Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 12 June 1936 — Page 3

RECORD AS KANSAS £0 A

‘NOK SERVED AS ROUGH OER

Chicago Publisher Began Political Career in Michigan.

William Franklin Knox, better known as Frank Knox, one of the outstanding American newspaper publishers, was born in Boston on Jan. 1, 1874, of Scotch descent. His parents, William and Sarah Enox, conducted a small market near Faneuil Hall in Boston and moved when he was 7 to Grand Rapids, Mich, Knox’s connection with the newspaper business started at an early age, when he was 11 to be exact, . when he began carrying papers for a local publisher. He left school at 15 to help his parents. - At 19 he _was a traveling salesman at $15 a ¢ week.

Was “Rough Rider”

When the Spanish - American War broke out, he decided to leave school and enlist. By accident he failed to be sworn in with his unit and so went to Tampa, Fla.,, where troops were gathering for embarkation for Cuba. The famous regiment of Rough Riders was assembling in Tampa and a friend took Knox to meet Lieut. Col. Theodore Roosevelt. His close association with “Teddy” began forthwith and Roosevelt swore ‘him in personally.” Throughout the war Knox followed Roosevelt and became a loyal Roosevelt man. When the war was over, Knox returned to Grand Rapids and married Annie Reid in December, 1898. He obtained a job as reporter on the Grand Rapids Herald. Knox stayed with the paper, becoming city editor and finally circulation manager,

Bought Weekly Paper

In 1902 he and a young printer, named John A. Muehling, took some money they had saved and bought the weekly Lake Superior Journal at Sault Ste. Marie. Knox put up $500 from his savings, borrowed $1,000 and thus made his agreed half of the purchase price. Immediately he started a clean-up crusade of vice conditions in the town. At Sault Ste. Marie, he turned his hand also to practical politics. One of the Soo’s citizens, Chase Osborn, decided to run for Governor of Michigan. Knox became his campaign manager and managed a successful fight. Knox, who had helped to place a complete slafe of progressive Republicans in office, thereupon became chairman of the Republican State Central Committee at 36, In 1911 President William Howard Taft called Knox to Washington and asked him to mandge his reelection campaign in Michigan. Knox accepted on the condition that if Roosevelt should run, he would withdraw. The campaign ran along and Knox became more and more convinced that Taft would be defeated and the only man that could save the party would be Roosevelt.

Clung to Roosevelt

Roosevelt finally came out as a candidate for the nomination and Knox swung to him. The Taft convention of the regular party ousted Roosevelt delegates. Knox became chairman of the credentials committee at the Bull Moose convention which nominated Roosevelt. But he became alienated from the Roosevelt campaign program and quit politics for the time being. He left Michigan, ‘moving with his partner to Manchester, N. H.,, after selling the paper at a good profit. In Manchester they established their own paper, entered into competition with the two newspaper already established and ended the competition within a few years by taking over both opposition publications. : When the United States entered the war, Knox, 43, enlisted as a private. He was sent to an officers’ training corps and went overseas as a major of Field Artillery in the Seventy-eighth Division.

Supported Leonard Wood

When Knox returned to - the states, he became active in the 1926 campaign for Gen. Leonard Wood. * He served as floor leader of the Wood forces at the convention and went down to defeat with" ‘his candidate. : In 1924 he emerged to the active political field as a ‘candidate «for Governor of New Hampshire.

His opponent in the Republican pri- |

mary was John Gilbert Wiannt, who spent about $40,000 to Knox's ‘$5000 in the campaign and defeated Knox by 2500 votes. In 1923, William Randolph Hearst tried to get Knox to take over his Boston newspapers but it was not until 2926 that he consented. At that time the Boston American and Boston Advertiser were in the red.

i} to his life.

Economy and Efficiency in "." Public Office Is His ‘Watchword.

