Evening star., 1932-06-30
MACK OPENS NOMINATIONS BY URGING SELECTION OF ROC
ROOSEVELT FIRST
TO Be NOMINATED
New Yorker Is Offered to
Democratic Convention
by John {. Mack.
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reiterated that he was confident of Mr..
Rooseyelt's nomination on the first bal
lot, and that the nomination Of the
President would be made tonight
He denied that there had been any
overtures on the vice presidential cam
dtdacy and insisted that the only pur-
pose Of the Roosevelt leaders at the
minute was to secure the New York
Governors nomination for President.
Farley predicted that on the first
ballot 10 votes in Ohio and % in In
diana would go TO Roosevelt. The re-
port that Virginia was getting ready to
jump to Roosevelt was called to his at
tention, and Mr.. Farley said he had
heard Virginia was "wavering."
Despite claims Of the field" to the
contrary. Roosevelt still continues to
look to be the best bet for the nomi-
or second ballot as his supporters say,
he may have been nominated by the
time the delegates call it a day.
Sensing the great flood of wet senti-
ment in the convention, the Roosevelt
high command determined not to at
tempt to stem 1t. Roosevelt delegates
joined by the hundred In the huge
vote cast for repeal of the eighteenth
amendment and modification of the
Volstead act so as to permit beer at
last nights session Of the convention.
The vote In favor of the plank placing
the party on record as favoring repeal
was adopted by a vote Of 93434 to
2l3%.
It had been obvious for long time
that the Democratic presidential NOM
inee would be wet. But that the ma
tional convention would go to the
lengths against prohibition it has and
that it would make repeal of prohibition
a party issue was not expected few
months ago. a few weeks ago, or even a
few days ago.
Only Three SolidIy "NO."
The vets seized their opportunity
When the vote was taken last night
after hours of wet speeches and minutes
of moderate" speeches, it developed
that the desire for repeal had made itself
felt in every section and well nigh every
State of the Union. Only three States
voted solidly against the ma ajority report
pledging the party to work for repeal
and to modify the Volstead act imme-
diately. They were Georgia, Mississippi
and Oklahoma, all of them bound BY
the unit rule or there would have beer
some wet votes cast also by those dele
cations.
On the other hand, there were 20
States which gave not vote to the
minority plank proposing merely tc
pledge the party submission of a repeal
amendment In the case of Texas
however, whose vote was cast solidly
for the majority plank, the delegation
really divided "a to % with the unit
rule working, the whole 46 votes of the
Lone Star State were cast on the side
of the extreme vets.
The Democrats are going to the bal
in the coming campaign as the cham
pions of repeal of the prohibition
amendment; the Republicans as cham
pions of revision of that amendment.
As a matter Of fact, the Republicans
cracked the prohibition ice in their ma
tional convention, adopting the revision
plank In their platform. The Demo
Gratis stepped out and fell through the
ice and were entirely submerged. Sc
far they seem to like it. They are
Growing over the fact that their plank
leaves no doubt as to where they stand
on this issue.
Hard Times and Liquor.
The action Of the Democrats last
night makes 1t certain that prohibition
will be the dominant issue in the COM
ing campaign, next to hard times. i
is the issue about which more VIII bt
said, probably. than even hard times
Prohibition has at last been made
party platform issue by major pontl'
cal party.
During the debate in the convention
| last night three Of the presidential can
didates were put through their pace
Alfred E. Smith of New York, Gov
Ritchie of Maryland and Gov. Murray
of Oklahoma.
AL Smith was wildly acclaimed by TIT
gallery and by the leather-lunged dele
gates from Massachusetts, New Jerse.
| and one or two other States. In TN
parade of State banners around the hal
| only half a dozen States joined, now
ever. the rest sat fast. 1t was not ar
encouraging demonstration, from thu
point of view of delegate strength Il
| the convention. However, the Smitl
demonstration was so far greater in vol
ume and in spontaniety that those &C
corded the two other candidates thai
there was little comparison. Notwith
standing all the talk OF Ritchie supper
in the convention, Maryland was prac
| tically alone in the demonstration
among II1t uCtCBdbCos no 4SA 4sA3A oJt a.
| is a negligible factor anyway in tn
convention, except for the % votes N
controls.
Lsoks Over BulkIey.
The convention also had look at {
dark horse" candidate, mentioned as
possibility both for the presidency ant
| for the vice presidency, Senator Buckley
of Ohio. Senator Burkley did not create
a wide sensation. although he acquitted
himself admirably.
At least one dramatic moment oc
Cured at last nights session wheI
Jouett Shouse took the floor and spokl
for the adoption of the majority We
plank. Mr.. Shouse had been defeated
in his race for the permanent chair
manship of the convention the day
before by Senator Walsh of Montana
who was backed by the Roosevelt
forces It has been the desire Of Mr
Shouse for months that the Demo
cratic party take the side of repeal o
prohibition. Last night he had tn
satisfaction of seeing his desire full
filled. If, as has b cen claimed il
some quarters. the principal desire o
Chairman John ]. Raskob of the Ma
tional Committee. and Alfred E. Smitl
has been to make the Democrats
party wet, they, too, must be consid
cred victorious in the Overwhelming
action taken by the convention on thi
question.
repeal and a more liberal construction