Evening star., 1936-05-11
MOCK CONVENTION
BACKS LIBERALISM
D. C. Representation In
dorsed in Platform of 0ber-
lin College Group.

OBERLIN, Ohio, May IL (N.A.N.A).
The traditional Oberlin College Mock
National Republican Convention, which
concluded its nineteenth quadrennial
revival here with the nomination" OF
former Gov John G. Winant Of New
Hampshire for President and Senator
Frederick Steiwer of Oregon for Vice
President, served notice on the people
of the United States of two important
facts-first, that the college boys and
girls of America are actively inter-
ested in politics and public service;
and second, that they are committed
to political ideas considerably in ad-
vance of those Of a majority Of their
elders.
Those casual observers who came
here expecting to see something IN the
nature of a circus were astounded by
the seriousness and enthusiasm with
which the young delegates went about
their business. AS matter OF fact,
there was far less horseplay in evil
dence than Is usually the case at
real national political convention. The
old political hokum was notably ab-
sent from the speeches. Not once was
the grand old flag waved. The plat
form viewed with a minimum Of
alarm and completely forgot to point
with pride.
Planks in Platform.
The Oberlin platform contains a
number of planks that probably will
not appear in either the real Repub-
lican or Democratic platform-re-
moval of the bars to the dissemination
OF birth control information, statehood
for Hawaii, suffrage, congressional
representation and local self-govern-
ment for the District Of Columbia;
immediate adherence to the World
Court without reservation. complete
embargoes on munitions and credit to
belligerents in time of war. Govern
ment control of the munitions indus
try, Federal incorporation of all COM
panies doing an interstate business, Q
national labor board with equal rep
resentation for capital and labor. The
platform also contains such New
Dealisms as soil conservation, low cost
housing, slum clearance, Federal reg
ulation of public utility holding COM
panies and food control. with the
preference in the sale of power going
to publicly owned power plants.
Here's one that most certainly will
not be in any party platform-the
elimination of party patronage from
Government appointments.
DirNn nj
Pennsylvania, in his keynote speech,
said:
"If the Republican party attempted
to balance the budget in this time
of general shortage, instead of shift
ing the burden to more prosperous
times, the very men who are now
making the welkin ring with their
demand for a balanced budget would
make it scream with their protests
against increased taxation. ""*
Constitution Held Safe.
when certain great special in.
terests raise the cry that the Con.
stitution is in danger, what they NEAR
is that their power to fleece tht
people Is in danger. The Constitution
is not now and never has been in the
slightest danger since the Civil
War -
Whom the gods would destroy
they let the American Liberty League
support"
The mock convention was Re-
publican in spirit, all right. President
Roosevelt and the Democrats were
roundly denounced and booed as ex-
travagant, visionary and vacillating
but the college youngsters did not con-
denim everything Democratic ano
RooSeveltian.
The contest for the presidential
nomination" was a horse-race
throughout the seven ballots between
Winant, the ultimate victor, and Sena.
tor Arthur H. Vandenberg of Michi.
gan. Vandenberg, on the fifth ballot
was within 80 of the necessary sol
votes to nominate, but he couldn't gel
those extra 80. Campus Liberals
branding the Michigan Senator as a
"pseudo-Liberal," went to work or
him. They whitfield him down by 46
votes on the sixth ballot and on the
seventh put their candidate, Winant
over with a bang. He had SIS votes
when the smoke cleared away.
Borah Far Behind.
At the end, Vandenberg was third
Gov. ALT M. Landon of Kansas hav-
ing moved in ahead of him. Senator
William E. Borah of Idaho, was far In
the rear. with only 20 votes. Borah
the convention favorite, lost
caste when he declined an invitation
to speak in the Oberlin Chapel the
day before the convention. A dele
cation of his student supporters went
to Toledo to extend the invitation.
These four were the only candidates
who received votes on the final ballot
tCopyright. 1885. by the North American
newspaper Alliance. Inc)