Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 June 1936 — Page 3
FOUR GROUPS WITH DIFFERENT ~ APPROACHES WILL ASSISTIN
"FORMING POLICY, FLYNN SAYS
Constitutional Amendment Clamor, Backed by White and Fish, Changes Color of Republican Picture.
BY JOHN (Copyright. 1936,
T. FLYNN NEA Service, Inc.)
CLEVELAND, June 8.—The men tackling the job of building a platform for the Republican candidate to stand on are having one of the most difficult tasks that ever faced
a G. O. P. convention.
For instance, only a few weeks ago the Constitution - was the floating log in the stream to which all factions of
the party seemed to be able Senator Dickinson seemed to
to cling. Senator Borah and be able to get together on de-
fending the Ark of the Covenant of the Republic against the artfully concealed schemes ©f Roosevelt to amend the Constitution. But suddenly a demand—a demand supported by powerful voices such as those of William Allen White and
Hamilton Fish—takes shape to have the Republicans attempt to beat the Democrats to a clamor for constitutional
amendment.
The decision of the Supreme Court outlawing the New York minimum wage law may be a turning point, if not in this electipn, at least in American party policy. Républicans have been denouncing Roosevelt for attempting to set up a powerful central government controlling subjects which belong to the states. Then the Supreme Court says that even a state can not regulate or protect the lives and health of its women in industry. Many Republicans are de-
. manding that the convention beat
the Democrats to a demand for a constitutional change which will correct this. Nothing may come of it. But it illustrates well the formless, indefinable state of party policy out of which these platform carpenters have to fashion a party creed. Four Groups Present
On the whole there are’ four groups here with differing approaches to the platform. One is the Borah element which wants some forthright declarations about big business, the money power, the utility interests and the Constitu= tion. The other might be called the Vandenberg element which,
‘ while taking the traditional Repub-
lican position, is for a fair dilution
. of progressive measures.
The third is the extreme Old Guard position of the Senator Dick-
‘inson type which would blame the ‘ New Deal for everything from bad
weather to the loss of the Davis Cup matches. The Landon crowd
. yepresents the fourth, and it is ' tolerated by the practical minds of ‘the Old Guard. This element is for . generalities as far as possible and as few commitments as possible. It fis not improbable that in its final : content this group will have its
way. The difficulties of the platform committee make this a normal escape. = Take, for instance, the agricultural problem. The Democrats have practically stolen all of the thunder of the Republicans.
Face Difficult Decision
The AAA act was in reality little more than a collection of various Republican devices offered at different times, including subsidies to offset tariff differences between the farmers and the factory, and crop restriction. It will be difficult to denounce all these things without also denouncing ancient Republicans beliefs. The platform probably will resort to two things in the farm field. One will be a promise of a subsidy, say about 42 cents on wheat, though the amount will not be named, to protect the farmer from tariffs he must pay on what he buys. The
other will be a denunciation of the:
New Deal's “betrayal of the farmer” and a demand that his problem be dealt with by “constitutional” methods. This will satisfy the angry East and will enable the Western congressmen who are forced to be for the AAA to explain that the Republicans will do as much for the farmers as the Democrats, only they will do it “constitutionally.”
state administration of relief. It will also call for drastic cuts in expenditures, but it is| doubtful if it will specify that the cuts be made in relief. This plank will be in very general terms—balance the budget as rapidly as possible by trimming government costs, studying relief problems and raising taxes to meet costs if necessary, but with a suggestion that this will not be necessary. The platform makers are going to have trouble on the money planks. Of course the party of sound money will be for sound money. But there are silver states to be placated and some of them are states which are sorely needed. The platform, of course, can not call for a revaluation of the dollar in its old terms. It will therefore demand immediate steps to stabilize the dollar. Will it call for a resumption of gold redemption? This is certainly a hot one to handle. Here again the difficulties may be side-stepped behind some generalities about an American dollar worth its full face value, etc. The anti-trust law is one which will bring trouble. Here is another Republican position which Mr. Roosevelt has made off with. The NRA gave to business the modification of the anti-trust laws they wanted. The Guffey Act did the same, The politicians may make faces about it but the fact remains that self-rule in industry is one of those things big business wanted and the Republicans have smiled upon. Now Roosevelt has almost wiped out the anti-trust act. Borah will clamor for undiluted phrases about this. But the East will want to get a few
And there will probably be a plank about social security for the first time in a Republican platform.
