The Washington times., 1936-06-09
FORCE
SEES FIRST
VOTE WIN
Delegates Mark Time
Waiting SteiWer's
Speech Tonight
Continued from Page u

wants no plank that pledges the
party to a return to what he de-
scribes as the rigid gold stand
ard" of predepresSion days. His
other interest is in q farm plank.
On that he proposes to reserve his
fire until he can see the whites
of Frank o. Lowden's eyes. He
has written the agricultural plank
almost by common consent.
Even Borah was willing to take
look at the Lowden version first
before proposing his own.
It was under such circumstances
and conditions that the twenty
first uuadrennial Republican con-
vention got under way today.
Fletcher On Platform
At II a, m. National Chairman
Henry P. Fletcher, Immediately
attired in q white suit, as be-
comes a man who has spent most
Of his life in the diplomatic serv'
ice in the tropics, appeared on the
platform. A red kerchief peeped
from his breast pocket. The
photographer kept him there for
many minutes, posing with gavel
appraised, smiling, frowning. They
ordered him around like an office
boy.
West Gets Break
The Midwest, which is regarded
as a battle-ground Of the forth
coming campaign, got q good
break in the seating. Immediate
ly in front of the platform, in
the choice locations. cleaned the
standards of Michigan, Indiana,
Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, WiScon-
sin, Illinois and Kentucky. The
largest delegations in the con-
vention, New York's 80 and Penn
sylvania's IS, were seated well
back.
Many familiar figures began to
appear eon the distinguished"
platform. There was Charles D.
Hilles, one-time secretary of Will
liam Howard Taft. There was
tall, white-haired, handsome ex-
Senator Hiram Bingham Of Con-
necticut, whose pockets bulge with
platform plankS which the usual
interests of the East hope to see
incorporated in the platform.
There was John @. Tilson, Of Con-
necticut, former Republican leader
of the House, until the New Deal
came along and sent him into
political oblivion. Governor Harry
Nice Of Maryland, who accom-
plished the political miracle Of
defeating the late Albert c.
Ritchie, was buzZing around the
platform shaking hands.
Governor Nice Active
Governor Nice is not a candi-
date for the nomination but lee
hopes nightly that the lightning
may strike him for second place.
AS ''the man who beat Ritchie."
he is hopeful.
John Hamilton came in with
Harrison Spangler, national COM
mitteeman from Iowa, his col
laborator in promoting the grass
roots" Republican convention at
Springfield, ILL.,, which met just a
year ago and took the Republican
ball away from the Eastern lead
erS.
Rivals Together
Two ex-Senators, who used to
swing quite a stick in G. o. P. af-
fairs, strolled in arm-in-arm, James
E. Watson of Indiana, and George
n. Moses of New Hampshire. Both
were victims Of the Roosevelt land
slide Of '32. Now, Watson is in
structed for Governor Landon,
while Moses is pushing the fast
fading campaign Of Col. Frank
Knox, of Chicago.
Chairman Fletcher announced:
"The convention will be in or.
der"
Floor and galleries rose and sang |
the first verse of America" led
by the band.
They remained standing while |
the Rev. Albert Joseph Mccartney, |
of the Covenant First Presbyterian |
Church, pronounced the invoca-
tion. He spoke of the Critical
times" and national sins" and
prayed for temperate speech"
He asked for help for the great |
army of unemployed, the great |
army of oaming unemployed
youth, and "all those who have |