Evening star., 1936-07-19
THOMAS IS BOOED
|BY TOWNSEND|TES
AS He HITS PLAN
Appeals to Delegates to
Rally to Socialism to
End Capitalism.
ONLY SMILES AT B00S
AS DOCTOR INTERCEDES
Proposal to Reorganize and Strip
Townsend of Power Is
Tabled.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CLEVELAND, July 18.-Norman
Thomas, Socialist candidate for Presi-
dent, told the National Convention OF
Townsend Clubs today that their old
age pension plan is unworkable, but
he was met with a chorus of boos and
the session wound up with a vote
which left DR.. Francis E. Townsend
in control of the movement.
Thomas appealed to the delegates to
rally to the socialistic movement to dc
away with the capitalistic system.
He said he did not believe that the
transactions tax. through which the
Townsenoites propose to pay 5000 a
month pension to all persons over 60
would work.
He was interrupted frequently BY
boos. once so prolonged that DR.. Town.
send appealed for order.
Reorganization Tabled.
A resolution was brought before the
convention proposing to reorganize sc
that the board Of directors would bt
elected by the citizens maximi or dis
trict leaders. This would have stripped
DR.. Townsend of much of his power
If it Is your will that renouncs
ownership-which means control. ther
I will" he said as roar of mo
swept the crowded public auditorium.
Amendment upon amendment en-.
tangled debate until finally the whole
resolution. was tabled.
Tomorrow's session at which Repre-
sentative William Lemke. the new
Union party candidate for President
will speak, ends the convention.
Smiths Rally Delegates.
The Socialist presidential candi-
dates speech came just after the con-
vention had been stirred into whoop-
ing, purse-opening frenzy Of enthu.
siasm by display Of unanimity among
the leaders of the movement and q
series of emotion-r -rousing appeals by
Gerald L. K. Smith and Conner Smith
The Smiths who have been at outs
asked the delegates to rally behind
DR.. Townsend in defending suit
brought by DR.. A. A. Wright Of Cleve-
land. a former Townsend director de-
manding an accounting Of funds and
the ousting Of Townsend.
Thousands OF dollars had been COL
lected in cash and pledges before the
day ended. Hundreds Of delegates
pushed etheir way to the platform
opening bill folds, check books. bat
tered pocketbooks and untying money
from handkerchief corners.
Resolutions Adopted.
The day saw, too, the adoption Of a
series OF resolutions. which put the
convention on record as:
Condemning the congressional COM
mittee which recently investigated
DR.. Townsend.
Declaring that partisan political
speeches made before the convention
represented only the views Of the
speakers.
Resolved. not "at any time during
the campaign, directly or indirectly
indorse any presidential or vice presi-
Dental candidate.
Determined to leave up to the board
Of directors the question Of recon-
sidering previous approval that may
have been given to congressional can
didates.
Empowering the national board and
State area manager areas to devise a
new method for a systematic way OF
financing the organization.
DESTROYS of investigating the pos
sibility of sending a representative to
the World Youth Conference at
Geneva.
Recommended that q youth be
1See TOWNSEND. Page A-5l