Evening star., 1936-03-22
CONVENTION DATE HELD
REPUBLICAN HANDICAP,
Opportunity for G. O.P. to Win Support
of New Deal Foes i'm Democratic
Party Believed Lessened.


chairman, who merely serves for the
few hours while the convention Is
being organized and then gives way to
the permanent chairman. 1t has been
suggested that the Republicans should
give their vice presidential nomination
to one of the dissenting Democrats.
Some of these things may be done.
But the real appeal to the disaffected
Democrats cannot be made by any
simple device. What these Democrats
are dissenting from is the New Deal
and the way to please them is to write
a platform which is in contrast with
the New Deal. The platform need not,
and will not. condemn all that has
been done since March 4, 1888 Much
of the legislation enacted during the
Roosevelt administration is COM
pletely Democratic, completely Ameri-
can and satisfactory to the Repub-
licans. Few object to the principle of
making securities safer, though some
of the details of the securities control
legislation are awkward and some
other details go far toward departure
the principle of control of stock ex-
changes, though here again some of
the details of the control, in practice,
are dubious Few object to the prin-
ciple of social security, though here
once more. and conSpicuouSly some
of the details of the legislation as en-
acted and some of the mechanism
inc a.
practicable that serious alteration will
be necessary.
Should Separate Innovations.
The business of the Republicans.
both for themselves and for the sake
of appeal to dissenting Democrats, is
TO draw a line through the whole
mass Of the innovations brought in
during the Roosevelt administration:
to put on one side of the line that
which is normal and unsbjectionable
and to put on the other side that
which clearly departs from American
principles and traditions. The latter.
that which attempts to bring about
new order of society and moves to-
ward a new form of government-that
is mainly, what the dissenting Demo-
Gratis dissent from. And it goes with
out saying that this is what the Re-
publican platform will condemn and
pledge itself to resist
AS to giving the Republican vice
presidential nomination to dissent
ing Democrat, one hardly knows.
/ Much would depend on the man
chosen and the spirit in which the
thing is done. ANY step taken as
merely a patent and blatant device
! to appeal to dissatisfied Democrats
might be received by the country with
jeerS. Some of the ablest of the dis
contented Democrats might hesitate
! to accept a Republican vice presi-
Dental nomination. They may pre-
| fer to keep their dissent clearly on
the basis of principle and refuse to
let it have the appearance of seeking
Office or other advantage. They may
prefer, in the election, to express
themselves through a third party or
through staying home on election day.
rather than through voting the Re
publican ticket, much less identifying
themselves conspicuously with the Re-
publican ticket.
Convention Date a Handicap.
This is one of the awkwardnesses
arising from the fact that the Re-
publican convention comes first.
Practically every dissenting Democrat
of any Importance, such as former
Gov. Smith of New York or former
Gov. Ely of Massachusetts, will wish
to make it clear that he differs with
his party only after every possibility
of reconciliation is exhausted. If
man like former Gov. Ely should ac-
cept a vice presidential nomination
on the Republican ticket two weeks
before the Democratic convention
meets he might be subject to criti-
ciSm. 1t would be said that he had
not waited to see what the Demo-
cratic convention would do. 1t is
possible that the same man, after the
Democratic convention has met, and
after it has gone definitely or wholly
New Deal (assuming it does go that
way) would be willing to identify
himself formally and conspicuously
with the Republicans.
1t all comes down to that The Re-
publicans cannot fully know what to
do until after the Democratic con.
vention takes place-and the Demo-
cratic convention will not be held
until two weeks after the Republican
one.
Most of those who talk about the
Republicans making overtures to dis
Senting Democrats put the reason for
it wholly on the basis Of the preSiden-
tial election. There is an additional
reason. No matter who wins the pres
idential election, the Senate is going
to be Democratic. Conceivably the
Republicans might win the presi-
dency overwhelmingly and win the
House of Representatives overwhelm.
ingly-but still the Senate would be
Democratic Conceivably the Repub-
licans might win every senatorial elec.
tion next November, carry every State
in which a Senator is elected-wfich
they will not-and still the Senate
would be Democratic. Only one.
third of the Senate is elected; the
other two-thirds hold over for two
or four years of the six-year term.
So many Democrats were elected to
the Senate in the landslides of 1882
and 1894 that they are certain to have
majority in the Senate that meets
next January. This Is an additional
reason for the Republicans so to
write their platform and otherwise SO
to manage as to improve the posi-.
bility Of cooperation with Demo.
Gratis.
Copyright, 1850