Evening star., 1936-06-25


attack on the in
tegrity of the Court itself.
It may we'll be doubted, however
whether the strategy of the speech as
whole is effective. Indeed, there
seems to be something wrong with
the Democratic strategists, for they
are not putting their best foot
forward.
Thus, Robinson's speech was given
over almost entirely to the point OF
proving that Gov Landon and the
Platform Committee at Cleveland dis
agreed. Since the Platform Commit
tee was dominated by the "Old Guard
and since Gov. Landon's progressive
ism Is not as widely known as II
might be, the Democrats are empha-
sizing the fact that the Kansas Gov
ernor Is his own master and not be-
holden to the so-called plutocratic
interests of the East.
Farley Also Advertises.
Likewise, Chairman James Farley
himself has advertised the fact that
the Cleveland convention passed up
Herbert Hoover, something that many
Republicans have wanted to let the
country know in unequivocal terms
so that the voter would recognize
Lanoon as candidate who is not
tied up to the policies of the last
Republican administration.
There can be no doubt that Senator
Robinson took every advantage of the
mistakes made by the Republicans at
Cleveland. He hit hard the proposed
repeal of the reciprocity trade agree
ments. realizing that in the seacoast
cities this is going to be an important
vote getter. Thus he said:
ITO repeal this law and impose en-
bargoes will virtually mean the end
of our foreign commerce. American
ships will rot at their docks, and our
vessels will disappear from the seas
Under the Republican policy, surpluses
will continue to pile up in the home
market TO the ruin Of American
producers"
Rule May Provide Fireworks.
The convention here is rather
1istless affair. Conventions in which
President is renominated always
are. There is no contest on candi-
dacies and usually none on platform.
The debate of the two-thirds rule
may prove of more than casual sig
nif1cance. If President Roosevelt is
reelected this year, it virtually as
sures his denomination for a third
term in 1910, should he desire such
office. As for the unwritten law that
no man shall be President three times
In succession, the force of unwritten
laws has been much reduced in the
last few years, along with the force Of
some plainly written constitutional
provisions.
The two-thirdS rule is really a one
third rule. 1t is means whereby few
votes in addition to a one-third bloc
Of delegates can Illustrate a nomina-
tion even though candidate has
more than majority of the dele
gates, as Champ Clark had in 1912,
only to be blocked by the anti
Clark delegates who forced the tri-
umph of Woodrow Wilson.
Until now, the tWo-thirds rule has
been so closely interwoven in the
strategy of some candidate or candi-
dates at a Democratic convention that
1t was practically impossible to get
the rule changed from a two-thirds
vote to majority of the delegates as
sufncient to, achieve nomination.
Even In 1882, when the Roosevelt
forces were in command of nearly
two-thirds of the delegates, they hesi-
tated finally to insist on abrogating
the two-thirds rule.
Time Ripe Now.
Had they done So the opposition
candidates would have put up fight
that might have caused cleavages en-
dangering the chances of Mr.. Roose-
welt. The Roosevelt men backed down
as matter of expediency, but this
time they have the denomination as
sured, so they feel they can put
through the change, especially since
1t requires only majority of the dele
gates to ratify the report of the Com
r1ittee on Rules.
ing report from the committee and
some discussion on the floor of the
convention. To the outsider it seems
sensible for the Democrats to nomi-
nate by majority just as do the
Republicans. But there are peculiar
circumstances attaching to the two
thirds rule. 1t really has been the
safeguard which the South has al
ways employed to prevent the nomi-
nation of Northerner who might
hold views on the Negro question or
against States rights that might be
obnoxious to them.
Today, with the Democratic party
sponsoring campaign for Negro votes
in 81 Northern States, the Roosevelt
party has more to gain than lose by
playing with the Northern elements
that are going to be so influential In
various congressional districts. As
for the South. where can it 60? To
the Republicans, who since the Civil
War have been espousing the rights of
the Negroes.
What it may mean is that the old
reasons for a solid South in American
politics on the Democratic side may
now disappear. and, If new parties are
born in the next few years. the South
may furnish the nucleus for such re-
volt.
tcopyright. 193oJ