Evening star., 1932-05-22

Following is the sixth of a series
of articles describing highlights OF
national political conventions and
campaigns of the past.
Those political prophets who predict
Democratic victory this year base then
forecasts largely. of course, on ex-
pected reaction at the polls to the
business slump during the Hoover ad-
| miniStration.
It has become almost automatic that
major depression presages the loss
of the Presidency by the party III
power during the hard times Yet Will
liam Howard Taft was elected over
William Jennings Bryan in 1908 follow
ing the panic of 1907 during the
Roosevelt regime.
Taft was RoOsevelt's candidate ano
he won handily at the convention. al
which the name OF Chief Justice
Charles Evans Hughes first was brought
into a conventions spotlight.
Princess Alice in Spotlight.
Attracting more attention at the
convention than even Henry CABOT
Lodge, the Roosevelt spokesman, was
Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Delegates
and their wives jostled each other IN
the rush to greet the White House
princess" who wore dress of black
and dull blue in modified directolre
STYLE and hat of black lace with a
black aigrette.
There also, ready to lead stam-
pede for Roosevelt, was the hon oi
idaho" Senator William E. Borah.
Bryan Nominated.
The Democrats nominated Bryan
the mention of whose name at the con-
vention by the blind Senator Gore OF
Oklahoma started a frenzied tribute
! which lasted one hour and 27 minutes
breaking all records for convention
OyationS.
Bryan campaigned hard, and even
Taft made Alb speeches Taft was
very tired and unusually cross for
him" by the time he was esScted.
But Taft cid not please Roosevelt
anG four years later he boltSd the Re
publican convention and formed the
Bull Moose party.
Along came Doctor" Woodrow VIII
son, 50 dubbed by the vigorous Roose-
velt to mark him in the mind OF the
public as a political theorist of re-
mote professional class Wilson an
nounced he would discuss only the
issues.
Col House advised'him to let "Roose-
velt beat himself by talking too much. u
Col House today is backing another
Roosevelt-Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt
of New York.
Roosevelt Shot,
The climax of the 1912 campaign
came when Teddy" Roosevelt was shot
by a fanatic while on his way to make
a speech at a Milwaukee ball. He
went on to give the address. however
Wilson'S campaign did not bring
him the victory he won. Rather II
was the Republican split Wilson, in
fact, received fewer votes than had
Bryan four years before. But he was
given more than enough to seat him
securely in the White House. there to
direct the Nation through eight mo-
mentous years of its history.
War ragged in Europe but the United
States kept the peace. In 1916 the
Democrats shouted: He kept us out
of war" Wilson again was elected, the
first Democratic President to succeed
himself since Andrew Jackson.
Election i'm Doubt.
Today in Supreme Court isolation
far removed from campaign strife and
clatter sits Chief Justice Hughes, no
doubt recalling that 1916 campaign. On
election day it seemed certain Hughes,
the Republican candidate, had won
Reporters who went to. see him were
told, "the President has retired for the
night"
But the West was not in. On the
third day it became known definitely
that Wilson had been reelected.
Keynoter at the Chicago convention
which nominated Hughes was hand
some Warren Harding of Ohio. His