AMERICAN PRESIDENCY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 142, 18 June 1932, Page 7

AMERICAN PRESIDENCY

REPUBLICAN CONVENTION DISPUTED PUBLICATION PLANK CHICAGO, June 16. On every point the Administration lore's have ruled the Republican Convention. Only upon one issue was there ever a threat of revolt and that was as to whether the party should declare for the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment. The question was thrown back into congress on Wednesday night by the President’s plank, asking that body to submit an amendment to the States to be acted upon by the State conventions. The vote supporting the plank, as against the straight repeal by-Senator Bingham, was defeated by 681 to 427. During the discussion the spectators hooed and jeered and some of the delegates pranced in the aisles waving beer steins. Some tried to seize the State standard for a parade but there was no stampede. Mr. Bertram Snell, the big-voiced and big-shouldered chairman, Mr. Ogden Mills, Secretary of the Treasury, the sergeant, and Chicago police were too much for the noisy, thirsty crew supporting Dr. Nicholas Butler, president of the Columbia University, and Mr. Bingham. The whole Hooverian platform, proposed dealt with safe and conservative matters in such general terms as to give wide discretion to the executive arm. Triumph of Hooverism When, as is expected, Mr. Hoover and Mr. Curtis are nominated, the triumph of llooverism in the party will be complete. The Republican strategists may congratulate themselves on obtaining such cohesion after three years of hard times. Many observers are asking whether the docility of the Republican rank and file is not the product of fear for the November election, and whether they have not clutched the President’s coat-tails because of the uncertainty as to their own political fates. The Administration’s prohibition plank declares for law enforcement, condemns referenda, deprecates partisan consideration of the issue, opposes submission confined to retention or appeal, and concludes: “We therefore believe that the people should have an opportunity to pass judgment upon a proposed amendment, a provision of which, while retaining in the Federal Government power to preserve gains already made in dealing with evils inherent in the liquor traffic, shall allow the States to deal with the problem as their citizens may determine, but subject, always to the power of the Federal Government to protect citizens everywhere from the return of the saloon and its attendant abuses. Such an amendment should be properly submitted to the States by Congress to be acted upon by the State Conventions, called for that sole purpose, in accordance with Article V. of the Constitution, and adequately safeguarded so as to be truly representative.” In contrast with the 192 platform declaration, there was no mention of war debts in the present platform. The 1928 platform declared: “Wo have steadfastly opposed, and will continue to oppose, tho cancellation of foreign debts. ” A Delegate Removed. At the Republican Convention, Dr. Joseph I. France (Maryland) was forcibly ejected from the speakers’ plat-

form, as he sought to get the floor. His name had just been placed in the nomination, and his plan had been to make n nomination himself on behalf of the former President, Mr. Coolidge. “They will have to carry out the Presidential candidate to stop mo,” Mr France told newspapermen. The police diil practically carry him out. A few minutes later Mr. Hoover was again nominated for President and Mr. Curtis for the Vice-Presidency. Mr. Hoover’s sponsor described him as a “master in human engineering, whose shield remained unsullied after four years at White House.’* Senator France, the only other name officially nominated,, received only four votes upon the roll call. After France had been forcibly ejected he was in a tremendous rage and on rHo verge of collajse. He explained that he had been authorised by tho Oregon delegation. and had credentials therefore to place Mr. Coolidge’s name for nomination. There was considerable conjecture whether his plan, if successful, might not have stamoeded tho delegates into a demon st ra’ op. other than the care fully guided >ut which haa been arranged to greet tho naming of Mr Hoover for nomination. Ac it was, during the roll call Mr. Coolidge reetived 41 votes even though his name was not officially placed before the Convention. Delegates surrendered themselves to a tremendous m ise-making when Mr. Hoover was nominated, and his nomination was made unanimous. A Clean Sweep. Mr. Hoover made a clean sweep of the first and -yrily roll call, getting 1126* votes out of 1154. Others werj; Senator John Blaine (Wisconsin), 13; Mr. Coolidge, 4A; Mr Franco and a former Senator (Mr. James Wadsworth, New York), 1; former Vifo-Prcsidcnt .Dawes, I; not voting, *>; absent, 1. The Convention spent nearly all of Ihe concluding session shouting Mr. Hoover’s praises. Tn the initial roll call for the VicoPresidential nomination, Mr. Curtis was just short of the 578 needed to nominate him, but the Pennsylvania delegation of four changed its vote, giving him tho victory. The Convention adjourned sine die. The nomination of Mr. Curtis was anti-climatic. Five other names besides his were offered for nomination and the roll call gave a scattering vote to six others, including the American Minister in Canada (Mr. Macnider), who received 178, and General Harbord (chairman of directors of the Radio Corporation of America), 161, but in the Vice-Presidency as a platform and other phases of the convention, Mr. Hoover’s will was paramount. It is no secret that a direct telephonic wire from White House dictated the, choice of Mr. Curtis, as it had dictated the working of the prohibition plank. The Convention adjourned sine die, but not without sending good wishes ami affectionate greetings to Mr. Coolidge. informing Mr. Hoover of his nomination and receiving word from him in return pledging himself to labour as he had laboured to meet the effects of the wnrld-ivido sfnrin.