The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-22

groups.
 As the party's last presidential candidate, Landon is the titluar leader until the l04O conven- ton. Disregarding this tradition, Hoover Is trying to grab off the leadership during the next few years. Landon doesn't intend to let him. That is the story in a nutshell. t. "t,s,% :".
 The Chicago meeting actually was called by John Hamilton, handsome, marcel-haired national chairman. But Herbert Hoover was the real instigator. He has made the unprecedented proposal of a nid-term convention to for mulate a declaration of princi- ples" on which the COP could stage a comeback.
 In other words, Hoover would have the party write a platform for next years congressional elec- tions, rather than wait for l940 to form a new policy.
 3AAo AAaS 0AOuoSO oAdAP OANAoAOAA among COP moguls. Their line- up on the point is about like this: ..
 FAvORING CONVENTION
 Herbert Hoover
 John Hamilton
 Bert Shell, House Floor Leader.
 Senator Townsend (Del.), chair man, Senate Campaign Commit tee.
 OPPOSED TO CONVENTION
 All LandOn
 Senator Borah
 Chas. MCNary, Senator Floor Leader e.,
 Rep. Joe Martin, House Floor
 Rep. Hamilton Fish.
 Hoover Opposition
 Reason for opposition to the Hoover idea is obvious. A Repub- lican platform would put Repub- lican candidates in political strait jacket. Their best tactics in these days of Roosevelt popu- larity is to pussyfoot on the New Deal. In some districts the less they attack Roosevelt, the less they mention policies, the better off they are.
 Most irked over the Hoover nid-term convention idea is ex- Governor Ali Landon. He has two counts against 1t: ..
 l. Any party platform pie into which Herbert Hoover puts fin- ger would be too conservative. Landon doesn't think that dele- gates selected for conventions in 1882 and 1886 are in tune with the. times: that anything they draft would be a liability, not an asset.
 The local politicos who have to face the music In 1888 should write their own scores, argues Landon.
 2, He also views Hoover's move as canny scheme to push him into the background, then be- come the big shot of the Grand Old Party. $%,'
 This does not necessarily mean that Landon harbors hopes for another try at the presi- dency. Ills close friends say he has no such ambition. But in any case he does not intend to allow Hoover, if he can help it, to elbow him off the drivers seat. .o-. -s,".
 Landon proposes to remain titu- lar leader of the party in fact as well as In name, at least until the regular convention in 1940. Furthermore, he Is determined to have @ big voice in what that convention does. tt Landon Plan
 What will be the outcome of this inner struggle only time will tell.
 Both champions have powerful support. Landon is the abler tactician and Is far more popular among the COP railk-and- fife than Hoover. In fact, the ex- Presidents biggest handicap is his lack of goodwill in the ranks. On the other hand, he has the very important advantage of a close- knit and aggressive organization quietly built up in the last year. !. To offset this, and to snatch the initiative from his rival, Lan- don has proposed a counter plan to replace the mid-term conven- ton.
 This calls for the establish ment of . policy committee, or sort of high command. consist ing of LandOn, Hoover, Colonel Frank Knox. and Senators Mo.