Evening star., 1940-07-02
The Political Mill
MeNory Fits Into Picture Of Ticket for
Ability, in Geography and as Contrast

Of a rank outsider for the presi-
dental nominations man who had
only year or two ago been
registered Democrat When he was
prevailed upon to accept the second
place on the ticket, Willkie cam
paign managers felt they had done
much to allay this feeling of aver
sion. on the part of the Republican
political leaders.
Rarely, If ever, have the major
political parties undertaken to
nominate for Vice President a man
who Is the exact counterpart of
their presidential nominee. They
have almost invariably gene to some
other section of the country for a
man who appealed particularly to
some other group or groups of the
American people. No more striking
case Of this can be found than the
Democratic national ticket of 1924.
The Democrats that year picked
John w. Davis of West Virginia
and New York, polished diplomat,
a lawyer for large corporations, for
President. Their selection ior Vice
President was Charles Bryan, then
Governor of Nebraska, a brother
of William Jennings Bryan and
regarded as one of the most radical
of the Democratic leaders. Mr..
Davis was the choice of the famous
Madison Square Garden Democratic
National Convention where the
forces supporting William Gibbs Nc
Adoo Of California fought terrible,
long drawn out battle with those
supporting Gov. Al Smith of New
York. The ticket was ruined before
1t ever got started.
Contrasts Not Unusual.
Many other Democratic and Re-
publican national tickets, wherein
attempts have been made to bal
ance" or offset certain weaknesses
of the presidential nominee by the
selection of a vice presidential
nominee almost a direct contrast,
could be cited. When the Democrats
named Al Smith of New York for
President in 1923, they picked the
Democratic leader of the Senate,
the late Joe" Robinson of Arkansas,
a dry State, to run with him. When
Abraham Lincoln was nominated a
second time for President in 1864,
his running mate was Tennessee
Democrat, Andrew Johnson-picked
because he was faithful to the Union
and Union ticket" was advisable
in those Civil War days.
The Governor of Missouri. LLOYD
c. Stark, speaking over the radio in
st. Louis a couple of weeks ago,
after proclaining that President
Roosevelt is the man to renominate
and re-elect this year, spoke of
the Importance of the vice presi-
Dental nomination. He said
The time has now come to give
to the vice presidency the i'm
portance which the title implies.
The Vice President should be
man of capacity equal to that of
the President and he should be able
to assume the full burden placed
upon the executive branch of the
Government should disaster transfer
to his shoulders the duties of the
Office of President.
In 1910 there must be no political
compromise to make of the vice
presidency an empty honor"
Roosevelt May Decide Issues.
There is a great deal of reason
in what Gov. Stark said. What will
the Democrats do when they name
their national ticket? If President
Roosevelt runs. the only issues be-
fore the Democratic National Con-
vention will be the choice of a
vice presidential nominee and the
writing of plank on foreign affairs.
Probably the President will dictate
both.
Gov. Stark himself has been many
times mentioned as a vice presi-
dential possibility. Geographically
he is correct-from the great Missis-
sippi Valley. He is sound and
successful businessman, who has
done business with the farmers of
the country and has their liking.
He has served in both the Navy
and the Army and knows something
about the needs for national de-
fense. Already some of the Western