The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-09-11
BY RICHARD LAKE
An Appraisal of the Der

The democratic national convention
: seems to have a lot of us on GU
ears. The elder critics are WONDERING
what Henry Adams might have sail
about it, but all most of us can d.
is say what needs to be said ant
see if we can take it.
The appraisal begins with plat
tudes, the first being, How times d,
change!" l had to say that because
went out to Chicago to attend the
convention for the purpose of seeing
democratic processes at first hand
From the second balcony | saw &
struggling mass of people, violently
in action. Colors and outlines came
dimly through haze of smoke, anc
floodlights hurt my eyes. l heard
through a battery of loudspeakers, g
harsh roar which at infrequent inter
walls resolved itself into articulate
speech. l could see Jim Farley's
glistening doom and hear the organ
The inference is that those who
stayed at home and listened to the
radio had all the best of it, | admit
that during one session | had mezza-
nine seats and could hear every word
that Bankhead said. But | submit to
you that it was no advantage.
From my seat in the second balcony
during two sessions / sat ON therail)
and the press section. Believe me,
the eyes and ears of the world were
upon those delegates. NBC, CHS, and
MBS booths; special commentators
seated on the platform; row upon row
of typewriters for the working press;
a battery of at least eight notion
picture cameras. l could see with
the aid of field glasses lent me by
a gracious LADY, H. V. Kaltenborn
pontificating before his mike Once |
thought had actually spotted Walter
Lippman pounding out a ponderous
passage.
But truly and passionately yearned
for cool and quiet place and a
midget radio. The direct testimony
of ones own senses is no longer in
uipPShodbic. oi INC COHIl al y IL 10
likely to add confusion to dismay.
I'm ready to grant that the demo-
cratic convention started with two
strikes against it because it had to
match or surpass the great renascence
of democratic procedure that sup
posedly occurred in June at Philadel-
phia. And the strategy boys from
didn't make the job any
easier When Roosevelt's lieutenants,
Harry Hopkins and Frank Walker
came to town, most of us knew what
was up. l for one decided to poke
around on my own and talk to the
people.
l didn't really think I'd learn any
thing. 1t was only after Senator
Barley had spoken the magic words
and the delegates had rioted and DEM
onstrated according to schedule that
began to feel oppressed and full Of
| tell you it was the
eyes and ears of the world that did
1t. There was almost as much space
provided for the press and radio Sec
lion as for the delegates themselves. |
And those ominous enclosed sound |
booths. And Mr. Kaltenborn. And
he moving picture cameras and all |
hose floodlights. That whole acre of
lmplifiers and loud speakers. On
several occasions | went down into
he basement and gaped at the end
ess rows of telegraph desks and tele-
ypes.
I developed a tremendous awe of all
hat vast and precise system for car
ying every least delegates chortle or
,elch, every bobble of any state stand
lrd, every careless wave of anybody's
land to the distant listener. Eff
lent, that's what it was. Precise and
organized. Nothing inane
bout the communications system.
But / did go talk to the people. |
net at least fifty delegates in the
obby of the Congress hotel, and pos
IDLY seventy-five more in the Stevens
nd Blackstone, who told me privately
hat they would like to vote for
but what could they do, they {
we're pieuBeu W leoooSsci1. Va INC
teps of the public library / met a
oungish woman who told me with
ears in her eyes how hard she had
,orked for McNutt and what high
opes she had. A soft-spoken young
nan from Texarkana discussed life |
nd philosophy with me and told me ;
why Mr.. Garner was {
easoned timber.
Hes had so much experience, and
e has all OF Mr.. Roosevelts human {