Evening star., 1936-11-13
.LANDON DEFENDS
CAMP PA|GN PLANS
Would Not Change Thing,
He Says-Sees "Gain
All to Good"
BY CECIL MOVIES.

By CECIL NOWES.
TOPEKA. Kans., November 13
(N.A.N.A).-Gov. ALI M. Landon, the
Republican nominee for the presi-
dency, looks back over the terrific
campaign waged throughout the Ma
ton and finds the net gain Is AL 10
the good" A week after he began
getting the election returns which in
dicated his defeat for the presidency,
the Kansas Governor sat in his Of
fice In the State House ut Topeka
and viewed the last six months In
retrospect.
And he smiled broadly as he looked
back over the most hectic year Of his
life and contemplated the trials and
pleasures, and, as he weighed these
carefully in the balance Of his own
mind, he remarked, THE net gain
u all to the good"
There had been brought before him
some Of the ordeals Of the campaign,
things which may have been greatly
disturbing at the time. As he thought
Of these and discussed some of them,
he continued to smile and again he
remarked:
The net gain is all to the good"
Realized "Desperateness."
1T Is an experience that comes to
few men," said Gov. Landon. II did
not 60 into 1t unwillingly. I knew
the desperateness OF the situation. as
l saw 1t and I did not run from the
gruelling task that faced me.
There Is great satisfaction to any
man to receive the thousands upon
thousands Of letters I am getting now
and know the writer's feel the job has
been we'll done. These letters come
from every section Of the country.
from men and women Of every walk
OF life, and reading them cannot help
but give one a glow Of qualification
that Is full recompense for all the
hard work Of the campaign"
Gov. Landon has had long expert
ence In politics In Kansas, but 1t was
only after he was elected to . second
term as Governor that he became q
National figure and q potential can
didate for the presidency. During his
lifetime, he had visited every section
Of the country. But during the CAM
paign Just closed, he viewed the coun-
try with different eyes than ever
before.
What world Of beauty there Is in
the United States" he remarked.
What vastness, what desolation, what
richness, all combined within Q single
country.
Calls People Marvellous"
"And the people OF this great coun-
try are marvellous. They are earnest.
active and enthusiastic. They are
friendly and fair, live decent lives,
take their politics seriously and stu
diously. This country has been welded
from 50 many races and types that
the most impressive thought that
comes to one. travelling 1t As did.
is that 1t could be made into such q
homogeneous structure Is we have in
this country"
What about presidential cam
paigns rs an American institution"
he was asked.
II think they are wonderful" he
replied. They should be maintained
as they are now. They bring the
people into closer relationships with
their Government. They bring home
to the people many facts of wide i'm
portance to them in their ordinary
lives and business activities. They
develop enthusiasm and deep interest
in public affairs, which many are too
prone to neglect. The presidential
campaigns are too important for the
whole people Of the United States to
even contemplate q vital change in
it, in my opinion"
Would you. II nominated again.
undertake the same type OF form Of
campaign"
Sees Course Correct.
Absolutely" was the emphatic re-
ply. "Of course. there were mistakes
made. That is natural. Also, possibly,
We made q few more mistakes because
Of the disorganized condition Of the
Republican party In SO many States
as the result of the elections OF two
and four years ago. But If had 1t
to do over again. do not know of Q
single vital change which we would
make in the campaign.
II think John Hamilton accom-
plished wonders in the way of organ
izstion Of the Republican party in
the few months he had at the Begin
ming of the campaign. -.
I'VE stuck to what we believed were
the fundamental issues of the CAM
paign throughout. We tried not to
waver or wander from them in any
respect"
What was the greatest thrill that
came to you in the campaign"
There were many of them" he
said. II think possibly the outstand-
ing one was the amazing crowd, the
parade, the reception Of my own home
State when I made my acceptance
speech on the State House steps in
Topeka. But there were many 9TH
ers where I got a real thrill"
what was the most severe shock
that came to you during the cam
paign?"
Hits B0oing Of President.
THE booing of the crowd when the
name Of the President Of the United
States was mentioned.
ITO me, that was the most severe
structure upon the fairness and de-
cency Of the American people. had
not experienced 1t before, and I un-
derstand 1t just started in the cam.
paign four years ago. feel that the
President Of the United States occu-
pies too big an ONCE that . discus
sion Of his policies should be greeted
with boos. 1t was really distressing
to me, and hope it can be stopped"
In this connection. 1t may be re-
marked that no candidate for the
presidency was ever denied . hearing