POLITICS IN AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19960, 31 May 1928, Page 11

POLITICS IN AMERICA.

CHOICE OF A PRESIDENT. COOLIDGE NAMED AGAIN. FARMERS NOW A FACTOR. DANGER TO REPUBLICANS. Australian and N.2T. Press Association. (Received May 30, 5.45 p.m.) WASHINGTON. May 29. Speaking in the House of Representatives Mr. T. S. Williams, Republican member 1 for Illinois, predicted that the President, Mr. Coolidge, will be nominated for another term, and that he will be re-elected, unless he makes a positive statement in time to prevent the party convention at Kansas City from nominating him. Mr. Williams said that the 1924 Congress had often obstructed Mr. Coolidge's policies, yet the people gavo the President an overwhelming majority. The same thing would occur this year unles< the President's own positive statement that he will not accept nomination is forthcoming. The first returns from the West Virginian primaries came to hand to-day. For the Democrat nomination Mr. A. Smith, Governor of New York, is leading Senator J. Reed, of Missouri, and for the Republican vote Mr. H. C. Hoover is leading Mr. G. D. Goff, who represents the State in the Senate. BurniDg Question of Farm .Aid. A message from New York says that, with tha suddenness characteristic of American politics, a very old issue has suddenly leaped into prominence, which promises to over-shadow all other issues as preparations are made for the opening of the Republican Convention on June 12. Mr. Coolidge's veto of the McNaryHaugen Bill for tho relief of the farming industry has had the effect of concentrating all political attention on the American farmer and his woes. Two months ago corruption in high places promised to be the main issue at the elections in November, but to-day it seems to have been completely forgotten, and the prediction that corruption, .will not change a single vote in November seems to be unanswerable now. An interesting fact, however, is the political manoeuvring behind the sudden rise of the question of agricultural aid into such a burning issue. Accurately speaking, however, it is just politics, and though the matter is serious enough it can safeiy be said it. will not decide the choice of the next President, just as it was not the paramount factor in 1924. March on Kansas Doubted. The newspapers in the past few days have been full of reports from the Middle West, stating that 100,000 farmers there are ready to lay down their implements and march upon Kansas City to present an ultimatum to the Republican Party on the question of farm relief. There is no question that just now the farmers feel inclined to do this, but on June 12 there will not be 100,000, or even 1000, farmers; encamped before the doors of the conven i tion. s A telegram from Chicago to-day says the farm organisations throughout the West have chosen a committee to send to Kansas City to present the following thesis:—The Republican Party is facing the greatest crisis in its history and ii ; the Eastern leaders will listen to the voicei of the West and heed the demand .for economic justice, victory will follow. But if they continue to be indifferent to the needs and rights of the maize-belt and farming States, if they force the nomination of a candidate opposed to farm relief, no matter who he is, then defeat is in" vited and disaster will follow. The committee will undoubtedly be present at Kansas City. A similar committee went to Cleveland.in 1925 but the picture of 100,000 tillers of the soil encamped in Kansas City is too highly imaginative, even for American politics. Mr. Hoover in a Quandary. Technical experts and more moderate Democrats agree that Mr. Coolidge was quite right in vetoing the McNary-Haugen bill. They say that if the farmer is sick and needs a doctor then Congress, in this form of this bill, sent a crystal-gazer to diagnose the agriculturists' disease and the President rightly kicked the magician down the front steps of White House. But the great cry from the West has its political roots in the quick-mindedr.ess of Mr. Hoover's enemies in once again concentrating their attack upon him. Mr. Hoover is against this bill, therefore the henchmen of Mr. F. O. Lowdon, his opponent, have shaken tho farmer wide awake and told him that from Mr. Hoover he will get as little as from Mr. Coolidge. Mr. Hoover is in a quandary. If he wishes to secure Mr. Coolidge's personal support, and this is an important factor, he cannot reply to his enemies. It is interesting to note that Senator Charles Curtis, of Kansas, who announced his candidature on the plea that he is the friend of the farmer, also voted against the relief bill because he is Mr. Coolidge's friend and would like to secure his personal support. Mr. Lowden, with Mr. C. G. Dawes, Vice-President, as a "'dark horso" behind him, therefore again looms up as an. important figure. The question is what will Mr. Lowden be able to do at Kansas City. • Democrats Find Satisfaction. In these circumstances the farmer has a unique opportunity of becoming the "pampered child" of the Republican Party, not because he is loved for himself, but because he can be used by one faction of tho party to defeat another. The Democrats, in the meantime, loot with broad satisfaction upon 'the dissension in the Republican camp, for, if il grows intense enough, it may mean a victory for them. The Democrats frankly never liked the corruption issue too much. "Machine politicians" among the Democrats looked upon it as a two-edged knife. The Democrat Party is itself not without corruption, and if corruption becomes too much discussed it will frighten away those rich aspirants for various public offices who are willing to make large contributions to the parties, and. it is these butions which make life easy for the "machine politicians." Sober-minded Democrats say Sir. Coolidge and the Republican Administration have only been interested in aiding "big business.' and that the voter in November will be able to choose between a party which is pledged to work for only one group in the nation and a party which, if it secures office, will work for the entire nation Thecampaign is a very hot and excited one and J is noi lacking in ''fireworks# *♦.