Evening star., 1940-07-13
No Democratic Fight
Expected on Plank
On Foreign Affairs
Resolutions Committee
Members Call Entire
Platform Cut and Dried
BY WILL p. KENNEDY,
Star Stan Correspondent.

Star Stan correspondent.
CHICAGO, July 13.-The foreign
affairs plank will be written into
the Democratic platform without
any serious controversy in the Plat
form and Resolutions Committee
which is now conducting hearings
scheduled to extend through Mon
day.
This assurance was given today
by Senators Walsh of Massachusetts,
and Wheeler of Montana, commit
tee members opposed to the foreign
policies of President Roosevelt as
pushing this country toward war.
In fact, the party platform is
being called "cut and dried" by
committee members, none of whom,
with the single exception of Chair
man Wagner, has seen the entire
platform as drafted and approved
by the President.
Several Senators were shown bits
Of the proposed platform, before it
was revised by the President. 1t is
the present plan of the convention
managers to drag along the plat
form committee sessions and not
report out the platform until We'd
nesday. Chairman Wagner an
nounced that all who desire to be
heard on suggested planks will be
given an opportunity.
Civil Service Plank Asked.
This morning Luther c. Steward,
representing the National Fedora
ton of Federal Employees and the
National Legislative Council Of Fed
eral Employees Organizations, pre-
sented the Civil Service plank. He
asked that the platform pledge the
party to continue and complete the
work already started of extending
the merit system throughout the
Federal service and that under no
circumstances should there be any
let-down because of prospective in
crease in personnel caused by the de-
Tense program.
Howard Bruce, Maryland's ma
tional committeeman, last night was
applauded when he proposed a plank
on behalf of $4,000 900 persons, who,
he said, are Disseminated against
for employment because of their
age. This proposal represents one
Of the pledges he made to Mary
land voters during his recent cam
paign for the Democratic sena-
torial nomination.
Others heard at todays session
included Edward O'Neal, American
Farm Bureau Federation; Anita
Pollitheer, National Women's Party;
Mrs. Dorothy Kirchway Brown, on
the merit system, National League
Of Women Voters; Mrs. Louise c.
Wright, on tariff, National League
OF Women Voters; Herbert U. Nell
sen, National Association of Real
Estate Boards; Josephone Roche,
National Consumers League; Mary
Farquarson, Womens International
League, and Carl Lands, Fellowship
Of Reconciliation.
Representative Smith Castigated.
The name of the Republican can
didate for the presidency, Wendell
L. Wiilkie, was frequently men,
toned by those advocating special
planks-especially regarding a pro-
posal to guarantee continued Fed
eral power development. Senator
Walsh suggested that the power
plank might we'll indorse the record
OF the present administration. Sen
ator McCarran of Nevada said, I'VE
anticipated this challenge"
Representative Smith of Virginia
was vigorously denounced for his
"dastardly" and "emasculatory
amendments" to the National Labor
Relations Act by Philip Murray, vice
president of the c. I. O., who spoke
at length urging a nine-point pro-
gram. He also made hitting refer
ences to Mr.. Willkie and empha-
sized that the Michigan affiliate of
the utility he headed was found
guilty of violations under the Ma
tional Labor Relations Act on the
day Mr.. Willkie was nominated.
Mr.. Murray was closely questioned
by Senators Walsh, McCarran,
Byrnes and Wheeler.
"Women Are People"
Helen Hunt West, youthful jack
sonville Fla) attorney, urged the
Platform Committee to indorse an
equal rights for women plank, de-
;claring:
! "Women are people and not angels
in need OF special legislative pro-
lection"
! She turned the routine committee
meeting into such question-and-
lanswer session that Senator Wagner
adjourned the gathering because
,"the members are visiting as though
they had a date"
, Admittedly nervous but deter
mined, Mrs. West, a former news
spaperwoman and the wife of Jack
ssonville neWspaperman, said:
Il represent the National As
.sociation of Women Lawyers. What
swe want is equal legal rights with
men as people.
1--WE have been protected a little
1ike Norway for our own good, and
we've suffered for its'
: The Republican platform, she
added, contains an equal rights
plank.
! Others heard included: Walter
white, secretary of the National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People; Clark Eichelberg-
YER; on behalf of the Commit
tee for Aid to the Allies; Paul
sWolman, for the Veterans Of For
eign Wars; Mrs. Margaret Moss,
equal rights; DR.. John A. Lapp.
american Civil Liberties Union;
Agnes Nestor, for the National
sWomens Trade Union League, and
frederick J. Libby, National Coun-
Gil for the Prevention Of War.
| WOODWARD