Evening star., 1939-10-22
6. 0. P. May Broaeh
Plan for Democrats
To Convene First
ForIey Sees No Reason
To Give Opposition
Advantage, However
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
On the theory that minority
party has the tight to take "look-
see" at the majority party's nomi-
nee for President and its platform
before selecting its own, an agree
ment may be proposed by the Re-
publican national organization to
Chairman James A. Farley of the
Democratic National Committee for
such an arrangement.
Indeed, it is understood that
Chairman John Hamilton of the
Republican National Committee
would be glad to enter into a COM
pact providing that if and when
the G. o. p. comes into power, it
will hold its convention first, and
that the Democrats, now in power,
should do the same.
The attitude of Mr.. Farley, on
the other hand, is there is no good
reason why party in power should
be called into national convention
first just SO the opposition will be
IN a position to shoot at its party
platform and its nominees week
or two later.
From present indications, the
Democratic chairman does not in
tend to change the order of national
conventions, which has been in ef-
feet for many years-first the Re-
vN,1H1inovo fic
Convention to Be in June.
The national conventions have
taken place in June. This has left
four full months in which to con-
duct such campaigns as the Demo-
Gratis and Republicans have desired.
AS a rule, active campaigning is
delayed until after Labor Day, the
first week in September. A great
amount Of detailed and preliminary
work, however, is done by the party
organizations during the summer.
The dates and places for the ma
tional conventions are picked by
the National Committees-the Re-
publican committees practice has
been to meet in December. The
Democratic committee usually has
held its meeting in January. If
there is to be any jockeying done
about convention dates-it must be
done by the committees obviously. A
simple way of getting at the matter
would be for the Republicans to de-
lay their committee meeting until
after that of the Democrats.
The Democrats, however, say they
are perfectly willing to wait-that
they can afford to wait, with their
party organization in shape for a
'blitzkreig." They can wait and
hold their national convention in
August, they say; whereas the Re-
publlcans are in no such shape to
let the campaign wait.
There is no assurance. however.
that the anti-third term Democrats
would look with complaisance on a
long delayed national convention,
1hey may fear that if the national
convention is last-minute affair.
ADDED Roosevelt strength NAV come
from a determination of the con-
ventlon not to try any experiments,
Also, II they are to have a new can
oloate Tor President, they want
chance to build him up before the
campaign goes into high speed.
War Eclipses Politicians.
For more than a month. the
politlclans have been in eclipse. die
70 the outbreak of war in E,,rone
Inc uncertainty which it has Gre
ateo IN this country has worked To
the interests both of President
roosevelt and the Democratic party
Ahls is admitted on ali sides.
once the Presidents neutrality
DILL with It's repeal of the arms en-
oargo' has been disposed of by Con-
eress and that body has adjourned
as II is expected to do, probably early
IN november, another phase will ar
rive. The politicians are LOOKING
forward anxiously to that time. They
ADMIT freely the war situation-and
the part that America plays in it
may be deciding factors in the 1910
pontlcal campaign in this country
In a little more than two weeks
elections will be held in various
parts OF the country and efforts will
oe made by the political leaders to
nno a trend" of sentiment in the
results. Unfortunately, however
the elections are few and far he-
tween.
Inquiry at both Democratic and
republican national headquarters
ehclts very little interest or excite
ment over the contests. Five va
cancles exist in the House. but cleo
tlonS to I'LL the vacancies have been
called, 1t is said, in only two, Thev
are the fourth Pennsylvania and
1nlrty-fourth New York districts
Inc other vacancies are in the
ellghteenth California, the third
wisconsin and the first South Caro-.
lima districts.
Mayoralty Contest Influence.
The fourth Pennsylvania district
mas been Democratic since the elec-
ton OF 1884. 1t is located in Phila-
oeIphla, and while the Democrats
are said to be likely to carry it
again, the mayoralty contest in the
city, which is to be fought out on
the same day, may have its influ-
ence on the district should the Re-
publicans elect q mayor.
The thirty-fourth New York dis
trict, on the other hand, always has
been a Republican stronghold and
there seems no indication that there
will be change.
While city elections are to be held
IN some States, the one about which
political interest centers this fall is
Philadelphia. The Republicans are
making a determined effort to re-
gain political control there, a con-
troll which they maintained for
many years, but which vanished
after the depression set in.
A couple Of governors are to be
elected, one in Kentucky and one
in Mississippi and ham and eggs"