Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-06-27
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY We stbrook
Peeler

CHICAGO, June 27-To the
- solemn and consecrated
Republicans, meeting in a save
the-Republic mood, the credit
must 60 for abolition this year
OF the old absurdities which
previously have Knocked the
peoples citizenship at such re-
vivals and astonished visitors
from other lands come to see
the quaint Americans nominate
with childish and often drunken
rites their candidates for the
highest political office on earth.
Hitherto the most idiotic and
vulgar OF all our public festi-
walls. excepting not even the an
nuaf debaucheries by which the
American Legion made itself an
overbearing nuisance for 20
years. the national political
conventions have been a re-
proach TO the free country OF
which they were a sacred in
stitution and a time-honored
indecency.
Fools paraded in sweaty.
stumbling ranks in hotel lob
bies and along the streets OF
cities which were glad TO en-
dure the disorder for a price.
IRON the time OF the Re-
l. publican convention Of 1912
in the old Chicago Coliseum at
which a shapely female in a
red dress touched off mocha
nized but futile 45-minute
stampede for T. r., the engi-
neers in charge of most candi-
dacies clocked the duration OF
all such imbecile demonstra-
tions and even, In later years,
apace with science. measured
their volume by the hands of a
huge clock as though noise,
alone, were some gauge of a
mans fitness for the presi-
dency.
That the quality of the men
selected was as good as ii was,
has been reassuring proof over
the years that these dreadful
demonstrations were completely
irrelevant and that the dele
gates and the cheering sections
in the galleries had no influence
in the result.
NEVERTHELESS it has often
~ occurred to observers of the
American scene that the first
party TO break with custom and
run a convention with a dig
nifty more or less appropriate 10
the occasion might deserve
recognition for very i'm
prfssive reform.
To say that the Republicans
deliberately and wisely planned
it that way would be TO credit a
taxi-man with fine public spirit
in the accidental killing of
pedestrian who CHANGED TO be
an escaping murderer.
They came here with little
confidence of victory in Novem-
Der. and il would be untrue 10
report that they are confident
even now, although they are
giving one another transfusions
Of optimism through pep-talks
started in word-of-mouth
campaign.
SO it can be admitted that
they have not been holding
themselves in check but simply
have had nothing to shout
about
But this is not a singing war
for either the fighting men or
civilians Of any of the nations
and. similarly. ii is doubtful
that these Americans would
have made a spectacle Of them
selves and their political mis-
sion this year, though victory
could be taken for granted.
THE Roosevelt following may
Il scott and the dainty humor
of the left-wing may still de-
pict them AS subhuman breed
with pot-belled minds and no
real rights but only few privi-
leges conceded AS generous
gesture TO tradition. but they
do believe the republic will fail
if Mr.. Roosevelt and, perhaps.
Henry Wallace. are president
for four years more.
Thus they also take upon
themselves a historic mission 10
nominate the man TO save the
nation. They mean il. They
talk it among themselves. And
they are raising themselves
from their early pessimism TO a
self-induced hope. if not con-
viction. that it can and might
be done.
Copyright, 1914 by United Features. synd
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