Alfred Mossman Landon has two loves, politics and ofl. The first satisfies his desires for combat with fellow man, the second for combat with nature. Both act as an outlet for the restless. energy which characterizes his every activity. When Landon was a student’ af the University of Kansas from 1904 to 1908 and began dabbling in campus politics, he realized then . he would be in political battles the rest of his life. Landon was born Sept. 9, 1887, in West Middlesex, Pa., the son of John and Anne Mossman’ Landon. He spent his babyhood in that Pennsylvania hamlet and attended preparatory school at old Marietta College, Marietta, O. .In 1904, John Landon, an oil operator, moved his family to Independence, Kas, and young Alf enrolled at the University of Kansas Law School. He entertained no se-’ rious hopes of becoming a great barrister but ‘was influenced mainly by his father’s declaration that law would be a good: foundation for a business career.

Won Debating Laurels

At the university Landon ‘Was prevented from playing football because of a broken shoulder suffered at Marietta where he played end. At Kansas he turned his extra curricular activities to debate and campus politics. As a debater he earned high marks not because of his oratorical abilities, but because of his logical approach. He was quick on his feet, shrewd, a clever fericer. As a campus politician he earned the ickname, “Foxy,” which he never liked. Only because he disliked it did his. enemies carry it over in later years to state polities. In 1908 he was graduated and went to work as bookkeeper in an Independence ‘ bank entertaining visions of becoming an influential small-town banker. Three years later Landon changed his mind. The Kansas prairies were Just beginning to spout oil and the rules of the game then did not specify gentlemanly conduct. It was a rough-and-tumble business for a youth of 25 pitting himself agains} the big companies, The prairies did not return an immediate fortune for the young inde~ pendent oil operator. Theres were dry holes and many disappointments but Landon persisted and gradually began to attain a certain measure of success. In Production Business Only

Throughout his = career . Landon was an independent operator or producer. He did not promote oil stock sales, never sold stock. His job was to buy, lease, drill and sell the native product to the refineries. He attained a reputation as an honest, efficient, hard-working operator. Landon’s career as an ofl operator bears three salient facts in regard To ‘the loud-swearing, hard-working two-fisted oil field worker he was “one of the boys.” He never asked them to do anything he couldn't do. He settléd their troubles, occasionally with his own fists, listened with a sympathetic ear, stood b¥ them in their difficulties and paid them well. The second salient fact concerns the manner in which he mixed oil and politics. As an independent producer Landon drove over Kansas looking for likely locations. 2 He met thousands of farmers, had business dealings with - them, talked with them about their farms, broke bread with them. When he ran for Governor in 1222 they remembered him. The third fact concerns the successful war he waged against the Standard. Oil. Co. over the use of pipelines. Landon enlisted the aid of other independents, fought Standard and won the of the pipelines. ‘Married Eastern Girl - In 1915, Landon returned to Oil City, Pa. and married Margaret Fleming. In 1917 he enlisted in the Army and was assigned to ‘the chemical warfare brigade. He did not see .active. service but was discharged a lieutenant. He Joined the American" Legion. In the same year he joined the army Peggy Anne Landon was Bo. . One year later Mrs. Landon In 1920 he decided to enter. poli. tics. He started at the bottom. as a worker then

precinct committeeman in Independence and %

finally county: chairman. Landon made effective speeches and organized his county well: He stumped the state and attracted attention of: party leaders. In 1924 Gov. Henry J. Allen, who later became United States Sen‘ator, chose: Landon ‘as his private secretary, In 1027 he organized the ‘successful gubernatorial campaign for Clyde Reed and two years later became state chairman. "In the 1932 campaign Republicans

looked around for ‘a prospective |.

nominee to defeat Gov. Harry H. Woodring, who had made an excellent record. State Chairman Landon stepped forward and became the nominee. Friends shook their heads and de-

clared ‘Landon was committing political suicide.

