Evening star., 1936-06-24
TOWNSEND HOLDS KEY.
Course to Determine Extent of Union
Party Success.
nv IQHN e HENRY

Playing his hand with extreme
caution, Dr. Francis E. Townsend OF
old-age pension fame is holding the
key to whatever success is in store for
the new Union party.
The doctor, in explanation, domi-
mates one of the two most important
organized political groups in the
country, neither Of them having any
ties with the established major or
minor political parties The second,
the National Union for Social Justice,
under leadership of Father Coughlin,
already has committed itself to the
candidacy of Representative Lemke.
North Dakota non-partisan. who Is
presidential choice of the new party.
DR.. Townsend, however, has re-
Trained from any precipitate action.
Yesterday, after an hours con-
ference with the candidate, the PEN
sion messiah stated fatty he would
make no commitment for his fol-
lowers. Instead. he explained in a
manner best calculated to meet ap-
proval Of his adherents, he will place
the issue before them at the July
IS convention of TownSendites in
Cleveland.
Lemke Leaves Capital.
Lemke left Washington this morn
ing with his two sons, planning to get
back to Fargo, N. Oak, early next
week. On his way he will stop in
Cleveland. Detroit and Chicago, start
ing the machinery in the latter place
for establishment of a national head
quarters of the Union party. In De-
troit, he may visit Father Coughlin,
but the Congressman's Office here
claimed no knowledge as to whether
an appointment had been arranged.
Before the presidential candidate
left the Capital, he conferred briefly
with William H. McKeighan, five times
Mayor Of Flint, Mich, and Republi-
can candidate for Governor Of that
State. McKeighan. who has supported
the Townsend organization in Michi-
gan. is expected to follow the doctor
in whatever course Is decided with
regard to the Lemke candidacy. He
was to see Townsend in Baltimore this
afternoon and return to Michigan to-
morrow.
Lemke is not planning to return to
Washington this Summer, his Office
said. but he will be back through the
East in July and intends to be in
Cleveland for the Townsend sessions.
Lemke Direct Appeal.
At that time, Lemke himself will
be given an opportunity to make an
appeal directly to the Townsend dele
gates. In the meantime, however,
the doctor will have ample opportunity
to survey the chances OF third party
success and pull some strings to
influence the convention along what
ever lines he thinks best.
In any event. he was emphatic
yesterday in making it known that
no merger of the Townsend organiza-
ton with any other group is contem-
plated and that even if his support
finally is extended to Lemke it will
be only in the form Of cooperation
toward a single objective.
Adding some weight also to the doc
tors strategic position in the Union
party's future is the part being played
by Gerald K. Smith. one-time share
the-wealth apostle of the late Senator
Huey Long.
Yesterday, for instance. Smith sat
In on the conference and announced
a similar suspension of bestowing his
blessing upon the new party's candi-
date and platform. Announcing mod
estly that 100000 persons have in
trusted themselves to my political
judgment" Smith said he would make
no decision on how he would advise
his people" until after the Townsend
ties had made their choice.