U.S. PRESIDENCY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19034, 11 June 1924, Page 5

U.S. PRESIDENCY

REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT AT HAND PARTY’S POLICY OUTLINED INTERESTING POSSIBLIITIES. Interest in the U.S. Presidential election is growing daily. It is evident that unusual importance is being attached to the election of a Vice-President, the sudden death of Mr. Harding having awakened the nation to the importance of the Vice-Presi-dency. Received June 10, 5.5 p.m. NEW YORK, June 10. At Cleveland, Representative Burton, temporary chairman of the Republican National Convention, delivered a keynote speech. For the first time, women participated in the Convention, four hundred being delegates. The chairman reviewed the record of the Republican administration, laying stress on the Washington Conference and the tariff, which had brought a revenue of two hundred million dollars more than during any Democratic administration. He also stressed the funding of foreign debts. He regretted the enaction of Japanese exclusion without giving the President time to negotiate with Japan. Farmers had been aided, but the Republican Party could not subscribe to impractical theories. Economy in public expenditure, and reduction of taxation, must assume the utmost importance. The speaker hinted at. advocacy of Prohibition enforcement, and condemned increase of belief that a Government is a paternalistic institution. He protested against the impression that there was widespread corruption at Washington. He blamed war for weakening the moral fibre of certain portions of officialdom. He condemned third party movements and insisted that the people had confidence in President Coolidge. He said the United States would not join the League of Nations, but when the time was ripe another reduction of armaments conference would be called. He recommended participa tion in the World Court.

Vice-Presidential aspirants include Mr Hoover, Senator Watson (Indiana), General Dawes, ex-Senator Kenyon, Senator Curtis, Governor Hyde (Missouri), Senator Capper, Dr. Burton', (president of Atissouri University), and ex-Senator Beveridge. Senators Borah and Lowden have declined the honour. President Harding’s death has impressed the need for carefully selecting a Vice-President able to assume the Presidency during an emergency. A platform has been already written and submitted to President Coolidge, who remains in Washington. Three planks are expected to give great trouble, viz., Prohibition, the Ku Klux Khan, and the World Court. The “wet” element, led by President Butler, of Columbia University, is expected to stage a sharp though ineffective fight to secure modification of the Volstead Law, while Southern Republicans will ask for an expression against the Klan. President Coolidge wants President Harding’s World Court, while Republican Senators favour Senator Pepper’s plan. On the eve of the Republican Convention, the usual excitement prevails, despite tbe fact that the chief issue has been already decided. President Coolidge’s choice for President is a foregone conclusion. Third party prospects hang like a black shadow. Senator La Follette has made an open threat, and the silence of other Radical progressive leaders is even more disturbing. Irreconciable Senatorial leaders are sulking in their tents. Senators La Follette, Johnson and Borah have declined to attend the Convention. Republican leaders fear the third party may produce a situation where no candidate will have a majority in the electoral college after the election, and the House of Representatives may be called upon to choose a >re si < i en t. Deep and perplexing constitutional questions are involved therein. The choice of a Vice-Presidential candidate, which in previous conventions has been a slight and unimportant matter, has now become a serious affair. Present aspirants for the ofiice would easily grace the Presidency itself.