Evening star., 1936-06-24
PLATFORM ACCORD
ASSURED BY MOVE
Glass, Byrd, Tydings and
Others Not to Fight
New Deal.
BY JAY G. HAYDEN.

BY JAY G. HAYDEN.
PHILADELPHIA, June "a N.A.NA).
The latest possible obstacle in the
way Of complete control by President
Roosevelt of the platform, as we'll as
the nominations, of the Democratic
National Convention was removed to-
day when a half dozen conservative
Senators, headed by Carter Glass OF
Virginia, neatly sidestepped member
ship in the Resolutions Committee.
The position of these Senators frank
ly is that they will not throw any
monkey wrenches into the New Deal
machine, but at the same time they do
not want to be placed in position
where they must specifically sign the
credo which the convention will adopt.
The Resolutions Committee not only
IS pro-New Deal, but it has on 1t
number of aggressive radicals, such as
Chairman Robert F. Wagner of New
York, who sponsored both the N. R. A.
and the labor disputes act; Senator
Hugo Black of Alabama, whose seizure
of private kilograms in the lobby in
vestigation stirred up storm of pro-
test; Senators Elmer Thomas of Okla
homa, Burton K Wheeler of Montana
and James P. Pope of Idaho. the lead
ing currency inflationistS. and j. Stitt
Wilson of California, former So
cialist.
Weak Fight Possible.
Countering these are few moderate
conservatives, such as Walter F. George
of Georgia. David I. Walsh of MaSSa-
chusetts, Josiah w. Bailey of North
Carolina and Robert J. Bulkley OF
Ohio. But none of these is showing any
signs of serious rebellion. They un-
doubtedy will endeavor TO tone down
the more radical planks in the closed
session of the committee, but it is eX-
ceedingly doubtful that they will take
their political lives in their hands by
carrying a fight to the convention
floor.
tip-of as to the conservative atti-
tude came when both Senators Glass
and Harry F. Byrd of Virginia refused
to serve on the Resolutions Committee.
Senator Glass issued statement that
was quite typical of him. He declared
that, so far as he was concerned. the
convention will be harmonious" and
then he added:
Il am standing on the Virginia plat
form"
That platform, which Glass wrote
last week. commended the "humani-
tartan purpose of President Roose-
welt, wished him the largest success
in every sound measure he may here
after project" and asserted that 'at no
time within the history of the Nation
has adherence to sound principles of
representative Government been more
imperative than today"
Still for Sound Money.
To another newspaper man who
approached him. Glass blurted out
that he was still in favor Of the plank.
which he inserted in the Democratic
platform of 1882, declaring for "a
sound currency at all hazards" even
though the Republicans now have
stolen it.
Another Senator who lodged men,
bership in the Resolutions Committee
was Millard E. Tydings of Maryland.
The delegation from Maryland prob
ably is the most anti-New Deal of any
In the convention. Besides Tydings,
who has voted against practically all
of President Roosevelt's legislative
proposals, it includes Howard Bruce.
member of the Democratic National
Committee; Mayor Howard Jackson
of Baltimore and Robert E. Ennis, all
of whom have been highly critical
of the New Deal.
Bruce and Ennis in January accom-
panied the late Gov. Albert c. Ritchie
to the American Liberty League din
ner, at which Alfred E. Smith deliv-
cred his first blast against Roosevelt.
A majority of the Maryland delega-
tion was inSiStent that Tydings enter
the Resolutions Committee and lead
fight for what it regards as sound
Democratic principles, and he was so
elected. When Glass announced that
he would not accept membership in
the committee, however, Tydings also
backed out. He declared that he was
not going to fight Roosevelt all alone.
The Maryland member of the COM
mittee, substituted for Tydings, is Sem
ator George L. Radcliffe, whose one
point of distinction is that he is
former employer and close personal
friend Of President Roosevelt. 1t is
certain he will vote for whatever the
President wants.
Maryland Position.
The real underlying Maryland point
of view was indicated, as in Virginia,
hv ite Ctota nar, +ic y,lotforr, Ae
originally written, this declared that
the party should return to the prin-
ciples of Thomas Jefferson" Some
members of the convention objected
to this phraseology and it was changed
to read should adhere to the prin-
ciples of Thomas Jefferson" thus soft
ening the implication that Roosevelt
had deserted the Jeffersonian prin-
ciples.
Senators Alva B. Adams of Cola
RADIO, William H. Dieterich of Illinois
and Tom Connally of Texas are others
who have voted against New Deal
measures and who, for that reason,
elected not to sit in the Resolutions
Committee.
The position of these old-school
Democratic Office holders is quite
plain. They disapprove of many of
the Roosevelt policies and they would
like to see them changed But they
fully realize that Roosevelt is in the
saddle and that for them to attempt
openly to buck him would split the
party in their States wide open and
create sores which would require many
years to heal.
Seek to Hold Own Power.
The thing they are primarily in
terested in is the maintenance of
their own positions of power in the
party, whether Roosevelt wins or loses
in the election this year. To this end
they have chosen to give the New
Dealers all the rope they want, so
far as the present campaign is con-
Nornad