The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-07-26

Roosevelt would be drafted When II
came time to ballot later in the
week, there was little opportunity
for suspense or excitement the OPEN
ing day. The keynote speech of Tenn
porary Chairman William B. Bank
head on opening night warned both
political parties that the American
people are in no mood for petty
politics in the forthcoming race,
that the major detectives of both
parties must be unity and solidarity
of purpose in preserving the struc-
ture of our government and the per-
petuation of the peoples freedom.
Fire at Republicans.
Heavy guns were turned on the
Republican party in the speech of
Permanent Chairman Barley, the
following night. Senator Barley
held their platform up to scorn, de-
nounced Wendell L. Willkie, at
tackled statements of Herbert Hoover
at the Republican convention and
pointed to the record of Republican
congressional voting on various pre-
paredness bills. One mention Of
President Roosevelt's name brought
demonstration lasting % minutes.
The statement from President
Roosevelt which Mr.. Barley read
at the conclusion of his speech, had
no effect in hating the draft Roose-
welt movement, although Mr.. Bark
ley had said "The President has
never had and has not today any de-
sire or purpose to continue the Office
of President, or to be nominated,
by the convention for that Office.
He wishes in all earnestness and
sincerity to make it clear that all of
the delegates to this convention are
free to vote for any candidate"
A demonstration lasting an hour
followed the statement and it was a
foregone conclusion that nothing
could stop the delegates demand for
Roosevelt when balloting took place.
This was abundantly clear on We'd
nesday night, as state after state
seconded the nomination speech.
Glass Gets Ovation.
Dramatic was the appearance Of
Senator Glass on behalf of Post
master General Farley. Rising
from a sickbed and attending what
may well be his last convention, the
Virginia statesman was eloquent in
his praise of Farley and won for
himself a personal ovation. Farley"
he said, els a man who never broke
a pledge once given, who believes
in the unwritten law as advocated
by Democrats ever since the days
of Thomas Jefferson, who less than
three years before his death ap-
pealed to his party never to norni-
nate man for third term"
But while the delegates cheered
Senator Glass, it was a personal
tribute only. Their minds were
made up. Tradition or no tradition
they wanted President Roosevelt for
a third term.
With the nominations out of the
way, the Democrats faced their
campaign opponents from a plat
form built on a strong defense Of
the New Deal against the Republi-
cans and of the Western hemisphere
against all aggressors. In its planks
on foreign wars, defense and aid
to the allies the platform was close
approximation of similar planks
adopted by the Republican conven-
ton at Philadelphia recently.
Concerning foreign wars, the plat
form stated: 1--WE will not partici-
pate in foreign wars and will not
send our army, naval or air forces
to fight in foreign lands outside Of
the Americas, except in case Of at
tack"
Concerning defense the platform
pledged to ''enforce and defend the
Monroe doctrine" provide Ameri-
ca with an invincible air force,
navy strong enough to protect all
our seacoasts and a fully equipped
and mechanical army"
The platform is pledged to safe
guard the farmers foreign markets,
expand his domestic markets for all
domestic crops, to promote farmer
owned co operatives, marketing
agreements, extend crop insurance
and safeguard the family-size farm.
In other planks, the party pledged
extension of the Social Security act
to millions of persons not now pro-
tected," but without specifying them.
A provision calling for "early reali-
cation" of minimum pension for
the aged was considered an appeal
for votes of the Townsendites.
The party devoted considerable
space to its declaration for continu-
alton Of public hydro-electric projects
and condemning the Power Mo-
nopoly" in one paragraph mention
ing indirectly Wendell L. Wilkes
long duel with the Tennessee Valley
authority.