Evening star., 1936-06-10
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC VTLLI4N VILE.

Perspective, rather than close range,
generally affords a more graphic and
logical view of things, including national
conventions. Events at Cleveland are
no exception to the rule. AS Washing
ton politicians, even Democrats, sur
vey from afar embattled proceedings
there they're convinced that when the
clamor has died down the situation will
not be nearly so embittered as it mo-
mentarily seemed. The G. o. P. has
. fairly consistent record for post-con-
vention harmony. Barring the giant
split of 1912, it's cohorts have revealed
habitual ability to bury family differ
ences >and get together for campaign
purposes Neither the enmities en-
gendered by the Lowden Wood johnson
hostilitieS at Chicago in 1920 nor Old
Guard warfare on Hoover at Kansas
City in 1923 impaired Republican
chances in those respective years.
Party leaders are confident that history
will repeat itself if Landon is nominated
in the teeth of a stop" combination.
That is not to say that the KanSan
will win as Harding and Hoover won,
but merely that convention animosities
are no more likely in his case than in
theirs to handicap whatever prospects
he has for victory. In other words. it's
not to be expected that the elephant,
Cleveland to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. will carry any serious rancorS into
the campaign.
If a Landon-Steiwer ticket is nomi-
mated. as the results of the Oregonian
keynoters capture of the conventions
fancy it will denote the ascendancy of
World War veterans in national politics.
Both the Governor and the Senator are
ex-service men. Landon was on duty
with the chemical warfare branch of
the Army and Steiwer was an artillery
man. Many observers are convinced that
World War soldiers have now come into
their political own and will henceforth
play some such preponderant role in
Republican party affairs as did the
G. A. r. for roundly 40 years. A Landon-
typify the arrival of the younger gen.
Grafton of Republicans in the seats of
the mighty.
Although it is altogether unlikely that
the coalition idea will prevail at Cleve-
land to the extent of giving an, anti
New Deal Democrat the vice presidential
nomination, Republican leaders pin al
most their principal hope of victory
this year on a landslide detection of
anti-RooSevelt Democrats. Between them
and the Republicans who voted against
Hoover in 1882, but who will return to
the party fold in 1886, G. o. P. leaders
profess sunny confidence that the tide
will turn in their direction in November.
A Borah bolt of Landon ticket, for
example, would be overwhelmingly dis
counted, Republicans say, by the pro-
spective Democratic walk" from the
Roosevelt Garner ticket Optimistic
prognosticators think New Deal in
surgents may total as many as 1900, 900.
John Hays Hammond in Taft days
and after was frequently mentioned as
Republican vice presidential timber. The
late mining engineer was also considered
for cabinet portfolios, notably Interior
and Commerce Various ambassadorial
appointments. too, were offered the
famous Californian, particularly the
mission to Japan. Hammond's friends
were always persuaded that he pre-
ferred the freedom and restfulness Of