DECISION REACHED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 1 July 1932, Page 5

DECISION REACHED

PROHIBITION ISSUE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION REPEAL OVERWHELMINGLY FAVOURED 'United Presß Association—By Eleetrio Telegraph—Copyright) CHICAGO, 29th June. The Democratic Convention surrendered itself to delegates’ three and a half hours’ debate oil Prohibition, since a minority plank advocating resubmission rather than direct repeal was offered on the iloor. It was a question the crowd loved to hear discussed, and dozens of speakers were cheered or booed, depending on their sentiments. Anything but repeal was anathema with the spectators, and the convention was a continuous uproar. Mr Smith received a tremendous ovation when he delivered an effective address 'favouring repeal. “The Eighteenth Amendment must he repealed in order that future generations may lie warned that such prohibitory legislation can never again be written into the American Constitution.

The convention adopted the Prohibition repeal plank. CHICAGO, 30th June. Shortly before dawn the convention tired of debating various minority planks which were offered on questions besides prohibition. It was quickly apparent that repeal would he overwhelmingly carried, but tlio necessity for a poll individually of many fighting delegations protracted the process indefinitely. Fatigue took toll and the stadium gradually emptied before the convention decided to go into recess until noon, when it was announced that 934 had voted ior repeal commitment and 213 in favour of only recommending the submission of a repeal amendment. PARTY’SRETURN TO TRADITIONAL POLICIES CHICAGO, 29th June. When the delegates reconvened alter dinner, it was monstrously hot. Mr Walsh had extreme difficulty in getting order so that the platform, which meantime had been completed, could be read. He leaped into a deep rage, and shouted lor the “gentlemen, if they were gentlemen,” to sit down.

It was the shortest platform, of approximately 1200 words, ever offered an American political convention. It marked the return of the Democratic Party to nearly all its traditional policies, which for 100 years before the recent industrial and financial growth of America made it a party of primary producers and rural communities opposed to the so-called big business and conservatism of industrial and financial communities.

No better proof of this fact can be found than in the tariff platform—“competitive tariff for revenue only; reciprocal tariff arrangements with foreign nations.” /

Of course, when the phrase “We advocate the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment,” was read it precipitated a wild, animal-like demonstration, this issue somehow dulling all perceptions of a remarkable reversion to old-time principles in America’s political life. A great electric organ, which is not a musical device, but a fantastic instrument of human torture, made possible by the machine age, produced a noise seemingly greater than could be borne by human ears when the repeal demonstration began. It is difficult not to believe that the Americans are a hysterical people. ROOSEVELT ENDORSES PLANK (Received Ist July, 8.50 a.m.) CHICAGO, 30th June. Mr Franklin Roosevelt to-day endorsed the convention's “wet”, plank. NOMINATION~oF CANDIDATES ROWDY DEMONSTRATIONS (Received Ist July, 11.0 a.m.) CHICAGO, 30th June. Cheering and parading for its heroes in the convention occurred as one after another of its candidates were placed in nomination for the supreme test of the roll call. The platform with its Prohibition repeal plank, but with the proposals for the immediate payment of.a bonus and a guarantee for bank deposits ousted overwhelmingly had been adopted and nothing remained but nomination and shouting. Long and loud was the demonstration for the race-leading Mr Roosevelt when his name was put in for nomination first of all.

Round and round the big hall the marchers went, yelling and danciirg, led by the roaring tones of a monster pipe organ. Forty minutes after the demonstration started, Mr James Farley, Mr Roosevelt’s manager began waving the demonstration down. “Call it off !”. he shouted to the scouts on the floor, but he forgot to telephone the organist and the music continued, interspersed now with only weak cheers. A few minutes later, the chairman, Mr Walsh, rapped for order. The demonstration had lasted 43 minutes. The convention leaders decided on a recess at 6 o’clock until 9, when the nominating speeches would be finished. The ballot will probably be reached on Friday. The convention speaker. Mr John Garner, was the second nomination, to an outburst- of cheering and banner waving by tile Texas and California delegations, which held 90 votes pledged to him. Mr Alfred Smith was the third nomniation. After speedily adopting the platform with only a single amendment, namely, a pronouncement advocating child welfare legislation, the fifth session of the convention at 2 o’clock in the afternoon settled down to listen to ■ nominating speeches. John Mack, a friend of Mr Roosevelt, offered his name. “He is a man who never forgets friends.” This was greeted with a tremendous shout. It was iin obvious reference to the Roose-vclt-Smith feud. Upon the conclusion of Mr Mack’s brief address a parade of delegates began. However, States which oppose Mr Roosevelt, namely, California, Illinois, Ohio, Now Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Texas, were undemonstrative, indicating clearly that no break in the anti-Roosevelt alignment had yet occurred.

Mr Garner’s name was placed in nomination and another demonstration, comprising, however, only the Texas and California delegations, headed by an immense brass hand began with Texans filling the air with wild cowboy yells. Governor Ely, of Massachusetts, put Mr Smith in nomination. There was a. crash of cowbells from the galleries reminiscent of Tammany’s favourite noise-making instrument at Madison Square in 1924 and at Houston in 1928. The galleries were extremely noisy. It was a notable demonstration lasting about two hours, but on the floor only Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island delegations participated therein. There were fist fights among some of the delegations for possession of their State standards. It was all a llrave

spectacle, but it was obvious that the Smith influence was not what it was at Houston in 1928.