Imperial Valley press., 1928-06-11
LEADERS
PREPARE:
TO FIGHT
Internal Trouble Menaces
Republican Party as
Convention Time Nears
HOOVER FAVORITE
Secretary to Meet Strong
Opposition From Middle
Western States.
Ey RAYMOND CIAPPER
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent

(Onlted PreSS SJaII COiieSPoiioSAi'j
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, June IL
The last Of the Republican national
delegates and party leaders were
arriving today TO find thu partys
facing its most mcnacing internal
fight s.mcc the Taft Roosevelt split
in 1872.
Secretary Herbert Hoover still
held the dominant position and his
lpost active opponents conceded he
j. SO close to the nomination that
:. handful of delegates could put him
over.
But these opponents asked
whether majority of the conven-
tIon-if il is able to do so-is ready
20 Jam a nomination down the pro
testing throats of a large section of
the party.
Secretary Andrew W. Mellon of
Pennsylvania, with 10 votes, was
due late today He has said he be
iievcs Hoover comes nearest to the
presidential standard. But he has
rot promised definitely to vote for
Hoover. Fourteen farm states are
organizing Il committee to plead
with Mellon to throw his Influence
against Hoover and save the party
from what they predict will be Ger
tain defeat i'll November.
Dominating the entire scene is
President Coolidge to whom many
look as the only man who can take
the nomination and save the party
from a disastrrous convention fight.
However worried leaders were,
over the fate of the Republican
party convention, Kansas City in
festive dress welcomed the visiting
thousands with unboundcd hospi-
taiity.
City Decorated
The streets were gaily decorated,
hands marched back and forth, ar
rangcmcnts were made for big old
fashioned torchlight parade tonight,
the city's famous ''Pillar of fire -
war memorial was functioning per
feg1ly again. In fact everything
was in readiness FOR a memorable
Republican convention.
The real issue of the convention
still remains the industrial east
against the rural west. This issue
was svmbolizcd curiously today in
the fact that simultaneously there
convergcd upon the convention city
the farmers "caravau from the
agricultural northwest coming to
voice their protest against the alleg-
cd inequalities between agriculture
and industry, while from the east
came Andrew ". Mellon, called the
taird richest man in the nation,
political master OF Pennsylvania
and at the moment holding the bal
ancc of power over the Republican
convention. There in flesh and
blood is pcrsonified the fundamental
economic clash wracking the Re
publican party this year.
There is added trouble in the ar
rival of Senator Borah of Idaho,
who brought to Kansas City convcn-
tion planks and demands that the
party should declare itself against
The use of money to buy political
favors and political office, against
the notification of the prohibition
amendment and similar matters
which seem certain to make the
dreams of convention harmony more
remote.
Expect Early Nomination
But until the Hoover fight is
settled all else must be secondary.
James W. Good, Hoover manager
said "thc band wagon has arrived
and the nomination of Mr.. Hoover
may be expected on very, very
carly ballot.
lie said there is widespread scnti-
mcnt for Hoover in the corn belt
states and the wheat states. And he
declared the Hoover forces will
not vote for Coolidge.
"Thc Hoover delegates will not
cast their votes for President
Cool lidgc if his name is brought into
the convention because the presi-
dent has definitely outlined his
position and the Hoover people
have no intention of embarrassing
him. he added.
On the other side, Senator Curtis
of Kansas warned that the party
must not nominate "mny one for
whom the party will be on the de-
fcnsive side from the day >he is
named until the polls close election
day
Thus the maneuvcring goes on
and will go on until Secretary Mel
lon, after conferring with the Pen
nsylvania delegation here tonight
issues the word that may tip the
balance to one side or the other,