The Washington times., 1936-06-12
LAND0N GIVES
APPROVAL TO
PLATFORM
BY WILLIAM S. NEAL

liberal, sane AmerlcanlSm, was
thrust before the nation today.
Gov. ALI M. Landon will stand
on it, although it pared three pro-
visions desired by him. In q tele-
gram read to the convention he
reserved the right, If necessary, to
urge a constitutional amendment
permitting States to regulate
hours of labor for women.
He said he favored convertibility
of paper money into gold and a
Civil Service system which would
include in the merit system all
Government workers up to the
rank of assistant secretary Of o
Cabinet officer.
Provision Modified
These provisions were modified
in the platform drafted by the
resolutions committee and adopted
by the convention after SIS hours
of backing and filling In smoke
filled conference rooms.
Telephone wires to Topek k q,
Kan, were busy as the preslden-
tial nominee notified his ao-
visers of his unqualified stand
upon what he believed to be card
inal principles. He sent a tele-
gram to the convention, explain
ing his attitude, saying:
'Tf nominated unqualifiedly
accept the words and spirit OF
that undertaking. However,
with that candOr which you
and the country are entitled to
expect of me, 1 feel compelled
before you proceed with the
consideration Of my name to
submit my interpretations OF
certain plankS in the platform
so that you may be advised as
to my views. I could not in
conscience do otherwise"
The telegram, matched in po-
litical history only by the gold
plank mes sage of Alton B.
Parker in 1904 to the st. Louis
Democratic convention and the
anti-prohibition message Of Gov
ernor Alfred E. Smith to the
Democratic convention in Hous-
ton in 1928, did not deter the
band.wagon rush of the conven-
tion for Landon.
Platform Liberal
The platform admittedly was
liberal-one of the most liberal
platforms ever adopted by q
major political party.
It called upon men and women
of all parties, including an inVi-
tation to Democrats who have
broken with the Roosevelt ad-
ministration, to join in a cru
sade against the present regime.
Scarcely yelling ridicule Of
President Roosevelt'S fam Gus
"horse and buggy days. inter
view, the platform reiterated the
pledge of the first Republican
platform of 80 years ago "to
guarantee liberty of conscience
and equality of rights among
our citizens"
A last-minute battle was threat
ened when former President
Hoover sent a message to the
California delegation urging that
a stand be made for the gold
plank.
The former President urged Re
pubhcans "to restore the con-
vertibility of our currency into
gold at rate fixed by law, but
not until and unless it can be
done without paralyzing our do
mestic economy"
Former Gov. James P. Good.
rich. of Indiana, led the fight
in the platform committee. He
demanded a roll call, but on pleas
of Eastern members, withdrew
the request.
Pledge Sound Money
The money plank" as adopted,
pledged sound money" but
omitted the word gold" or the
gold standard" as exclusively
reported by International News
Service on Tuesday. Over.
whelmed by a voice vote, the gold
plank supporters abandoned q
convention floor fight. A final
break with Senator .Borah ap.
parently was averted.
Governor Landon's message, re-
ferring to money, said:
"The convention advocates a
Sound currency to be preserved
at all hazards / agree that the
first requisite to a sound and
stable currency is a balanced
budget The second requisite,
as 1 view it, is a currency ex-
pressed in terms of gold and
convertible into gold"
The platform condemned the
"New Deal" as a failure and a
threat to the welfare of the Ma
tion, pledged the party to fight
for a free, constitutional govern
ment, to encourage private indus
try to absorb the unemployed; /;
fair dealing for labor, agriculture
and the veterans.
1t urged repeal of the recipro-
cal tariff law, declared against
private monopoly, urged such
regulation of business as is neces-
Sary, pledged a balanced budget,
a strong national defense, justice
for Negroes, flood control and
an effort to collect the IL billion
dollars owed the United States
by foreign nations.
arr, k,,4h L. un~4