Imperial Valley press., 1936-07-06
THE PARTY CONVENTIONS
AND .JINGOTSM


The two major party conventions are
over and gone, but their memory fingers
on -. none too satisfactory to many OF
the millions who listened through the
medium of the radio, and witnessed
through the medium of the press.
Each convention was typical of many
others of long-gone days. Each resound-
ed to the blare of bands and the very
moyie-like demonstrations. In fact. we
are of the opinion that the movies could
have produced much more convincing
demonstrations. the actual ones having
all the ear-markS of being engineered
bv the producers. Many of us listened
intently to the proceedings, and many
of US were left with the feeling that IN
this serious business Of picking national
candidates. and forming national plat
forms. we could well do without such
monkey-shines. They smacked OF i'm
maturity. of levity, Of coarseness, of the
feeling that all was being staged Tor an
effect.
Several times. it is true, there were
real emotional outbursts, there were
conflagrations such as those demonStra-
tions accorded Hoover, or the president.
In the main, however, the wheels OF the
conventions squeaked unsatisfactory
NNhNAN
ed the strings prompting the actions OF
the puppets in the big political shows.
That we are not alone in this reaction,
and that MANY other observers eXper-
fenced the same reaction Is indicated by
these comments from the columns OF
other newspapers. 1t is interesting TO
note their comments.
Saws the Riverside Daily Press:
eff the people now have more cor
rect understanding of what goes on at
the national political conventions, we
wonder what they could do even II they
do not appreciate the ballyhoo and care
fully programmed show.
Selection of nominees by NATIONWIDE
direct vote of the party members Is not
practical. The Machinery would be top
heavy.
While not more than 20 men in each
convention ran the works and handeo
out the orders. for action, the people
wouldn't stand for an arrangement by
which 20 men would be elected to sit
down and decide what each party would
do. Nor would they support proposal
that 200 do the job that 20 actually do.
"The present system is probably the
best that can be set up but 4O,OOO,OOO or
50,0O0,0O0 people who listened may be
doing a little wondering.
At greater length, the San Francisco
Chronicle says:
At any rate, the people have found
out. They have heard two thousand dele
gates and alternates, at each convention,
plus a stadium-szed mob of spectators,
below themselves hoarse-and take the
program. Both conventions, this year,
were unanimous on everything. NOBODY
voted they all were voted. Few Of them,
indeed. so much as knew what the pro-
gram was, until it was handed them,
and even these few had little or nothing
to do with making it. Only one name
was presented to each convention, and
on that. there was nothing for the dele
gates to do but permit their various
chairmen to vote them "aye." The Re
publican platform was a compromise
between Borah, Landon, Hoover and the
Old Guard, and it was unanimously &C
cepted by delegates, few of whom knew
what was in it, and most Of whom, II
they had known, would have disagreed
with some of it, The Democratic plat
form was handed down from on high,
and left out everything as to which any
BODY cared whether it was in 1t or not.
Everybody voted "ayep And both vice
presidents were selected by themselves
without the aid or consent Of the dele
gates who unanimously nominated them
If there were differences, outside the