THE PRESIDENCY

Southland Times, Issue 20523, 27 June 1928, Page 7

THE PRESIDENCY

DEMOCRATIC CONCLAVE DELEGATES ASSEMBLE IN TEXAS PROHIBITION CHIEF TOPIC (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph-Copyright.) New York, June 25. Houston, where the Democratic Convention, is meeting, is a half-grown torrid little city of Texas, in which living is made nearly unbearable by hot winds sweeping in from the Gulf of Mexico. It is swarming, overcrowded and frightfully uncomfortable, but trembling with excitement. Talk is loud and pugnacious, centring chiefly upon Prohibition.

The actual situation has not changed. One Tammanyite arriving here summed it up graphically: “You ask what is our platform. Smith is a platform in himself.” Governor Smith dominated and inevitably he will dictate. Mr Reed is ruled out from serious consideration either as a candidate or a leader of the Smith opposition. The latter duty now depends upon Mr Callon, an inexperienced politician, Mr Dan Moody, Governor of Texas, and a small fervent group of Prohibitionists, most of whom are women. Actually only seven per cent, of the delegates are women, showing a marked decrease since the Democratic Convention in 1924, but their absolute honesty and intense sincerity mark them as a considerable political force. That gargantuan but very real figure, Mr W. J. Bryan, is absent from the Democratic Convention for the first time in a generation. There is no one to take his place. If one remembers that this Southern section of America is traditionally Democratic it can be seen under what peculiar circumstances this Convention will be conducted It will be a family affair. The Convention of 1924 was swallowed up in large New York and soon became a laughing stock because of its political barbarity, but here it is a vastly serious business. Tammany will sway the decisions. One can therefore expect shrewdness and long-practised political gunning. It is expected that to-morrow the Convention will organize adopting a platform on Wednesday or Thursday. The Presidential nomination will probably occur on Thursday and the Vice-Presidential nomination on Friday with an immediate adjournment thereafter.—Australian Press Association.