The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-02
Landon Is Growing
as Drive Develops
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER

r~OPEKA Kas May 1.-THE big league political
i education of Gov. Landon began about iast &c
tober That was about the time ne nrsC began w
receive serious consideration as poSsloe Fepuoita
presidential nominee For six seven months, WIFI
ont anv great amount of speaking on his part MS
strength has steadily increased until he is the lore
most contender. What has happened TO Lanoon hiil
self during this period? -,
talked with him last october and again this
week The difference between Landon then and now
is Immediately apparent. There mas peen opVlous
growth and development. The difference Is q gooo
deal like that which comes over coliege lresnnai
nv the time he reaches his senior year Stage 1rlgnt
has been replaced by confidence. knowledge mas
been absorbed rapidly. His horizon mas eApanoeu'
The country boy is not thinking back on MS small
town high school days but is looking OUT toward Vne
world into which he expects shortly to be thrown,
end he is sobery trying to get his bearings Ihat Is
the kind Of growth that has taken place IN Lanoon
He has absorbed from visitors. Any morning In his
office you will see a cross-section of America, an
Eastern banker party of California tourists some
body life former Senator Frelinghuysen OF New Jer-
sew a visiting editor, politician he knew In the
1912 Bull Moose campaign, Kansas farmer ana ms
wife Some of these visitors have something to give
him. others are looking for something from him. ne
takes them they come.
Landon breaks the grind by getting out OF Topeka
a good deal. one day he is across the line attend
ing an Oklahoma pioneer day celebration, lew rev
DAYS later he is in Kansas City making short talk
to the graduates of Baldwin University Or he goes
to Troy, Kas. to crown an apple queen.
0NE of Landon's days this week went something
Olike this During morning Office hours he saw an
Eastern business man; held a conference with his
legislative leaders over the constitutional amendment
which will be required to enact social security egs-
lation the original Kansas plan having been rejected
at washington because it proposed to work with
county rather than state, funds; saw three Topeka
newspaper correspondents; shook hands and chatted
briefly with perhaps 20 casual VISITORS climbed into
his roadster with friend and at II m. set out for
Clay Center Kas to attend the funeral of college
clasSmate.
He stopped at Manhattan, Kas., for lunch, saw
several political friends in the hotel and gathered
them around his table Telephoned one or two 9TH
ers, who promptly dropped in and talked state af-
fairs Arriving at Clay Center. he stopped at one
newspaper Office visited with the editor, telephoned
the other, who came by and accompanied him to the
funeral called the widow, and drove back to To-
peka. arriving at the end Of a 250-nile trip by
p. m.
He had friend in at dinner issued statement
commenting on the Massachusetts, primary. and after
an hour so the porch discussing social insur-
ance reciprocal tariffs money eemployment walked
downtown with his dinner visitors and on to his
Office for an evenings work. Occasionally he hides
out TO dig and chew over policies. He has studied
Richbergs book NFsA, Epstens work on social in
surance, Hallgreens Gay Reformer," to illustrate
the variety of his reading. OF course he follows
newspaper and radio discussion closely. At the
ment he is giving much thought to the kind of plat
form he hopes bis friends VIII advance 6 Cleveland.