ATTACK CHARGE BRINGS PROTEST
Committee Reported Ready to See McNutt on Alleged Beatings.
Protests were made today by Indianapolis liberals-and by Communist Party leaders against the alleged sluggings of two men in Terre Haute Friday night. Arthur Zinkin, of Indianapolis, said he would accompany a com-
test the alleged sluggings. The Governor’s office said that no arrangements had been made to hear a pro-
test from the committee. The men, who alleged they were beaten by three men, one of whom they claimed wore a policeman'’s uniform, were Sol Larks, state secretary of the. Communist Party, and Herbert Kaufman, 31, temporary chairman of the Vigo County chapter of the party.
Charges Kidnaping
Mr. Kaufman charged he was kidnaped and beaten earlier in the week by three men, one of whom he charged then also was in a policeman’s uniform. Following Kaufman's charges last week, the American Civil Liberties Union protested to Mayor Samuel Beecher of Terre Haute. Police Chief James C. Yates of Terre Haute, scoffed at the new
i slugging charges today, and, suid
‘My patrolmen _don't go around beating people up,” he said. “If we want to take a man in we arrest
| WAR DEBT REMINDER BRINGS BRITISH REPLY| ®
weazle words into this declaration..
mittee before Gov. McNutt to pro-
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg, left, who has announced ‘that he would not accept the vice presidency, with the intimation that only the presidential nomination would be satisfactory, is shown in a. gay mood as he confers with George F. Getz, treasurer of the Repupliean
National Committee, in Cleveland.
CONSTITUTION IN
LANDON'S PATH
Followers Demand Change at Risk of Wrecking Party ‘Issue.’
(Continued from Page One) °
ing out the plans, heedless of Yhelr parodied campaign song. “Alf Landon learned a thing or two, he knows the right solution. “And in the White House he will stay, within the Constitution.” The Kansas men’s. reasoning is that if Landon is nominated, and they are confident of it, he ought to have a Kansas platform. The Prairie Staters feel that the Liberty League’s “Save the Constitution” is-
sue will bring no answering heart-.
throbs in the farmer’s breast. And on the other hand, without Federal co-ordination and direction, such an amendment would be only a remote danger to industrialists who contribute to the party and hate government interference in their business.
Strange Spectacle
Even some of the New Englanders are climbing on the Landon bandwagon, heedless of the demand of their textile manufacturers for national legislation to prevent lowwage Southern mills from exterminating them. ~Taere is thus _ presented . the strange spectacle of Rep. Bert Snell, House Republican leader and expower magnate, Senator Jim Davis of Pennsylvania, the ex-steel puddler, and young Teddy Roosevelt, all plopping for an amendment that has not yet been defined. Some of them are not saying whether they are for minimum wages for women only, or for all persons. Now: the anti-Landon groups, led bq Borah, Vandenberg and Steiwer, are wild-eyed radicals on economic matters as compared with Bert Snell. They smell g rat. Their op-
" | position to Landon has been solidi
ficed noticeably since White and his amendment showed up. There is promise of a bitter” battle here. Borah may choose it for his own version of “Custer’s Last Stand” against the marauding Kansans.
Seen As Democratic Weapon
These people. feel that Landon is offering a strong weapon to the Roosevelt Democrats. For one thing, the Democrats would ‘say: “Who's attacking the Supreme Court now?” If the Democrats could persuade the voters that the proposed amendment wouldn't meet the situation, the kickback might be disastrous. For another, the way would be wide open for the Democrats to propose an amendment like this: To authorize both state and Federal legislation covering the specific points needed to be covered—probably labor laws, farm and factory regulation within specified limits, and social security—with the Federal government empowered only to set a bottom standard below which no state might slash in competing with its neighbors. The Landonites are due for a jolt when the A. F. of L. hits town. The A. F. of L. is on record for a constitutional amendment to authorize Federal legislation on minimum wages and maximum hours, and is virtually certain to oppose the White plan. when the resolutions and Wednesday. President William Green and an A. F. of L. committee plan to submit a constitutional amendment. at that Ummie,
OFFICIAL WEATHER
Lo United States Weather Buress Sunrise, meee ~4:16 | ‘Sunset au :
NEE ET o
see. i 5
8. -m. veduses ue n
* Senator Frederick Steiwer of Oregon in his hotel room in Cleveland putting the finishing touches on the speech he will deliver as key-
. noter of the Republiccan national convention. He is prominently mentioned as a Possible choice for ‘the vice presidency.
