PARTY'S PLATFORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22444, 13 June 1936, Page 13

PARTY'S PLATFORM

PRINCIPAL PLANKS INTERNATIONAL POLICY DOMESTIC REFORMS By Telesrraph—Press Association—Copyright* (Received June 12, 5.5 p.m.) CLEVELAND, June 11 Twice the Republican Convention assembled to-day, twice went into recess because the Tlatform Committee could not come to an agreement as to the exact phraseology of the planks.

Mr. W. E. Borah was summoned during the day to make his wishes known again. The platform finally was finished at 8 p.m. It comprises about 3500 words and combines all the old traditional expressions in which political promises are framed.

The following pledges are made on issues of international significance. Tlie platform affirms the faith of the party in a protective tariff, advocates the repeal of the reciprocal trarle agreements law and the end of secret negotiations of trade agreements. It promises the restoration of the principle of a flexible tariff, opposes further devaluation of the dollar, demands the repeal of all laws whereby Congress delegates to the President power to issue and regulate the currency and advocates international stabilisation of the currency, but doe's not indicate when. Attitude on Foreign Affairs The foreign affairs plank opposes foreign alliances or political commitments, as demanded by Mr. Borah. It opposes America's entry to the World Court or the League of Nations, advocates international co-operation in the limitation of armaments and the traffic in arms. The party pledges itself to make every effort to collect war debts and condemns the Roosevelt Government for its failure to reopen the negotiations with the debtor nations. A Mirror of The New Deal On social and economic questions, the platform in many respects is a mirror of the new deal, except that it advocates the delegation of powers and responsibilities to the States instead of to the Federal Government.

The plntform advocates the distribution of relief through local agencies with Federal grants in aid, but the States to share the cost of such relief.

Further the platform advocates only meritorious public works, condemns Mr. Roosevelt's social security law and advocates instead necessary payments to citizens over the age of 65 to protect them from want, the funds for the purpose to be obtained by direct, widespread Federal taxation. A controversial monopoly plank is a victory for Mr. Borah, who dictated its wordjng. Private monopoly is condemned, and the enforcement of the criminal as well as the civil laws against monopolies and trusts is promised. The regulation of business is advocated by new, independent tribunals under specific laws.

Labour and the Farmer

Unemployment insurance by the States is also advocated. The Labour plank acknowledges Labour's right to collective bargaining "by representatives of their own choosing." This is the language of Section 7A of the National Recovery Act. The platform also approves the adoption of State laws and inter-state compacts to abolish "sweat shops" and child labour and to protect women and children in respect of maximum hours and minimum wages. "This can be done within the Constitution as it now stands," says the platform. The agricultural plank opposes crop control and advocates "a national land use programme," the family type of farms, some system of export bounties for surplus agricultural products and protection for American farmers against the importation of livestock and dairy and agricultural products which compete with American farm prices. The platform was adopted unanimously.

MR. ROOSEVELT'S TOUR SUPREME COURT ATTACKED ' , * .COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTION NEW YORK, June 11 President Roosevelt took some of the spot-light away from the Republican Convention yesterday when, in an address at Little Rock, Arkansas, lie reiterated his plea for a broader interpretation of the Constitution, and obliquely attacked the Supreme Court. The occasion was the centennial celebration of tho admission of Arkansas to tho Union. In a historical review of how the Mississippi Valley territory was acquired by the "United States, Mr. Roosevelt pointedly remarked that the Missouri purchase of 1803 was not "carried to the Supreme Court." Without suggesting a constitutional amendment, ho insisted that it should be broad.enough to allow legislation necessary to safeguard human welfare under modern conditions.

Before the President left Washington he said his south-western speaking trip would bo devoted to non-politieal subjects. Consequently, those remarks came as something of a surprise. Mr. Roosevelt will visit Texas, where the centennial observation of that State's independence from Mexico is in progress, and en route to Washington ho will speak again at Vincennes, Indiana.