The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-06-27

Practically all of the myriad news
columns conducted in the coun-
try-including this one-antici-
pated fireworks and warfare when
the elephant tromped into Cleve-
land. They expected that the
much-puolicized stop Landonv'
movement would take on cyclonic
proportions. Instead, it was new
er more than a passing breeze,
and within two days Of the con-
vention's start it shrunk to almost
a dead calm. The other candi-
dates were no less ambitious than
before to carry the COP banner
into the November lists, but they
saw the handwriting on the wall,
and accepted it. They had as
much chance of stopping the Gov
renor of the sunflower state as
they had of stopping the tides
when the New York and Pennsyl-
vania delegations hitherto con-
sidered doubtful, were polled and
showed heavy Landon maj orities,
it was all over but the formality
of calling the roll of states. The
same thing became true of the
vice-presidential n m n a t i n,
when Senator Vandenburg refus-
ed second place on the ticket. Pub
lisher Knox was the logical and
inevitable choice.
The rise of Landon will go
down in history as one of the most
remarkable events in American
politics, whether he wins or loses
in November. Two years ago few
persons outside of the Middle
West even knew who he was. A
year later he was a national fig
ure. And by the time the con-
vention came round, it couldn't
be questioned that his was the
great measure of popular Repub-
lican support. AS everyone knows,
the socal!ed Old Guard would have
preferred someone else-but the
Old Guards influence in the con-
was practically nil. The
immediate group around Landon
consists of young men-some of
them in their twenties, few be-
yond their middle forties. Lam
don himself is under fifty.
Equally remarkable is the fact
that one of Landon's principal as
sets, according to some of the
better political writer's, is that he
is not a particularly exceptional
man. He is mediocre speaker
but his manner of delivering
talk endears him to many listen
ers. He is never dramatic-and
that many regard as a virtue, in
that he will present an entirely
different personality from his OPP
ponent. Master Snowman Roose-
welt. He is a quiet, slow to make
up his mind, chary of expert
ments. There is a wide streak
of liberalism in his makeup, and
that appeals to millions of voters.
Proof of the fact that he knows
what he wants, is found in his
telegram concerning the Republi-
can platform. The platform. try
ing as it did to please conflicting
interests within the party, stu
diously avoided coming out for
Constitutional Amendment giving
the states power to regulate
wages, hours and working condi-
tions-a power the Supreme
Court held they do not now pos
sess. 1t also studiously avoided
saying anything very definite
about the gold standard. Cover
nor Landon says he favored the
amendment-and that he wanted
a dollar exchangeable for gold
on demand. Otherwise, he said,
he stood by the platform as writ
ten.
1t has been observed that few
voters ever read q party platform
it is usually long, involved, and
is far from racy. Whether that is
true or not, the Republican plat
form-shorter than most-de-
serves a reading by. friends and
foes of the COP alike. As was
to be expected, it begins with a
sweeping denunciation of the New
Deal. Then it gets down to what
the Republicans want, and in
cludes the following important
planks:
RELIEF: Return of relief adj
ministration to non-political local
agencies familiar with local con-
ditions. Federal grants for re-
lief to states and territories.
SOCIAL SECURITY: All citi-
zens over 65 to receive money
enough to maintain them in COM
fort, the money to be derived
from a "direct tax widely distri-
buted."
AGRICULTURE: A program
of 0ohr.pdanoaS, ;rSfaaI - - ~