Evening star., 1932-06-27
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

LnlrQS rule Tor preSlQenLlaA noiIlliatiOilS
in Democratic National Conventions, 1t
was not intended to explode the oomo
so early. But at a Roosevelt gather
ing here last Thursday night, attended
by Roosevelt leaders from every State
and the other political divisions, the
demand for majority rule cropped out
in the debate and would not down.
Even James NJ. Farley, the Roosevelt
generalissimo, who sought to shelve the
issue for the time being, was unable TO
do so. He tried to have the question
sent to a committee for consideration
The meeting decided otherwise, and the
gauntlet was thrown down to the
Smith and favorite- coalition. Gov.
Roosevelt himself, 1t may be set down
correctly, knew nothing OF the uprls-
ing among his followers against the
two-thirds rule until the following DAY.
Opposition to the abolition of the
two-thirds rule was supposed to be CEN
tered particularly in the South. The
Southern States, it was constantly
averred. wished to be able to place a
veto against the name of any candidate
for the Democratic presidential NOM
ination who might be inimical to their
section of the country. But what hap
pened at the meeting of Roosevelt lead
ers here? The demand for immediate
action against the two-thirds rule was
sponsored by Southerners, aided and
abetted by Western Democratic leaders.
Senator Hull Of Tennessee was strong
for the adoption Of majority rule. SEN
ator Huey Long Of Louisiana was i'm
FASHIONED in his plea for immediate ac-
ton, and so on down the line.
**
As a matter Of fact, the tWo-thirds
rule in the last dozen years has oper-
ated strongly against the Southern
Democrats and those of the West. What
happened in 1920? James M. Cox of
Ohio, candidate Of the anti-Bryan and
anti-McAdoo Democrats was NOM
mated a wet with the political training
Of the big cities. In 1924, the North and
East again ran over the South and
West, defeating McAdoo. Had there
been a majority rule he might have
won when he came close to the majority
figure. Four years later, in 1928, the
South stood helpless to veto the NOM
ination Of Alfred E. Smith, although
the Democrats of that section devoutly
hoped his defeat might be accomplished.
Smith was nominated. and the result
was the Democrats lost four of the
States they had been carrying for gen.
erations, Texas, Virginia, Florida and
North Carolina, and all of the border
States" So the Southern Democrats
have been asking themselves this year
just Why they should stick to the old
two-thirds rule, which has apparently
given the Democracy Of the great cities
Of the East the whip hand in Demo-
cratic National Conventions.
This is not true of all the Southern
Democrats. But most of those who are
protesting against the adoption of a
majority rule in the Democratic Nation
al Convention are hackers of one of the
favorite-son candidates, like Senator
Glass of Virginia and Senator Connally
Of Texas. These Southerners predict
dire consequences if the two-thirds rule
be abrogated, but apparently they are
not supported by the great majority of
the delegates from the Southern States.
**
Although Gov Roosevelt was not per-
sonally involved in the launching Of the
two thirds rule fight last Thursday, once
he was informed of the resolution
adopted by his followers the Governor
declared himself "in." When some of
the more timid of the Roosevelt group
sought to back-track on the issue It
was the Governor who gave encourage
ment to those who wished to go ahead
and fight the issue out. The plans of
the Roosevelt leaders look to the adop-
ton OF the majority rule, and then the
nomination Of Gov. Roosevelt by such
an overwhelming vote as to carry the
New Yorker across winner by three
fourthS or even O nine-tenths vote or
the first ballot. Such a vote. they say.
will be sufficient answer to those who
may charge he was not nominated
under the two-thirds rule.
~
The only time when the abolition of
the two-thirds rule of the Democrats
for nominating a presidential candidate
is feasible or possible Is when a major
ity of the delegates going into the con-
vention favor one candidate. 1t is
obvious that If the delegates are so di-
vided in their allegiance that none Of
the candidates can command a ma
jority, favorable action on a majority
rule is not likely. The Roosevelt Demo-
Gratis. believing they control a majority
of the delegates, have taken the bull by
the horns. They believe they are do
ing the party real service by tying a
can to the two-thirds rule, which has
caused so much trouble in Democratic
conventions during a century.
Roosevelt supporters were incensed
by the statement issued on his arrival
here by Frank Hague, mayor of Jersey
City and Smith floor manager, that
Roosevelt cannot win if nominated. :"
They point out that Hague did not say
that any of the other opponents of
Smith cannot win" not even Alfalfa
Bill" Murray of Oklahoma. So they
dug up sone Of the sayings of Demo-
Gratis Of other times, assailing Tilden
and Cleveland, when they were candi-
dates for the presidency as a proof
that the Tammany crowd have been
wrong in their estimates of popular
strength of presidential candidates. in
Guiding Roosevelt. For example, in
1876, when T1lden was a candidate for
the presidential nomination at the
Democratic National Convention in st.
Louis, John Kelly said: 'Tilden cannot
by any possibility carry the State Of
New York" Tilden carried New York
in that year. In 1884, at the Demo-
cratic National Convention in Chicago,
Thomas F. Grady said: "I know Mr..
Cleveland cannot carry the State Of
New York" In that year Cleveland
carried carried New York State and
was elected President. Again a similar
prophecy was made in 1892 at the
Democratic National Convention in
Chicago. by Richard Croker, who said
"Mr Clevelands nomination would ex-
pose the Democratic party to the loss
Of the electoral vote Of New York
State" Yet in spite OF the prediction
made by the Tammany boss, Cleveland
IN that year carried New York State
and was again elected President. The
RooseveltianS insist that the Tammany
leaders, with whom Mr. Hague is sup
posed to be allied, are not worth their
salt when it comes to political predic-
tions outside Manhattan, the Bronx
and Brooklyn.
+
William Gibbs McAdoo. Secretary of
the Treasury In the Wilson administra-
ton and director general of the 1aiI