Evening star., 1936-06-13

| leaders. On the
MAI suu,,,n contrary, most of
the old leaders
were respected. 1t was more like the
commonest process Of nature, a new
generation growing up, passing out
of the tutelage Of elders, evolving new
ideas OF their own and proceeding
to function, to take over the world
and its institutions as new generations
must. What happened at Cleveland
was not revolution; there was no
violence or heat in it. 1t was pre-
ciSely like the orderly succession of
generations, one group reaching the
age of senescence and retirement, an
other reaching maturity and DOM
nance.
The evolution from old TO new,
as represented by the ticket, would
have been more complete, and the
symbolism OF it more obvious, had
Senator Vsndenberg been made the
vice presidential nominee instead Of
Col. Knox.
Would Lose Senate Vote.
Vandenberg is slightly more on
the side Of neWness. In the Senate,
after he came there a few years ago,
he was called one of the Young
! Turks" But Senator Vandenberg
had a perfectly sound reason for
counseling against giving the vice
presidential nomination to himself.
In the Senate are two Outstanding
aggressive Republicans, almost the
only two who function we'll as fighting
debaters. One is Senator Hastings
OF DeleWare. His term is coming to
an end and he appears determined
to retire. The other is Senator VAN
denberg. Had Vandeberg been NOM
mated for Vice President and elected,
the Republicans would be without any
aggressive Leadership in the Senate.
/ The head Of the ticket, Gov. Landon,
completely represents the new; and
he was literally the best possibility
for the presidential nomination. The
nomination had to go to the new.
and Gov. Landon was the best OF
the new. 1t is self-evident that the
older group Of Republican leaders
contains men more experienced and
better known to the public. But the
convention and the country, as a
whole. was determined to turn to the
new. 1t was not in hostility; it just
had to be; it was the course Of nature.
Nothing could better illustrate the
mood of the convention than what
attended Mr.. Hooyer's speech. He
received far the greatest ovation the
convention gave anybody. Rarely has
such tribute of pride and affection
been given any one The convention
Endorsed 100 per cent the ideas
in Hoover's address. and these ideas
are basically the ideas of the con-
vention and of the Republican party
in this campaign. Yet the convention
had not the faintest notion Of nom
mating Hoover for the presidency.
inexperienced observers and much
OF the distant radio audience may
have thought when they heard the
ovation to Hoover that he might be-
come a possibility for the presidential
nomination. The convention made
no slightest gesture in that direction,
did not give thought to it. The con-
vention was as certain to turn TO the
new as generation reaching
maturity is certain to function in its
own way.
LandOn a Symbol.
OF the new in that wholesome
sense, Gov. Landon Is the perfect
epitome and symbol. He is at once
as old as the Bible and the Constitu-
ton, and at the same time as new as
the radio and the automobile. That
is a combination which President
Roosevelt's carefree impetuoS1ty thinks
impossible. But it exists. 1t is ap-
parent every day. 1t is inherent in
nature. 1t is the commonest fact of
existence-and Gov. Landon repre-
sents it,
A fair essence Of Landon'S ideas
would say: Old principles preserved,
new techniques adopted. That is the
new Of the day, and Landon reflects
it. Common imagination likes to
call all change by a dramatic name,
revolution" The truth is that
ninety-nine hundredths of all change
comes In the less dramatic form of
orderly revolution OF this, Of normal
evolution as a phase which becomes
plain to the eye, the convention was
an example and Landon is the symbol
and agent.
| Hamilton Vital and Frank.
OF the new regime, the most i'm
portant figure present at the conven-
ton was John Hamilton, Landon's
manager and, as the new national
chairman, now active head Of the Re
publican party organization. He
made a peculiarly deep impression.
1t was not spectacular impression;
indeed it was the opposite Of that.
He has the kind Of force that is quiet
and unostentatious, he is vital, earnest,
clear minded, as frank as window pane,
as direct as q straight line. He has
ability without the vice Of "clever-
ness" without smartneSs. In no
solitary respect does he remind any
one of politician Of the old type.
Hamilton seemed an example Of
the new. the best possible new not
only In politics. but throughout all
American life. One characteristic Of
this whole new American generation
Is insistence on reality, quiet distaste
for whatever seems to them sham or
posturing or sentimentalism. This
quality in Hamilton, this admiration
for what Is simple and straight and
direct, this distaste for whatever =
devious or adroit, or Clever" infused
every line of Mr.. Hamilton's speech
putting Gov. Lsndon in nomination.
Hamilton'S speech was remarkable
! performance. Not once, as I recall,
/ did he mention President Roosevelt's
name. He talked only of Gov. Landon.
But in every sentence in which he
told the kind CT man Gov. L1rdon
is. he seemed to add, in all unSpoken
parenthesis Ahis. you will observe,
is the oppos 4 Of Mr.. Roosevelt"
aBkright, 1881