Evening star., 1939-05-22


had done.
On few occasions in the past could
the order of the conventions have
made any difference in Republican
prospects In 1882 President Hoover
was certain of denomination in any
case, and the platform had to be an
Endorsement of his policies. In 1886
the Republicans knew that President
Roosevelt would be renamed by the
Democrats and knew what the plat
form would be. There was no pos
sible profit to the Republicans in
waiting upon a mere ratification
meeting of the other party, but
rather an advantage in getting the
campaign against Roosevelt under
way as soon as possible.
Things are vastly different now.
The Republicans don't know-no-
bocy knows-what type of Demo-
cratic presidential nominee to eX-
pect, whether complete New Deal
er, PARKWAY New Dealer or a con-
servative. They don't know, and it
is probable they still won't know
when the convention call goes out
in the winter, whether or not Mr..
Roosevelt will be candidate. They
don't know whether the platform will
be ringing Endorsement of the New
Deal or, in an effort to pull the con-
servatlVe vote, only a mild, left
handed Endorsement.
May Be Stalling Game.
In these circumstances, it is
clearly Of the highest Importance to
the Republicans, if they are to cash
in fully on their prospects, that they
should wait and see what the Demo-
cratic convention does before they
name their own ticket and write
their own promises.
The intention of Chairman Hamil-
ton OF the Republican National Com
mlttee is to wait. His strategy
which is also that of the party lead
ership generally-is not to call the
committee together to name the con-
vention city and fix the date till
after the Democrats have acted. The
idea is to outwait Chairman Farley
and then to set a convention date
some two weeks after that picked by
the Democrats. So, unless Mr.. Far
ley sees an advantage to the Demo-
Gratis this time in acting first, we are
likely to have an interesting exhibi-
ton OF stalling on both sides.
Chicago a Likely Site.
Where will the Republican conven-
ton of 1910 be held? That question,
too, is receiving attention at head
quarters here, but there is no way
OF telling the answer. In all prob
ability a city in the Middle West
Will be chosen. Detroit has given
signs of becoming bidder, but the
recent rise of the Vandenberg star
works to its disadvantage.
The Ohio cities seem to be out of
the running because of the promi-
nence of the presidential candidates
TAFT and Bricker-from that State.
New York is made ineligible by the
Dewey candidacy.
There is considerable support in
the national committee for Minneap-
Oils, and Chicago, as nearly always,
is contender. In fact, the uues-
ton probably comes down to whether
or not some other city will outbid
Chicago. The convention will 20, of
course, to the city that lays the most
cash on the barrel head.
National Debt Week.
Meantime, there have been no
recent developments to diminish Re-
publican hopes, and the machinery
at Republican headquarters is op-
Grating in high gear In Franklyn
Waltman, the Republicans have at
last got publicity director who is
able to give the brilliant Charlie
Nicholson, on the other side, a real
contest.
Waltman's hand may be seen in
the current National Debt Week"
proclaimed by the Republican COM
mittee. Throughout this week. the
oratorical fire of the party will be
centered on the spending of the New
Deal and the consequent steady rise
in the national debt. Senator Van
denberg led off with a blast over
the air last night, and he will be
followed by Senator Taft, Repre-
sentative Bruce Barton and others.
Conspicuously missing from the
lineup Is Dewey: He is still keep
ing silent on national issues.
All in all, with the increasing get
up and shrewdness that the Repub-
licans are showing, the prospect
grows for far closer presidential
contest between the two parties than
any since Wilson narrowly won over