

U.S. POLITICS

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. DEMOCRATS’ DIFFICULTIES. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. NEW YORK, July 6. Senator Robert La Follette’s announcement in connection with the Presidential candidacy. becomes accentuated in importance for several reasons, the chief being the existence of a deep division in the Democratic Convention, which, it is considered, has seriously reduced the prospects of Democratic success at the coming election. It is held that the Democrats, who might have commanded great national support if they had chosen to make the corruption of the Government the chief issue of the campaign, have distinctly alienated the important sections of the electorate through their religious dissentions. Senator La Follette, moreover, has skilfully manoeuvred to gather himself great support, first by declaring that his candidacy will be independent and a third party will be formed only after the election, and, should circumstances warrant, he is therefore enabled to secure the support •of the various factions among the Radicals and Progressives, including the dissatisfied northwestern agriculturists and Socialists, who, incidentally, may endorse his candidacy officially, the Labourites, and even' the Communists, although he attempted to repudiate the latter. Senator La Follette also can expect the support of the Liberal Republicans, who are incensed at the Republican corruption in office, the Democrats alienated from the Democratic Party over the religious issues, and the floating vote of all others who are generally dissatisfied with the major parties. Senator La Follette will probably not secure- election, but will most likely make the ultimate result extremely uncertain.

Radical measures are being threatened by both factions at the Democratic Convention. The Smith group, to which have now gathered all the anti-McAdoo forces, declare that if the deadlock is not ended they will unite and nominate, if possible, a compromise candidate, the onp most prominently mentioned being Senator J. T. Robinson. The Smith forces now appear to have" one major aim, namely, the'defeat of Mr W. G. McAdoo. The latter’s supporters, many of whom scorn all talk of a compromise, declaring that Mr McAdoo must be nominated, declare that they are: even ready to ask the convention to disband without choosing a Presidential nominee. They would be willing to offer Mr McAdoo as an independent Presidential candidate directly to the voters. Other hotheads among the McAdoo group threaten to bolt from the convention if anyone unacceptable to Mr McAdoo is named. The country, meantime, is aghast over the Democratic disruptions, which some consider as spelling the. destruction of one of the major parties, which is held to he so necessary for the successful operation of the American Government upon the bi-party system.