The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-05-26
NEA Service Writer

washington - A few thousand Americans who can't vote because they do not live in any of the AS states will, nevertheless, have dis tinct voice in the forthcoming na- tlonal democratic convention. They live in Alaska. the District of Columbia, Hawaii, tn Philip pines, Puerto Rico and the Canal Zone, which will send six delegates each, and in the Virgin Islands, (which will send two.
 This makes 38 delegate votes at the democratic convention. which is as many as the big state of Michigan and more than any other single state except New York, Pennsylvania. Illinois, Ohio. Texas and California. Those dele gates might, in a tight contest. easily decide presidential nomi- nation.
 The republicans, stingier with such territories and possessions, of the territories. completely ig- Virgin Islands. All Arc Americans
 All such delegates arc Ameri- can citizens. You never find Ia real Filipino delegate from those islands or an actual Puerto Rican from Puerto Rico. Those possessions have their own insular politics and legislatures, but dele gates from the Philippines are chosen by democrats among the 5000 Americans there, not by 13,- 100000 Filipinos.
 Sometimes delegates to Demo- cratic conventions come right of foreign soil. That's because the local Canal Zone convention ac. cepts American citizens living in the Republic of Panama. If they qualify as Democrats and citizens they become accredited delegates to the Canal Zone Democratic convention and may. run for posts as national convention delegates. Territories on this continent used to, have national convention delegates before they became states and the quaint custom of apportioning both delegates and national committee posts to our foreign colonies" seems to have arisen from the fact that our own politicians who were sent in- to them to take jobs naturally wished to keep their fingers Tn the political business ut home.
 I don't know why Guan and Samoa aren't allowed any dele. gates. but probably because they haven't enough ex-politicians from the mainland.
 Have Hot Conventions
 Those seven non-voting spots under the American flag every four years have their primaries and conventions many Of which are as hotly fought as anything seen, in domestic party politics.
 Many of our boys and girls who live in them burn with an in- satiable desire 10 come to the big conventions and participate. even though their influence IS hardly ever greater than that of their own votes.
 ing democratic delegations came to Houston, each demanding the ton. The matter had to be fought out on the floor and the delegation which favored Al smith for the nomination was seated. Such contests naturally stir up general interest, because contesting forces are always anx- ious to pick up even mere six votes rather than let them go to the opposition.
 Tho Committee Angle
 The islands and territories are even more important, propor- tionately, on the national com. mittees. For they have national committeeman and committee. women and in contest, such as one to decide on the convention cities. 14 votes, as good as the committee votes. as good as the committee votes of any seven states, are not to be sneezed at.
 More often than not the outly- ing committeeman and committed women are represented at na- tional committee meetings by proxies, however, and the proxies are likely to be given to the party's national chairman who then has an influential bloc of votes right in his hand.
 Roosevelt Started Early
 Most of the non-state demc- cratic delegates this year are instructed for Governor Roose- welt or uninstructed and supposed to favor him. If he should get the whole 5s that fact. from . IN ONI--OUT OTHER ' Love-Sick Youth: Believe mo, my love for you Is vaster and deeper than the ocean. "A