Landon realised he had a diffeult| ar

right to us¢,

Mrs. Alfred Mossman Landon

| Followers Reioios. at Bold :

Stand Set Forth in His Platform.

ed as the party’s hope of driving the New Deal from power. It said: ; 1. The Kansas. Governor hoped | w,

| that the convention was correct in | its belief that states could enact

wage and hour laws and abolish sweatshops under the Constitution. But he could not be satisfied with a hope. In spite of the resolutions committee rejection of the proposal, Mr. Landon informed the convention that he favored, if necessary, a constitutional amendment to achieve that objective.

2. The Governor also agreed with

the platform plank calling for a

sound currency at -all hazards by means of a balanced budget. But there, too, he said, he must explain his personal belief that “the second requisite” is a “currency expressed

Jin terms of gold and convertible

revenues were decreased from $127,000,000 to $97,000,000. He organized his state highway patrol which halted gasoline bootlegging by dealers seeking to avoid tax payments which added $1,000,000 to the state treasury. The new patrol dropped bank robberies from 65 in 1933 to five in 1935.

In 1934 Landon was re-elected with a-majority of 75,000 votes. During his first term and the first half of his second he put through a series of acts which indirectly placed him. in the front ranks of potential Republican presidential candidates. In 1930. Landon married Theo Cobb of Topeka, Kas, and from this union were born Nancy Josephine and John Cobb Landon.

Spoke on Economy

In the spring of 1935 there was} an occasional press notice that the |

Kansas Governor was being regarded as presidential timber. Landon regarded it as “just talk.” In June, |

1935, he delivered a nation-wide]

radio talk under the auspices of the National Economy League. Although he merely discussed the: Kansas budget and how it was balanced, he received several thousand letters. This radio speech marked . the first definite step in what was to develop later in g drive for the presidential nomination. His next address was before the Ohio-Cham-ber of Commerce at Cleveland Nov. 6. On Jan. 29, 1936, in Topeka, Landon delivered another address in which he criticised the New Deal. This definitely established him nso presidential prospect. Landon is ‘a baseball and foot-

e ball’ enthusiast -and- seldom misses | Jackeo

a Kansas University home football game. He likes to hunt, fish and

ride horseback. He likes ‘good food | Miami, Fla. and companions and an occasional Mo

game of bridge or poker. Sometimes he dons old clothes and prowls about his oil fields. As Governor of Kansas he is regarded as a capable administra

rounded himselt with capable as-

tor, |. diplomatic, tactful, who has sur-|st:

sistants. He is frank, soft-spoken, somewhat retiring and always minimizes his own accomplishments. His personal fetish is economy and efficient public service. He believes the taxpayer should get a full dollar’s value for every dollar paid in taxes. He believes the public servant should be efficient, courteous, honest and industrious. He has kept Democrats in office if Republicans could not be found to: fit the job. Although he disclaims possession of a typical political machine, he admits that “whatever organization” he has built in Kansas politics has been predicated on efficient public service and regard for the taxpayer’s dollar. He is classed as a liberal.

OFFICIAL WEATHER

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June 12; 1935

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into gold.” That, he added, did not mean an immediate return to the gold standard, but it did mean a return when it: could be done without penalizing ‘the nation’s” economy or injufing farmers or pro-

ducers of other raw materials. The |

convention had . rejected reference

| to the gold standard in the plat-

form. 3. In the third place, Mr. Landon’s telegram said, he would go beyond

the platform’s ' proposal on: the

merit system. “I believe,” he said, “that there should be included within the merit system -every position in the administrative service below the rank of assistant secretaries of major. departments and agencies and that this inclusion should cover the entire postoffice department.” Thus he expressed to the convention his specific terms for a drastic elimination of politics from Federal jobs—especially the

| patronage dentng potas depart the resolutions

commitce had. refed to go tht Dares Opposition of West

who had insisted that the words “constitutional amendment” should not be mentioned because-it was on the constitutional issue that the party should base its fight Sgainst the Roosevelt Administration. the resentment, if any, A

