The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1940-07-18

Republican national convention VIII
plague the party throughout the
presidential campaign. This IS the
more extraordinary IN that II Is en-
tirely within the realm of possibility
that events between now and cleo
ton may be such that the
issues on which the wounds we're
made will disappear.
For example, all the bitterness
about Joining the allies in the war.
This writer is still hoping for mir
acle, hope based on the age-old
tenacity of the British people, but
the cold fact is that our own ex-
perts, in confidential reports based
on the observation of our army and
navy representatives abroad, doubt
if Britain can hold out much over
a month after the Nazis start their
real attack
Leaving our wishes, whatever
they may be, to one side, suppose
this happens What will then be-
come of petty disputes over Wheth-
err the President aided the allies
more than he should Is it not more
likely that the majority OF the peo-
pie of this country will bitterly re-
greet that we did not aid them more,
and sooner?
Let US consider another possibll-
ity-that the miracle happens, and
Britain is still fighting desperately
against superior forces with utter
conquest a possibility, or prob
ability as the case may be.
THAT'S A QUESTION
What will be the attitude Of most
of the people in this country then
as election approaches toward the
politicians who bitterly assalled
President Roosevelt for not having
been coldly neutral9
The whole situation is pathetic,
from an old-time politician S stand
point, because it was so unneees-
sary. The Republicans did not
have to make helping the allies. or
keeping out Of war, the issue. They
could have concentrated on our own
lack of preparedness, despite the
fact that more than $1,000, O0O, 00O
has been spent on national defense
since Roosevelt entered the White
House -. ~. -
ministratlon can make a logical de-
tense for that. But at the moment
we are thinking in terms of politics,
and not logic. It is frequently
mistake to mix the two. People
are not always logical in politics.
In fact, they rather seldom are.
1t would be terribly difficult for
the Democrats to defend that ST ,0OO,-
GOO, 900 of defense spending in view
of the administration S own admls-
sion that we are woefully unpre-
pared, and now really need to spend
billions for defense.
BITTERNESS HANGS ON
Bitterness galore hangs over from
the Philadelphia convention, but
amazingly little is directed at Wen
dell Willkie or any of his supporters
in the fight which ended with his
nomination.
Naturally the Taft people are bit
ter. not at Willkie but at the leaders
they had counted on for the fifth
ballot showing they expected to re-
suit in victory. Specifically, the
Taft people had counted on Joe Pew
to deliver SO odd votes from Penn
sylvania. They had counted on ALI
M. Landon to deliver Is votes OF
Kansas. They had counted on Her
bert Hoover for scattering votes
from all over the country. And
finally they had counted on Senator
Arthur H. Vandenberg to deliver not
only the SO votes of Michigan but
scattering delegates in other dele
cations.
What the Taft people never real
lied, apparently. was that OF this
particular group of leaders only one.
ALI Landon, really dominated his
delegation.
OUSTED HAMILTON
Landon had shown his strength in
4 delegation caucus when all the
prestige OF John Hamilton as ma
tional chairman was not enough to
induce the Kansas delegates to re-
elect Hamilton as national commit
teeman from the SunfioWer state.
Landon wanted Hamilton thrown out
and thrown out he was.
Land0n came to Philadelphia
-stropelyvof the opinion that Wilkis
sehould not be nominated. He was
aincka4d to favor Taft. But when
the Taft heutenants, not realizing
the bitter enmity between Landon
xand Hoover, kept telling Landon
ahow much Hoover was helping Taft.
1Landon began to fear that Hoover
would be the power behind the
ahrone in the Taft campaign If Taft
sswere nominated, and in his admins
tration it he should be elected.
That was no dish for Landon, so,
when Dewey was eliminated and the
fight narrowed to Taft and Willkie,
he threw the Is Kansas votes to the
victor. -
Just why the Taft people counted
on Vandenberg may never be made
public. It was well known in Wash
h.