The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-07
REPUBLICANS TO
FACE DIFFICULT
PLATFORM TASK
Clash Is Expected Between
Conservative East ant
Liberal West.
BY THOMAS l.. STOKES
Times Special Writer

Times Special Writer
WASHINGTON, May 7.-selec-
ton OF candidate is perhaps not
the most difficult task faced by the
Republicans who will begin to
gather at Cleveland a month hence
A job to be approached in shirt
sleeves and perspiration is the
drafting of a platform telling what
the party proposes to do il intrusted
with government by the American
people.
How nasty job this will be be-
came manifest today with revela-
ton Of an undercover scrap between
the dyed-in-the-wool conservatives,
largely conferred in the Eastern G..
o. P. oligarchy, and the more lib
eral element from the West for con-
troll of the resolutions committee
which writes the platform.
Rep. James w. Wadsworth of New
York has come forward as cam
didate for chairman of the resolu-
tons committee. He Is representa-
tive of the Eastern conservative
wing dominated by such figures as
Ogden l.. Mills and National Com
mitteeman Charles D. Hilles, New
York; Daniel E. Pomeroy, New Jer-
se'', and j. Henry Roroback, Con-
nCcticut
His claims will be disputed by the
Western element and, as far as the
candidates themselves go, by Sen
ator William E. Borah of Idaho and
by the lieutenants of Gov. Alfred M.
Landon of Kansas, 1t is indicated.
Some Leaders on Spot
The real fight at Cleveland will
be between what might be called
the slam bang" school-represent-
ing the conservatives who would
denounce virtually everything Pres
ident Roosevelt has done, and the
"go-easy" school, which would give
the New Deal some credit for agen-
cies that have admittedly won pop
ular favor, but criticise the meth
DDS and the cost.
A number of leaders who will
be influential at the convention will
be very much on the spot, for they
are on record publicly for some
New Deal reforms. This group in
cludes Senator Borah and the con-
vention keynoter, Senator Fred
erick Steiwer of Oregon.
1t has become customary to scott
at party platforms, but it is APP
parent already that much may de-
pend on what Republicans have to
say in theirs. This is emphasized
especially by party leaders of the
liberal persuasion.
Will Appeal to Farm West
One of them today explained
that conservative Big Business in
terests will vote Republican no
matter who is nominated, but, as
he saw it, the only hope of attract
Ing the rank and file is by spe-
cific program of remedies with in
dorsement of the principles of
measures that have been effective.
The day Is past, he said, when
mere denunciation of the other
party will do the trick.
Already the "chain-letter" of plat
form suggestions is under way,
with this and that leader sending
drafts of proposed planks to this
and that other leader. Stress is
being laid on the agricultural plat
form, for Republican hopes depend
upon recapturing the once normally
Republican farm West.
Gov. Landon, according to word
to his friends here, is devoting
much time to platform proposals
and he will, they say, insist on a
progressive stand on dominant
economic and social problems.
State Subsidy Proposed
One agricultural plank which has
been suggested and is being worked
out now in detail would be a sub
sidy to states, somewhat on the
basis Of Federal highway aid to
states, which then would be spent
through state agencies, including
agricultural Schools, to promote con-
troll of crops, soil conservation, mar
keting and the like.
The Roosevelt Administration
farm program, now on Federal
basis with payments for soil con-
servation and erosion control, would
go on state subsidy basis next
year under the act recently passed.
The Republicans propose to work
the idea out. however, in a different
way from the Administration plan,
with more emphasis on state re-
sponsibility, according to reports of