Evening star., 1936-07-15
Convention Leader Reveals
Plan to LegaIize Old
Age Pensions.
TOWNSEND PROPOSAL
WILL BE MADE LATER
Fight for Control Grips Delegates,
With State Managers Asking
Dominant Position.
By the Associated Press.


Smith, temporary chairman of the
National Convention of Townsend
Clubs, addressing the opening session
today, said adoption of a constitu-
tional amendment to legalize the
Townsend old-age pension plan is "the
essential part of our campaign this
Summer"
He described the proposed amend
ment as one drafted and proposed by
DR.. Townsend, which he will later
submit to you and the Nation"
A prolonged demonstration inter-
fupted Smith as he told of plan to
submit to all State Legislatures the
proposed amendment embodying the
Townsend program.
The Democratic Representative from
Washington said vital and essential
part of our campaign to re-elect the
present members of Congress, who
have already proved their loyalty and
devotion to the Townsend plan, and
to elect new members who have pledged
themselves to our cause, will be the
adoption of the twenty-second amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States as drafted and proposed by
DR.. Townsend"
Candidates to Be Quizzed.
Smith added that every candidate
for State Legislatures would be re-
quired by the Townsend organization
to indicate how he would vote, if
elected, on the adoption of memor-
1al asking Congress to enact the
Townsend plan into law and the SUBJ
mission of a constitutional amend
ment.
This action" Smith explained,
'will provide the legal machinery for
a non-partisan referendum on the
Townsend plan by the citizens of
America and will make the Townsend
plan the outstanding issue in every
legislative and congressional district
election in America this year"
Meanwhile, convention-floor battle
was in prospect ever an announced
drastic revision of the Townsend pen
sion organization set-up, which con-
siderably curbed the authority of the
movements founder, DR.. Townsend.
AS some $4,000 delegates opened
their second national conclave, State
managers said they believed con-
troll of the board of directors
should be given them instead of to
"Citizens Maximi," a national advisory
board composed of one member from
each State, named at Townsend State
conventions.
DR.. Townsend nodded assent from
time to time and corrected at other
times as Rev. Gerald L. K. Smith,
self-styled leader of the share-the-
wealth forces of the late Senator Huey
p. Long, read the plan to newsmen.
New Board Would Include Is.
The original board was appointed
by the movements founder and en-
Iarged by vote of the board. A total
of IS persons would comprise the new
board, which at present has a men,
bership of IL. The corporate name
of the organization, the Old-Age Re-
volving Pensions, Ltd, would give way
TO the Townsend Recovery Plan, Inc.
The elderly pension chief said "for
the time being" he would retain his
controlling financial interest in the
Prosperity Publishing Co., which pub
1ished the Townsend weekly
Rev. j. Vint Laughlin of Philadel-
phia, manager for Maryland, Della
ware and Eastern Pennsylvania, said
an attempt would be made to sway
DR.. Townsend from his announced
decision.
Meanwhile, movement opposing
any merger of the Townsend forces
with third party was set on foot
by 40 members of the Florida dele
cation, led by B. J. Cohen of Or
1ando, who announced the vote as
unanimous. The Minnesota delega-
ton followed suit Cohen predicted
that scores of delegations would join
them today.
Third Party Opposed.
DR.. Townsend spoke against a
Townsend third party this year, de-
claring ut is out of the question as
far as I'm concerned. But, eventually,
q third party is the only solution in
this country. After the November
elections, we Townsendites can begin
definitely thinking of one"
The Townsend goal of 5000 monthly
pensions for the aged and resultant
prosperity for everybody was upper
most in the minds of most delegates,
both voting" and visiting"
Sweltering delegates, many of the
~, Hiv& c1n t.,
constant stream down the hotel corri-
dor to the room where DR.. Townsend
held court behind a pitcher of ice
water. Doormen tried to protect him
from so many callers, but the Town
sendiates were insistent. They wanted
to "see the DOCTOR" and most Of them
did.
Politics Wed with pensions for dele
gates interest, since one of the prin-
cipal questions expected to be an
swered by the convention was how the
Townsend family would vote in the
coming elections.
Candidates on the approved" list
were to be announced sometime before
the convention closes Sunday.
Townsend Given Ovation.
The appearance of DR.. Townsend
at the opening session was greeted
with an ear-splitting demonstration.
Enthusiasts stood on tables, leading
the crowd in cheers and shouts.
Bands played, bells were rung and
noise-makers Of every description were
brought into play.
The floor Of the auditorium was
crowded and there were hundreds
more in the galleries, although spreads
(See TOWNSEND, Page 81