—Phofo by Acme.
Former Indiana Senator James E. Watson (left) confers at Cleveland with Mrs. Ernest B. Griffin, Chicago, vice chairman of the women’s
division of “Knox for President” committee.
Mr. Watson, a delegate
at large from Indiana, pledged to Gov. Alf M, Landon, has been frequently seen among Knox supporters, but is.an ardent booster for the
Kansan, it was reported.
LANDON: OPPOSITION
N. Y. Delegation Expected to Switch Soon.
(Continued from Page One)
—some additional protection against agricultural imports which compete with home-grown crops. Meantime, the town has gone mildly mad. Sunflowers, not grass, are growing in the streets where bands parade. Enterprising bartenders have invented new ' drinks and named them after presidential candidates. Hotel lobbies bulge with noisy crowds. An anonymous leaflet—third of a pre-convention. series—said Kansans neither drink nor smoke because there are laws against both habits in that state. “But they have a secret bar, and if you're a delegate you can get anything you want in the way of ‘wet’ goods at the Landon camp.” Leadership of - the :anti-Landon forces lay today between Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg of Michigan and Mr. Borah. Between them they seek to maneuver Kansas to defeat. Mr. Borah’s managers are
claiming a big early vote and nomi- |
nation for their man, but the veteran progressive is being marked out of the running by nine observers out of ten. Start Boom for Lowden = The merry-go-round of antiLandon strategy was. demonstrated again over the week-end when the
name of Frank O. Lowden, 75-year-|
old friend of the farmer, was put
forward once more as a Possible £0
coalition Landon.
movement likely to get far in stop-
ping the ‘Governor of Kansas or ‘even more than momentarily délay-
DWINDLING, IS CLAIM
ing his nomination. “This is not a stop-Landoh movement,” Mr. Vandenberg explained in assaying the convention situation 24 hours before gavel time. “It is a wait-a-minute-to-look-Landon-over movement. “I am tired of this talk ‘among delegates that they are going to vote
-for Landon because he is going to be
nominated. If he is the man with the platform to meet a crisis, I'am for him. But we must find it out. I will be for Gov. Landon if he is the right man.”
>
JAMES WATSON
FACES B BATTLE
Following | Dispute on Committeewoman.
(Continued from Page One)
the waning power of Watson in
{Indiana G. O. P. politics. He likely
will be elected delegation chairman at the pre-convention organizing
meeting tonight, but he can not -| control the delegation.
“A conflict ‘has developed between: former Gov. Goodrich and the veteran Republican leader, Henry Marshall, Lafayette, for the Indiana membership on the National Platform Committee. Having held the position during the last two or three conventions, Mr. Marshall feels he has a sort of vested right in the job and the delegation may approve his stand. But Mr. Goodrich is reported to
| want the post to halt, if possible,
any attempts at constitutional amendments recommendations. Mr. Watson reported them in a room to settle their difficulties yesterday afternoon, but they emerged with the statement that they will take the matter up at the meeting tonight. Mild-mannered George A. Ball, Muncie multimillionaire manufacturer, is slated for re-election as na-
|| tional committeeman. He has pro-
vided the: delegates with the most palatial headquarters in the city, the J erming Club in the Cleveland |:
vate club rooms of
the famed an Sweringen brothers,
whose railroad holdings Mr. Ball bailed off the auction block. Three hundred Hoosiers ‘are expected to be permanent guests here throughout the convention, according to Secretary Harry Fenton. As many as six hundred to one thousand are expected at various times. In addition to the hotel and club rooms, two lake .steamers ‘and an apartment ‘house. have ‘been rented to. accommodate them with sleep-
ing quarters. .
‘COOLER WITH AN ELECTRIC RANGE
MOL he last-minute any 7
ganization of a bona-fide Vanden- > 3
lapel ‘buttons to boost the name and 4 :
fame of ‘Michigan’s favorite son.
Mr. Vandenberg arrived Jestertay ;
amd Late fhe first.
word and a searching eye.
