Evening star., 1932-03-22
The Two Thirds Rule.

Homer 8. Cummings, former chair
man of the Democratic National Com
mittee and now a supporter OF th'
nomination Of Gov. Franklin D. Roose'
welt of New York for the presidentia
nomination this year, pleads for
prompt" nomination by the Demo
cratic National Convention. His fear
like that of other Democrats, Is that
long -drawn-out convention battle will
work disaster for the Democratic cause
in the election that comes in Novem'
Der. Mr.. Cummings has in mind tht
Madison Square Garden convention ir
1924, when he and other supporters oi
William Gibbs MeAdoo were fought to
q standstill by q group Of other candi-
dates.
The two-thirds rule Of Democratic
National Conventions, just hundred
years old, Mr.. Cummings believes
should be replaced with majority rule
The old rule of the Democrats for the
nomination Of presidential candidates
in Mr.. Cummings opinion, has beer
fastened on the party just a century
too long 1t permits one-third OF the
convention membership plus one dele
gate to veto the will of two-thirds oil
the delegates minus one delegate, not
to speak of vetoing the will of ma
jority. This, in a Democratic party, Is
too much, according to Mr.. Cummings
From the point of view of common
sense, he appears to be entirely right
But it is improbable that Mr.. Cummings
will succeed in his effort to have the
two-thirds rule laid aside. The candi-
dates for the Democratic presidentia
nomination, more than a dozen ir
number, will fight like bear cats to pre-
vent the abolition of this rule, which
Is always regarded as the aid OF the
candidate less fortunate than some oi
his fellows in the number Of delegates
pledged to him at the opening OF q
national convention.
It Is true that a national convention
working under the majority rule In the
selection of presidential candidates
may be deadlocked This happened in
Chicago in 1920, when the Republicans
battled for couple of days, with Wood
Lowden and johnson as the main con-
tenders, none Of whom could obtain the
required majority for nomination under
the rules of the G. o. p. convention
But there is obviously far less chance
Of tie-up of long duration when only
a majority vote is required to nominate
In the end the late President Harding
was nominated In 1920 by the Republi-
cans: the decision was reached IN q
smoke filled back room" in q hotel,
according to the story often told, q
decision In which the rank and file Of
the delegates had little part.
Four years ago the Democrats nomi-
mated Alfred E. Smith on the first bal
lot In their national convention. The
Republicans chose Herbert Hoover also
on the first ballot in their convention
But had the Republicans been operat-
ing In 1928 under the Democratic two
thirds rule, the Hoover opposition
might have been much more active. To
student Of politics, it will probably
appear strange that the Democratic
party should be the one to cling to a
two thirds rule the party which claims
to be close to the people and to believe
in majority rule. The two-thirds rule
gives better promise of battle in con-
vention, however, and the Democrats
have become famous for their battling
proclivities, particularly within their
own party. Unless all signs fail, they
plan to battle at their national conven-
ton this year.