Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-23
The Political Mill
BY C.. Could Lincoln.

Philadelphia, with her claim for the
Republican National Convention next
year, recently presented to Chairman
Fess of the Republican National Com
mittee, has started the drive for the
honor of holding that convention rather
early in the game. The National Com
mittee does not meet until next De-
csmber to pick the convention city. But
there seems to be unusual interest in
national conventions Of next year, and
a half dozen or more cities are already
undertaking to bring influence to bear
to obtain the convention. 1t would ap-
pear that Cleveland, Ohio. If it really
wants the convention, has an excellent
chance. In the first place, Ohio may
be one of the so-called pivotal States
in the battle next year between the Re-
publicanS and the Democrats. Last year
it went Democratic, electing Cover
nor, George White, and Senator,
Robert j. Buckley. Something was
radically wrong in the Buckeye State,
from a Republican point Of view. In
the second place, Ohio at present has
the Craftsmanship of the National Com
nittee, and the treasurer of the com :
mittee, Joseph r. Mutt, is Cleveland
banker. Mr.. Mutt, If he wants the
convention for his home city, very likely
Cleveland in 1924 to nominate former
President Calvin Coolidge.
4 X y X
The Middle West looks to be the
logical place for both the Republican
and Democratic National Conventions
next year. Times are not OF the best,
and railroad travelling is high. Under
the circumstances, the national COM
mittees are likely to give consideration
to the desires of the rank and file OF
the delegates who must journey from
far quarters of the country to conven-
lions. The Atlantic and Pacific coasts
both will put in their bids for the con-
ventions, however, with Philadelphia,
Atlantic City and possibly Boston issu-
ing invitations on the East Coast and
San Francisco and Los Angeles on the
West Coast. Indeed, the California
cities are already angling for the
c.. o. P. convention. In 1920 the Demo-
Gratis went to San Francisco for their
national convention and nominated
there Jimmy" Cox, former Governor
of Ohio, for President and the present
Governor of New York, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, for Vice President. The
Democrats all admitted that San Fran
cisco handled the convention and the
delegates in most admirable style, and a
lot of them would like to go back to
the California city next year.
X X
Where do the Democrats wish to GO
to nominate Gov. Roosevelt fer Presi-
dent? It is beginning to look as though
that might be the real deciding point
when the National Committee selects the
committee will do-at a meeting here
in Washington next December or Janu-
airy. The Democrats deliberately went
South in 1928 to nominate Al Smith
1t was generally conceded by the Win
ter IF 1927-1928 that there would be no
stopping the nomination Of Gov. Smith,
and it was the strategy of the party
leaders to take the convention to Dixie
land, where 1t was realized there would
be strong opposition to the Smith can
didacy during the campaign. So Hous-
ton, Tex, was the place picked for the
nomination of Gov. Smith. 1t did not
do the party any particular good, how
ever, for Texas was one Of the four
their electoral votes for President Hoo
yer in that year.
X X
So far as Roosevelt is concerned, he
seems to be popular with the Democrats
in all sections of the country. The
South likes him despite his opposition
to the eighteenth amendment. The
West halls him as second Roosevelt"
ready to smite the power trust and do
other progressive things. And the
populous East, outside of some Of the
big business concerns which think him
too radical, likes the New York Gov
erncr. Some Middle West city may be
the place determined upon by the
Democrats, under the circumstances.
The Democrats, too might go to Cleve-
land or to Chicago or to Kansas City.
Chicago, frequently the scene of ma
tional conventions of the political par
ties, has not had a convention since
1920, when the Republicans gathered
there and nominated the late President
Harding and his running mate, Calvin
Coolidge The Windy City may be a
strong contender next year for either
or both of the big party conventions.
X x X
OF all the years, 1882, the Bicentennial
of the birth of George Washington, which
is to be nationally celebrated, would seem
to place Washington, D. c., in line for
a national convention to nominate the
next President But the National Capt.
tai, although it has been discussed a
number of times as a possible site for
party conventions, has never been serl-
ously considered. Too many office
holders here, it is charged. Over
Swallowed by the White House, is
another way of putting it. Further
more, the District of Columbia, although
it takes part in the nominations OF the
presidential candidates, has no votes
in the electoral college. This is rank
discrimination against the half million
Americans who live in the National Capt.
tai, but it is a discrimination that the
Congress has not yet been willing to
remove by the submission OF an amend
ment to the Constitution to the States
permitting the District national repre-
sentation."
While nothing much has been heard
lately of the contest for the Republic
can speakership nomination in the
new Congress which meets next De-
cember, the contestants have been busy,
nevertheless. Col. John @. Tilson, the
majority leader of the House, Is now
in the West on an automobile tour and
has been for weeks. Representative
Smell of New York, chairman OF the
Rules Committee, VINO leapeQ lnCo the
race for the nomination soon after the
death Of Speaker Nicholas Longworth.
has been very active, travelling here and
there and establishing contacts with
members of the House. There are several
Western members angling for the honor
also, but while one Of them might be
selected, as a compromise candidate, If
the battle between Tilson and Smell
becomes too severe, the general impress
other States, but not enough, the Tilson
becomes the nominee for Speaker.
The Tilson camp at present seems to
be fairly confident that the nomination
is to go to the Connecticut man. He
has plenty of friends in the House
many of them among the delegations OF
the Western States, too. Mr.. Smell will
have the New York delegation back OF
him, and part of the New Jersey dele
H. xr,f1I he