REPUBLICAN LEADER

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 167, 14 June 1928, Page 7

REPUBLICAN LEADER

HOOVER'S FIRM POSITION

PRESIDENTIAL CHAIR

DOINGS AT KANSAS CITY.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.) (Australian Press Association.) Received June 14, 8.45 a.m. NEW YORK, J une 13. A message from the Republican National Convention Hall Kansas City states that the Platform Committee are hopelessly in disagreementover the agricultural plank after an all-night session, which _ lasted until four o’clock this morning. It was hoped that unanimity would be reached in time to present a completed platform to the convention early this morning. Sixty different agricultural planks were submitted. A small group, obviously farmers a little tho worse for liquor, paraded the streets the greater part of the night shouting: — ' “We don’t want Hoover!” They grew slightly objectionable when" they interrupted several mass meetings in favour of Mr Hoover, but their demonstration attained the levels of only a comic opera situation.

Mr Hoover’s star is now so far in ascendancy that nothing can stop him, despite the fact that the Curtis and Lowdon group still persist that they will fight him to the bitter end. Mr Hoover’s difficulty, however, consists now in laving plans for the ultimate reconciliation of these elements, after his nomination, in order to assure party, solidarity at the polls.

In order to accomplish this Mr Hoover must approve of an agricultural plank not too objectionable to the-anti-lioover group and indicate that the Vice-Presidential candidate is distinctly favourable to the plank. General Dawes, of course, fills the position of Vice-President, but it is openly admitted that Mr Coolidge does not like General Dawes. General Pershing is another possibility. An interesting rumour is current to the effect that Mrs Mabel Willebrandt, who is at present connected with the Federal Department of Justice, will be Attorney General if Mr Hoover is elected.

This would be tho first woman member of Cabinet. It is reported that Senator Borah s strongest prohibition plank has been written into the platform.

FLAMBOYANT SPEECH. Senator Fess, temporary chairman of the convention, in the keynote address was flamboyant in praise of Republican accomplishments in office. In a tacit defence of President Coolidge’s action in tiro matter of agricultural relief (including the President’s action in twice vetoing the McNary-Haugen Bill with its price-regulating and rural credit proposals), Senator Fess said:- ‘'None should doubt the purpose of the Republican Party to give this greatest of industries every consideration short or unsound proposals of Government stimulation of artificial remedies, which in tho end may only add .to our problems.” . Senator Fess concluded with an amazingly adulatory commendation of I'residont Coolidge, ending in the following tribute: —“He leaves office by his own fiat, which appears to be final, and is so interpreted by many of his friends, despite tho fact that his nomination and election would be a foregone conclusion did ho not forbid.” THEATRICAL ASPECT.

The temporary, chairman at this moment has brought liis gavel down, bringing tho convention to order, and immediately a crash of applause from 12 000 tense persons shakes the huge ha’ll. But quiet comes instantly when Bishop Partridge rises to utter a prayer. . The callous and theatrical aspect oi tho whole business is, however, to be seen as the great blinding lvleig lights blaze up upon the bishop, and their hissing drowns out liis voice, while tne “movie” men take pictures. Senator Fess’s voice has begun to drone, and he is becoming uninteresting. The delegates under their btate standards are warm, and the. atmosphere is steaming. It has rallied all the morning. . , . ~ There are amusmg moments in senator Fess’s speech. Suddenly switching his energy to an appraisal of America’s greatness, lie said that America had more homes fitted with all modern conveniences and with more baths than the next greatest nation on earth

Britain. , In the next moment, wholly unconscious of tlie peculiar transition lie begau a technical discussion ot tho league of Nations and the Washington Conference. . ~ T , „ Senator Foss’s first mention oi 1 resident Coolidge in his address produced the first prolonged applause, but a previous mention of Woodrow Wilson (the pre-Democratic President of the war and post-war periods, and proRioter of tire League of Nations) a ls*> elicited vigorous handclapping—much to tho speaker’s surprise. TEST OF STRENGTH.

MR HOOVER’S GREAT CHANCES. (Australian Press Association.) Received June 14, 11.5 a.m. NEW YORK, Jan. 13. Something like a test of Mr Hoover s strength occurred when the Convention polled 676 votes against seating the delegation from Texas, which is known to be against Mr Hoover. This means that Mr Hoover will sweep the convention from the first ballot.

FIRE AND BRIMSTONE SPEECH

UNCOMPLIMENTARY REFERENCE

(Australian Press Association). Received June 14. 10.5 a.m. NEW r YORK, June 13,

Senator Moses was elected permanent chairman of tho convention, and in a speech full of fire and brimstone defied Tammany. “W r e welcome Democratic candidates to a bloody grave with open arms, whether the name bo Brown, Jones or Smith. This unmistakably uncomplimentary reference to the Governor of New York State, Mr A. C. Smith, was greeted by the convention with glee. The Platform Committee is still qtiarelling over the agricultural plank. They went into recess for luncheon and met again at four in the afternoon. It seems now that they may not reach agreement until to-morrow.

WALL STREET REACTION. (Australian Press Association.) NEW YORK, June 12. Wall Street reacted promptly to the apparent elimination of President Coolidge as a candidate. When word reached the Stock Exchange that, the Republican leaders had decided on Mr Hoover prices for the leading stocks, which had previously been regaining ground from yesterday’s drop, once more broke sharply. Commission houses reported that liquida-

tion orders were pouring in from all parts of the country. Sales passed the five million mark for the first time in history. New York Exchange tickers were still running at 4.45 pan. setting a new record also in that respect. Sales totalled 5,109,700 shares. A striking illustration collapse is offered in the case of the Bank of Italy, which a month ago was forced upward nearly a hundred points under pressure of frenzied buying and which carried down yesterday thirty-seven points. It is believed that Wall Street will not hereafter be susceptible to a financial depression for many years.

The Democratic National Assembly, which is tho counterpart of the Republican Assembly so far as meeting to choose a candidate ’to contest the Presidential Election is concerned, is to gather at Houston. Texas on June 26. Mr Hoover knew New Zealand and Australia in, tho ’nineties, for he was then one of the mining engineers of the exploratory and investment firm, Bewick, Moreing, and Co. Both in Auckland, and in West Australia Mr Hoover was actively engaged during tho mining boom of the ’nineties, and no doubt, after the way of goldmining, ho had his successes and failures. Called into American public life by tho war-time emergency, Mr Hoover has been in public life ever since. He has been Secretary of Commerce in two Governments, and has worked successfully in such varied tasks as coal strikes, radio control, commercial aviation, bankers’ pool plans, standardisation of building and Mississippi flood problems. Born in lowa, tho son of a blacksmith, who was a Quaker preacher he went West at an early age, when both parents had died. He worked his way through tho Leland-Stanford University, and began the career that kept, him busy for seventeen years in connection with *his engineering activities in various parts of the world. As head of tho American Commission for Relief in Belgium, ho supervised the expenditure of more than £5,000,000 a. month. In ies3 than fivo years the Hoover relief workers spent approximately £300,000,000, and less than one half of 1 per cent of that gigantio sum went for overhead expenses. Mr Hoover will be 54 years of ago next August. He married Miss Lou Henry, of Monteroy, California, a. fellow student at Leland-Stanford University, in 1899, and has two sons, Herbert and Allen.