‘He dared also the abjections of Westerners who had demanded that there should be no mention of “gold standard” in the platform. These factional leaders, who had carried their demand through the resolutions committee, were ‘reluctant to comment publicly on the Landon statement, but they appeared to be waiting any statement. which Borah may make in that connection.. On the third issue, Mr. Landon ignored what some political advisers had considered unwise policy. They pointed out that great political importance was involved and that there was a possibility that the

Administration in power might take!

advantage of the proposal by putting the merit system into effect and thus consolidating their hold on the political affairs of-the nation. But for every politico who shook his head uncertainly at the mention of the Landon declarations, there

‘was another—and sometimes two—

who pointed with pride. The platform, as threshed out by the resolutions committee and adopted by the convention on the motion of Committee Chairman Herman Langworthy of Kansas City, was a compromise on many points in an effort to attract both East and West. One of the chief purposes of the committee was to mollify Mr. Borah by accepting his ideas on monopoly and foreign affairs. Apparently the Idahoan was satisfied when he left for Washington before hearing of Landon's declaration, although he failed ts get the committee to accept one

‘of the most important paragraphs of his monopoly plank.

!‘What ‘the H--1 Does He

WINS PLAUD

Mean by That?’ He Asks of Gold Stand.

Semon iio

: (Continued from Page One) :

maining open for Mr. Borah. He

can accept the last-minute changes |

gracefully, support Mr. Landon and forget the intra-party differences; he can bolt the party; or he can adopt a middle-of-the-road stand, giving Mr. Landon neither his sup. port nor his opposition. One friend of the Senator, who saw his reception of the platform news, predicted it would be the middle-of-the-road course that Mr. Borah will pursue. Mr. Borah was alone as he swung down from the Pullman. He looked tired. His somber double-breasted brown suit was unbuttoned. His

face was dabbed with powder after

a hasty shave on the train. A porter dumped two suitcases at his feet. Four reporters were the only persons to meet him. The Idahoan beckoned a red cap to take his bags. “Good morning boys,” he said solemnly. - A newspaper was thrust into his hands.. Senator have you seen Gov. Landon’s telegram to the convention?” “No, let's see it.” As the Senator strode slowly down the station platform he read the telegram. His jaw tightened as he read. “Is that platform amendment acceptable to you Senator?”

“rd rather not say right now.” As he scanned the Landon demands for a currency linked to gold, Mr. Borah’s characteristic blunt comment was the “what the h = = 1 does he mean by that?” He went on to the constitutional amendment proposal. “I suppose he means also ‘if necessary,” he mused with a note of sarcasm in his voice. “I knew the Governor's stand but

I didn’t think about his doing this,”

Mr. Borah said as he slapped the statement with the back of his hand.

PLANKS

Courage in Expressing His Views. Brings Roar of Applause.

= (Continued from Page One)

cut for “a currency .expressed in terme of gold and convertible inte

Parley Attack Forecast

Also he had won approval of Progressives by his announcement in favor of the Constitution am ment, and had opened the way fi an attack on “Farleyism” by — that the civil service tem be extended to all Sovernge agencies. : Mere talk of “doing some about the civil service is col A but a pledge for such a reform a he proposed is quite unusual. By his declaration for a cone: stitutional amendment, the Govere nor puts this issue up to the Dems;

ocrats in their convention at Phils; adelphia week after next. : Republican strategists hope tha! the Democrats will be forced to des: clare for an amendment gi Congress, itself, power to re wages, hours and working condi tions, and that thus the issue willl be joined. Republicans believe voters are not ready to go that far, If Democrats do not take such position, then Gov. Landon is on &i par with them on this issue. - Gov. Landon and his representa. tive on the resolutions ' commit William Allen White, were stymied from the start on the constituti amendment. Mr. White said that when he suggested the propos: to the drafting subcommittee it § only one vote, his own. Then Hen J. Allen of Kansas, not a member, went before the committee with personal plea from Gov. Lande and still the committee would ng

budge. He, alone, still favored it.

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