Evening star., 1926-05-29
IOWA DEMOCRATS SEE CHANCE
TO WIN SEAT in C.. o. p. FIGHT

principles. The industrial East, they
figure, is on stilts, due to the high
tariff. They would shorten these stills
to bring the farmers of the West more
on a level, rather than build very high
stills under the farmers.
Mr.. Porter's ideas regarding the
farm problem. in view of the promi'
nent position he holds In the sena-
torial race. are particularly interest
ing. He has four proposals for the
aid of the farmers. First, he would
reduce the tariff. Second, he would
demand rigid enforcement Of the
Sherman antitrust law. Third, be-
cause 1t necessarily would take some
time to bring about the readjustment
due to a. change in the tariff. he pro-
poses to support any farm legisla'
ton program which is agreed upon
by the Iowa farmers. In other words,
II he were in the Senate today. he
would vote for the McNary-Haugen
bill. Fourth, Mr.. Porter demands an
affirmative foreign policy" by this
Government to aid in bringing about
peace In Europe, so that the European
nations may be in a better position
to absorb Americas surplus crops
and American farmers may have q
greater foreign market for their
produce.
Change In Party Rules.
Iowa Democrats have taken the
lead in the movement to do away with
the two-thirds rule for the selection
of presidential and vice presidential
candidates. clyde L. Herring. the
Democratic national committeeman.
who has been polling the members
Of the national committee on the
subject. said today that he was very
hopeful the change in the rules OF
the Democratic conventions would be
brought about in 1928. So far he
has received replies from 40 OF the
So members Of the national commit
tee-a majority. They line UP as fol.
lows: Thirty.two for abrogation, .
non-committal and 9 opposed. John
F.. Costello, national committeeman
for the District Of Columbia, is one
of those recorded in favor Of abro-
CATION. Mrs. j. Borden Hartman.
the national committeewOman for the
District. has not yet been heard from
Mr.. Herring insists that considers
ton Of the abrogatiOn OF the two
thirds rule should have nothing to
do with the chances of any candidate
for the presidential nomination In
1928 He. himself, was strong Nc
Adoo man in 1924. Gov. Al Smith 8
friends have given their approval to
the plan for the abrogation' OF the
two-thirds rule. and in some quarters
1t has been intimated that the Smith
people now favor majority rule In
the coming convention, believing
Smith can be nominated under that
rule.
Mr.. Herring, defending the prin-
ri Nln nf tho inrify, v.l1ls said that
IL Gov. Smith is favored by a major
ity of the delegates at the next con-
vention, then he ought to be nomi-
mated. That is plain talk. But Mr..
Herring is convinced that the two
thirds rule does more harm to the
party than the nomination Of any
candidate possibly could do, in the
long run.
McAdoO's View Reported.
William Gibbs McAdoo was in Des
Moines earlier this week to address
a convention of co-operatives. He
was a guest of Mr.. Herring while in
the city. He Is positively not talking
politics, he tells the newspapers.
1t is known however, that Mr.. Mo
Adoo has placed his seal of approval
on the proposal to abrogate the two
thirds rule.
With Gov. Smith and his friends
also approving. 1t would seem to be
almost unanimous, except for some Of
the Southern States representatives
and some who represent States which
have "favorite sons"
But there Is a hitch. a kink. vet
to be ironed out. While Mr.. McAdoo
approves the abrogation Of the two.
thirds rule. he does not believe that
the unit rule. governing the vote of
State delegations in the convention
should be tampered with. The Smith
people insist that the unit rule must
go with the two-thirds rule. Mr.. Nc
Adoo's attitude is that each State has
right to decide whether its delega-
tion shall vote as a unit. according to
the decision of a majority Of it's dele
CATION, or shall vote as individuals.
Only the Democratic national con-
vention itself can adopt a ma ajority
rule and do away with the two-thirds
rule for nominations. Mr.. Herring
pointed out that the change can be
made by a majority vote of the con-
vention, and does not require a two
thirds vote. The rules of each con-
vention are adopted by that conven-
tions, and are adopted by a majority
vote. he said. If the committee on
rules reports a majority rule, or IL it
reports a two-thirds rule and an
amendment is offered from the floor
proposing as an amendment to the
committee report a majority rule. it
can be- adopted by a majority of the
delegates.
Mr.. Herring said he believed, and it
is a reasonable belief, that If the
members Of the Democratic national
committee are overwhelmingly in
favor Of the change in the rules, as
his poll would indicate up to date, the
delegations to the next convention
will also be found favorable to It.. In
that event the two-thirds rule, which
helped to keep the last convention in
session for many days and caused
hatred and suspicion will be thrown
into the discard. :.