Evening star., 1936-06-23
STREETS PACKED AT ALL HOURS AS DELEGATES FROLIC
Farley Heaps Ridicule on 6 .O.P. Platform
Conventions Opening Speech Strips Issue to Continuation of
New Deal.
Ry the Associated Press.


National Committee in opening the
Democratic National Convention to-
day follows:
In inaugurating this convention,
am conscious of great responsibility.
The occasion which brings us to-
gether is one of the most momentous
in the history of our country.
The continuance of the New Deal
is the issue. The question before the
American people is clear cut and can
not be disguised. That question Is:
Shall we continue the New Deal,
which has rescued our country from
disaster and despair, or shall the
Government be turned back to the
old dealers who wrecked it?
There you have the issue stripped
of all camouflage.
The gravity of this issue is the
measure of our responsibility as We
assemble here today. Is the Nation
to move forward or is it to turn
backward to the old dealers of such
recent and bitter memory?
Republican Stand Hit.
Fortunately for us and for the
country, we know now that the old
dealers stand right where they have
always stood. The convention at
Cleveland, both in manner and meth
cd, revealed once more that old habits
are not abandoned.
am not trying to stir the members
of the committee which has served so
faithfully, or the delegates to THIS
convention, into any frenzy of excite
ment by stressing the gravity of what
lies ahead of us, and which makes
this campaign different from the Or
dinary political struggle inseparable
from a presidential election.
merely wish to impress on all Of
you the significance of the task to
which We are committing ourselves.
I want to point out that while the
political skies seem fair for our party
and our destined candidates, and all
of us believe that the country will
echo our desires in unmeasured en-
thusiasm, and a record majority,
confidence in the outcome Is not
enough.
Consequences Vital.
The consequences of the coming
election are vital to the future of this
Nation. Because of their gravity, no
one of us dares do less than his ut
most toward swelling the majority
that will testify to the national de-
sire that the processes of recovery,
initiated and carried on by Franklin
D. Roosevelt, shall not be interrupted.
That verdict must be so overwhelm-
ing, so conclusive, so compelling that
nobody can doubt that the country is
united in its determination that there
shall be no backward step in our
progress.
Our party will remain in power so
long as its ideals and purposes do not
deviate from the straight path of pub
lice service.
We are a fortunate party; first in
the high patriotism and caliber of our
President; second in that we are on
the right side both morally and eco
nomically.
Charges G. o. p. Vagueness.
The minority party has. by force of
circumstance, been compelled to adopt
platform unsurpassed in the history
of party declarations for platitudes
and vague promises.
Some day, they pledge themselves
to accomplish what our administra-
ton has already accomplished. Some
day they will put the farmer in the
same economic position that the New
Deal has put him, but never do they
say how they are going to do it.
Some day they are going to estab-
lish business on basis comparable
with that upon which our conduct of
national affairs has placed it-but
first they would 60 back to the system
that brought on the great panic.
Some day the great corporations
are to be assured of all the favors
they enjoyed under Republican rule
and at the same time everybody is to
have equal opportunity and unbounded
prosperity.
And their some-day candidates,
through this platform, will tell the
country, as a distracted mother tells
her fretful babies, they will have the
moon for which they have been futile
ly reaching and wailing because they
cannot reach it.
They are going to relieve poverty
without spending money. provide jobs
without it costing industry anything,
and bring happiness and contentment
to everybody-some day.
Prepares for Delegate Role.
AS chairman of the Democratic Ma
.ional Committee it has become my
happy duty to call this convention to
order; to present the recommendations
of the committee for the conventions
consideration of temporary officers to
conduct the deliberations of this body
until the convention itself shall COM
plete the permanent organization.
Then shall relapse into my status
as a delegate from the State of New
York.
Before I relinquish this gavel.
wish to make brief report on the
work of the national organization
since 1t assumed direction of the
party's affairs at the 1882 conven-
tion.
That convention inaugurated a new
era in our country's affairs. Through
the masterful work of the candidates
of the 1882 convention and the Con-
crosses which were elected in sympa-
thy with them, our country has been
lifted out of the worst depression in
our history onto a fair highway that
leads to permanent prosperity.
Ordinarily, as you know, the Ma
tional Committee of our own and of
the minority party fall into a deep
sleep at the close of convention and
hibernate for four years. Following
the precedent established by INV
predecessor, the Democratic National
Committee has taken a different
TO- L,,