Hote] Sar pe Sisadapatiors- a Fi : t x Same sway stil a Vithi Sue tn aty
Kansan Into
prairie-state league.
a fit of temper. They waste no time worrying over stopLandon headlines, or over the public and private wisecracks
about their candidate, or the
mysterious young men who stand at hotel doors and distribute anonymous circulars reading, “So Landon Won't Talk, Eh?” Although there is no hope of
Senator Vandenberg, who a few weeks ago gave the country to understand that he was not a candidate, is here, bitterly intimating
‘that the reason Landon doesn't say
more is that he doesn’t know the answers. : Col. Knox’ spokesman, ' former Serator George Moses, who gained fame in the prairie states by describing their Senators as “sons of the wild jackass,” is exercising his bright vocabulary in accusing Landon. of having given aid and comfort to the New Deal.
Dickinson Wants ‘Fighter’
Senator Dickinson of Iowa— hell-raising Dick — after a bad scare as to whether he would be renominated, has come in, flushed
with an unexpectedly large primary victory, full of wim, wigor and whimsy, demanding, sir, a presidential candidate who will fight. He wants a man—like himself—who is raring to eat raw dog-meat. All of this makes the Landon folks smile. It’s familiar stuff. They remember when their late Charley Curtis announced in 1928 that he didn’t want Hoover because the party would have to apologize for him and then promptly accepted Hoover's vice presidential nomination. They, have heard about the praying Women who held noon-day prayer meetings at Houston in 1928, seeking divine intervention to ‘save the Democratic Party from She curse of Smith,
dials i sriReonll: Robsevelt Attacks
They remember that in 1932 Democrats were warning against Roosevelt's nomination, publicly stating that if nominated he couldn't carry a state east of the Mississippi, that he was weak, vacillating, and hadn’t declared himself on anything. Also the Landon folks ‘remember that in each of these cases the target of these solemn Warnings was easily nominated. So they recognize
.that these tactics are part of the
topping Landon, the stoppers per- | | Opposed for Che Chairmanship [sist =~
LANDON BACKERS POSING 4S * AMATEURS, BUT KNOW THER
Managers Refuse to Ballyhoo; Calmly Proceed to Engineer
Be Concerned With
Nomination.
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER ; CLEVELAND, June 8.—Part of the psychology of th
Landon folks is to insist that they are novices in national politics—just a handful of country boys trying to get a Most of them are new in the big league. Yet, as will seen, they are anything but novices. Most of them have had years of training in the most politically minded state in th
.
That is why the Landon people are taking the conven tion-eve tantrums of their exasperated rivals with the calm tolerance of a seasoned parent who knows how to handle
game, practically + harmless, ad they don’t take them seriously. After Landon is nominate leaders whe now denounce him be invited to send their best men’ into the Landon campaign organi zation, which will be done. All will be forgiven. Every one will agree
Worried by Borah
But one thing .does worry the Landon folks — Senator A Borah, Up to now Borah has resisted all of their blandishments. They wante ed him to take charge of the plate form, but he refused. , they are going to try to box him in.
The plan is this. Landon mane agers hope to put an old Idaho buddy of Senator Borah’s in charge of the convention platform come mittee — former Senator John Thomas. He served until 1933 as the other Senator from Idaho. Born in Kansas, where. he taught school, Thomas went to Idaho and became a banker and sheep raiser. He is a westerner, therefore reasonably | progressive. He is a banker, theres fore presumably sound.
Campaigns for Thomas
Borah campaigned for Thomas in 1932. Thomas will campaign for Borah in Idaho this year if the
Senator wants to stand for re election. Senator Borah will have to bes contortionist to kick up much of a fuss over a platform which his old ally, Senator Thomas of Idaho, brings into the Republican convene tion. Landon’s friends are now work: ing on delegates to have Thomas head the platform committee. Un less they run into trouble, he will Even if they fail, the gesture won have been wasted, .- . For a crowd of amateurs, Landon people get along very well
Offer Reward for Arrests By United Press PORTSMOUTH, O., June 8—A reward of $300 was offered today for the arrest and conviction of Persad guilty of the recent bombings homes of officials of the Portsmouth plant of the Wheeling Steel Corp. where a strike has been in progress three weeks.
NEW ov ELECTRIC RANGE
Enjoy comin I your now this sume
mer. You can cook
a whole meal in an
ELECTRIC Range without any appreci--able increase jn kitchen heat. Just place the food in the oven, turn the switch, and forget i it until meal time.