Evening star., 1936-06-24

| IL
close. Big James Farley came storm
ing out of his corner at the sound Of
the bell, threw two savage right hooks
in midair and announced that the
G. o. P. was fat on its back, a posi-
ton made popular by such imported
Republicans as Primo Camera and
swooning Joe Beckett and phainting
Phil Scott, the swan Of Soho.
The delegates had to take big James
word for it, because they couldn't
see the victim James was the fighter,
referee, knockdoWn timekeeper and
radio announcer all in one. He swung.
He crQuched over the foe. He counted
10. He announced the decision. Then
he summoned couple of attendants
to carry away the broken body of
the Republican party.
Spectators Marvel.
The delegates were impressed
81 didn't see the other fella 90 down"
said one of them, but it must have
been h of fight"
Terrific" agreed his next neighbor.
II wish We were sitting closer to the
ring"
Fight experts in the crowd were
unanimous in saying that they never
saw such furious onslaught or such
a Iethal knockout blow. In fact, they
didn't see this one 1t was invisible.
1T was the finest invisible punch
I've come across since the heyday OF
Jack Sharkey," said Jack Dempsey.
the restaurant man. who sat close by
and admired Farley's performance with
bulging eyes.
Farley did not even work up sweat.
After disposing of the body. and send
ing a telegram of sympathy to the
victims relatives, who live somewhere
in Kansas, he shadoW-boxed a couple
of rounds in front of the microphone
! to give the customers their moneys
worth. Then he called upon Senator
Alben w. Barkley. a preliminary
fighter, who made funeral arrange
ments and raked over the ashes with
what is euphemistically called a key
note speech.
And Did They Like II!
Owing to some oversight on the part
Of the Invitation Committee there are
no Republicans at this convention
whatsoever. Therefore. there was
| nothing but applause for big James
Farley's one-round victory. Your corr
respondent. sitting through the mob
with bull's-eye latern, could not find
q diSSenter.
1t looks very much as though this
convention were going to nominate a
Democrat for President. And have
a hunch that the men behind the
scenes are plotting even now. in smoke.
filed rooms, to surprise the conven.
ton by presenting the name Of Frank
| lin D. Roosevelt
But what does the man in the street
think? Your correspondent leaving the
Convention Hall to conduct a private
and personal poll of his own, discov.
cred that Philadelphia is a city Of one
way streets with one-eyed men In
them. At least. the first man In the
street I saw was One-Eyed Connolly.
Connolly was standing by an en-
trance gate. jerking his thumb over
his shoulder. He looked like a hitch
hiker.
There is no need to do. that,
One-Eye," said your correspondent.
You have already reached your des-
tination."
Relents and Talks.
Connolly replied coldly, II am not
bumming a ride I am employed here.
/ The party told me to get the public
inside the hall and fill up them bali
cony seats. 1 am showing the way"
In a few minutes, however, the
one-eyed statesman grew weary of
permanent employment and consented
to discuss the political situation
If am the only man on the street
that you know by name" said Con-
molly, Il will be glad to straighten you
out on my point of view. This con-
vention is in the sack for Roosevelt
and I will tell you why"
Your correspondent edged away,
closely attended by the man in the
street. At the next corner it became a
race, and at the next corner your
correspondent made good his escape.
though Connolly was still in full cry.
And I will tell you why" we're his
last words before abandoning the
scene.
Returning to the convention hall by
devious route, your surveyor inter-
viewed some 20 more men in the
street, as well as several on the side
walk and few who were cornered in
doorways and could not get away.
They all said this convention would
be a Democratic landslide.
It's Usual.
A man at convention headquarters
explained to me that this was usually
the case.
I'VE haven't nominated a Repub-
lican at a Democratic convention
since-well, before my time" he said.
How about AL Smith in 1922"
''He was a Democrat in those days"
said the man at headquarters. AT
least, a lot Of people were being kidded
If he wasn't"
Senator Barkley bore out the general
belief when he delivered a strongly
pro-Democratic keynote speech. BY
the time the second session opens, the
Democrats will have stampeded this
convention.
John Hamilton, the Landon leader.
says that this is because 81 per cent
of the delegates are on the Federal
pay roll.
But John was always a knocker.
You can't take away from jim
Farley and Senator Barkley that they
have made this convention safe for
democracy.
-Ccryright. 1886, by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Inc.)