Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 9, Number 42, DeMotte, Jasper County, 7 September 1939 — Gamer Organization Claims 461 Delegates on First Ballot [ARTICLE]

Gamer Organization Claims 461 Delegates on First Ballot

DALLAS, Texas.—John Nance Garner, vice-president of the United States, will go into the next Democratic national convention with over 461 votes pledged to him, according to E. B. Germany, chairman of the State Democratic Executive committee and co-chairman of the Texas Garner-for-Fresident committee. “We are convinced, from the deluge of pledges we have received at the Dallas headquarters, that there is a genuine popular demand for the nomination of Mr. Garner on the Democratic ticket. This comes, not from one section or group of states, but from the entire nation. From Oregon and Vermont, and from Georgia to the Southwest, we are getting the most enthusiastic protestations of friendship and admiration for our stalwart Texas statesman. “Mr. Garner’s way of thinking has captured the public imagination of the middle ground of America’s straightthinking citizenry. If the politicians do not listen to the voice of the people in 1940, I predict that the Democratic party as an organization won’t be worth shooting. 1 have heard many comments that the politicians are going to pick the next candidates for both the Democratic and Republican parties. My advice to them in both parties is to listen to what the people are thinking. If they don't heed the deep longings of the mass of America's citizenry, they will be politically dead after the next election. I repeat: If the Democratic politicians attempt to thwart, the will of the people in the next convention, the party of Jefferson and Jackson won’t be worth the effort to put it out of its misery.” In outlining the strength that he claims for the Texan. Mr. Germany pointed out that out of 1,100 votes in the Democratic

convention, the south and border state* will furnish Mr. Garner with 286, the chief block of which is represented by the 46 votes from Texas. The southwest and western states, without counting California, and taking but two of the farm states, Nebraska and Wisconsin, will yield Mr. Garner a total of 461 votes. “Now I am not including in this forecast of 461 the 210 additional votes indicated from the states of New York, Pennsylvania and California,” declared Mr. Germany. The Gallup poll in the last three weeks has printed definite forecasts of public opinion from these three states, which together have 19 percent of the total convention strength. These polls show, assuming that the President will not be a candidate which is the only way that Democrats believing in the continuance of its traditional party policies can think, that Mr. Garner is the choice of over 50% of the Democrats in New York and California and of over 60% of the Democrats of Pennsylvania. Out of these three states, two will give Mr. Garner a clear majority of the convention, the Texas leader pointed out. “There is no question in my mind,” declared Mr. Germany, “that the people of the United States have very definite convictions on the coming presidential campaign. The principles involved weigh deeply on citizens everywhere. They embrace Mr. Garner because he stands for a principle that finds welcome reaction in every human being who worries and sometimes wonders on the future of his country. “Mr. Garner’s nomination by the Democrats of this country is inevitable. It is ordained in the hearts of the American people, and I view his nomination and subsequent election as certain, with the present trend of events.”