Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-01-08
Both Parties Drop
Effort 10 Agree on
Late Conventions
BY the Associated Press.

OIl SIlOI CclllIlB tIlc POLITICAL CAM
paign, and today signs pointed
to mid-June presidential and
vice presidential nominations by
the Republicans. followed by
Democratic action month later.
The suggestion for late conven-
lions and short wartime campaign
came originally from Democratic
National Chairman Frank Walker
and seemed for time to have been
received sympathetically by Re-
publican leaders, including National
Chairman Harrison E. Spangler.
Mr.. Spangler was in Chicago YES
terday to arrange for the two-day
session Of national committeeman
and State chairmen and vice chair
men.
Late Convention Abandoned.
The Democrats talked seriously of
postponing their convention until
September, but this plan now has
been discarded because of indica-
tons that the COP National Com
mittee, meeting in Chicago Monday
and Tuesday, may fix the date of
Its party convention in advance of
July l.
Such action has been suggested by
Senator Vandenberg, Republican, of
Michigan to facilitate the compile
ton of absentee ballots for voting
by the armed forces. The same
factor has been considered by Dem
ocratic leaders.
One high Democratic official, who
asked not to be quoted by name,
said that unless plans are changed
the party's national committee
may be asked at its meeting here
January % to leave the final deci-
sion on the convention time to Mr.
Walker. Depending on develop
ment. he might be expected to fix
date about the middle of July.
Since Wendell L. Willkie has. ex-
pressed willingness to hold the Re
publican convention in Chicago, the
way apparently has been cleared for
that city's easy selection. Mr.. Will
kie expressed his approval at New
York yesterday
Willkieites Opposed Chicago.
Heretofore his supporters have op-
posed the Chicago convention idea
on the ground that before the war it
was so-called "isolationist" center
and because Mr.. Willkie and the
Chicago Tribune differed sharply on
foreign policy question.
The only other possible stumbling
block to harmony at next weeks
convention planning meeting of the
COP national committee, as seen
here by some party chieftains, is the
method of setting up an Arrange
ments Committee.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio
has said that certain unidentified
individuals may try to force election
of this group through the national
committee rather than the national
chairman, who usually makes the
choices.
Both party committees will have
before them the question OF where to
hold the convention, with Chicago
looming as the potential choice of
both.
There have been some reports that
the Democratic group might also
have to wrestle with the problem of
hndlng a new chairman, but that
seemed unlikely.
No Successor Seen.
Mr.. Walker repeatedly took the
position in the first place only at
the inSiStence of President Roose-
welt and has made no secret of the
TACT that he would like to get out
OF politics and devote his full time
TO his job as Postmaster General.
While the Democratic chairman
has been casting about tentatively
for a possible successor, the search
has not been fruitful and friends
said Mr.. Walker would not quit I'M
less he were satisfied that a sue
cessor acceptable to all elements of
the party was available.
Replying to queries from Gov.
Raymond E. Baldwin of Connecticut.
Wlllkie supporter, as to whether
the "Mackinac charter" on foreign
and domestic questions adopted by
the COPS postwar Advisory Council
In September has been pigeonholed
Senator Vandenberg, a council men,
Der, yesterday said it is far from
dead.
The Senator, chairman of the
councils Committee on Foreign
Policy, had a prominent part in writ
ing the peace plank finally adopted
at Mackinac Island. He said he
would call meeting of his COM
mittee in advance of the national
convention to bring down to date"
the plank's phraseology.
Ranks Policy First.
Gov. Baldwin raised the question
about the Mackinac agreements in
an interview in New York. He said
he was less concerned about who
his party's standard bearer would
be than lin knowing what it says
on the standard he is CARRYING"
then added:
oAAooSAAt tAAot VIC vi dlGCu az
Machlnac some resolutions on ma
tional and international policy that
made common sense. Nothing has
been done about them since I re-
greet that because I thought the Re-
publicans took a fortnight stand.
I wonder if they have been pigeon
holded by the high command of the
Republican Party. hope not"
Asked about that, Senator VAN
denberg recalled that it was an
nounced at Mackinac that his COM
mittee and others would meet in
advance of the convention to con-
slider any plank revisions deemed
warranted.
He said his group certainly would
meet and that Gov. Baldwin and
others would be asked to submit
their views.
'StreomIined Convention