davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-07-06

of legitimacy are argued before the
National Committee, before the
convention begins. This is the proc
eSs that occupied the headlines last
week. The National Committee
draws up temporary roll, seating
one of the rival delegations as the
convention gets under way. Mean
while, however, the argument con-
tinues before the conventions Gre
dentialS Committee, which is ap-
pointed on the first day. Finally,
the recommendation of the Gre
dentials Committee goes to the full
convention, which must act either
to approve or reject it.
Should a disputed delegation
which has been temporarily seated
by the National Committee be al
lowed to vote on questions related
to the Credentials Committees re-
port? This is $64 question. In
the past, such a delegation has been
allowed to vote on any issue except
its own seating. At this Republican
convention, however, the Eisen-
hover forces repeatedly are prepar-
ing to try to upset that precedent.
This effort is behind the impend-
ing G. o. P. dispute over the rules.
It also explains the likelihood of a
fight over the temporary chairman
ship of the convention. For in the
parliamentary rough and tumble
that is bound to develop, a tenn
porary chairman can do great
things for the side he favors.
So much for the important pre-
liminaries. They normally consume
the better part of the first two
days. When the convention finally
is organized and ready to go to
work, it takes up the platform.
PIotform
Work on the platform always is
begun long before a convention
assembles--long before the naming
If the Resolutions Committee, which
is to produce the polished draft.
This time, the Democrats have
had an informal committee, headed
by Representative Mccormack Of
Massachusetts,, at work on this plat
form for nearly two months. A
similar group has been laboring for
the Republicans, under Clarence
Burlington Kelland. Last week, the
Republican platform was in the
subcommittee stage, as individuals
and groups pleaded at hearings In
Evening star., 1952-07-06
There's More to Conventions Than Picking Nominees

challenge the count of his chair
man, in which case that delegation
is polled individually. Sometimes a
candidate achieves a majority on
this first ballot; more often, none
does. For this is the ballot for the
casting of courtesy votes for many
favorite sons-and for watchful
waiting by fence-sitting delegates.
And so the balloting proceeds,
and will proceed, until one candi-
date or another receives more than
half the votes cast. Little by little,
the weak lose strength and the
strong gain it. Strategy pays of
now. Support that may have been
deliberately hidden on the first ball
lot is trotted out with full fanfare
at the psychological moment. The.
bargaining and persuading that
have been going on all week are
at their height. For crucial votes
there are promised rewards-aid in
State elections, a party job, a place
in the cabinet, perhaps even the
vice presidency itself.
The heat Is on the waverers. If
the bandwagon Is to be caught, it
Is now or never. And so, with a
final surge of inevitability, the
nomination is made.
Once the presidential candidate
has been chosen, the convention
usually wastes little time in select
ing his running mate. The dele
gates are close to exhaustion. 1t is
time to go home.
Meanwhile, however, preparations
have had to be made for the future.
Physically speaking, this sixth con-
vention job is the easiest and most
perfunctory. A new National COM
mittee has been installed, to direct
the party's affairs through the next
four years. The individual delega-
tions have named the committees
members: One man and one
woman from each State, Territory
and, of course, the District of CO.
lumbia. The Rules Committee has
drafted regulations which will gov
ern the incoming National Com
mittee and the apportionment Of
seats at the next convention.
That takes care of the tangible,
formal preparations for what lies
ahead. The convention has been
too hot and bothered about the
present to look very hard at the
future.
And yet, all the while, on much
more basic level than the formal
and tangible one, the convention
has had as its deepest concern the
future. Of the party. Here, at last.
is the clue we have been seeking
the answer, perhaps, to our ques-
ton as to why conventions have
survived.
Evening star., 1952-07-06

applicable. More often than not,
the convention accepts the recon-
mendations of its Rules Committee
without question, but sometimes
there are rules fights involving the
whole convention. If advance re-
ports are correct, this will be one
of those times for the Republicans.
A convention is presided over, at
successive stages, by three different
officers. The opening gavel is
welded by the chairman of the Ma
tional Committee. He is succeeded
shortly, by the conventions tempo
rary chairman, who has been
named in advance by a committee
on arrangements.
The temporary chairman nor
mally also doubles as keynote
speaker. This year, however, the
Republican arrangements commit
tee has named Gen. Macarthur as
keynoter, while the proposed tenn
porary chairman is another sup
porter of Senator Taft's, Walter s.
Hallanan of West Virginia. Herein
may lie the seeds of second pre-
liminary convention fight. Eventu-
ally, the temporary chairman
yields his gavel to a permanent
chairman, by custom the leader of
the party's forces in the House of
Representatives. The permanent
chairman and other permanent
convention officials - sergeant at
arms, parliamentarian, tally clerk,
reading clerk-are proposed by the
conventions Committee on Perma-
nent Organization.
Credentials
The decision a convention must
make regarding its own composition
often proves stormy one. When
rival delegations present them
selves, claiming to represent the
same State and supporting differ
ent candidates, the convention must
decide which group to recognize.
This situation usually grows out of
a bolt" by one State faction which
has found another faction in con-
troll of the State convention. 1t is
an issue of this sort, of course
principally involving the disputed
seats of Texas and Louisiana-which
will underlie the early skirmishing
at the Republican convention.
There are three stages to the set
Element of a credentials fight at
convention. First, the rival claims
Evening star., 1952-07-06
The Setup

National conventions do not
take their form from a rule that
things must be thus and so. There
Is no such rule, any more than
there is a law which says that
there must be national conven-
tions. The conventions are held
only because both parties agree that
this is the best way of dispatching
their quadrennial business. The
rules are merely customs which
have been found workable. Any
convention can change them at
any time.
Yet the fact is that the basic
setup of national conventions has
changed very little since the anti
Masonic Party held the first one
in Baltimore. in September, 1881.
The fact is, too, that the conven-
ton setup today differs only ~in
minor degree between the two
parties.
Vote Apportionment
The parties, for example, have
slightly different systems for ap-
portioning votes among the States
and Territories. Each starts from
the same base-two votes at the
convention for every Senator and
Representative that the State has
in Congress. But both parties
weight this count in favor of States
which have gone their way in ma
tional elections.
The Democrats accomplish this
purpose by giving a bonus of four
votes to any State which went
Democratic in the last presidential
election. The Republicans are a
little trickier about it. They give
a six-vote bonus to a State which
went Republican last time. They
also penalize State one vote for
each of it's congressional districts
which may have failed to poll TO-
900 Republican votes four years
ago They penalize a State two
votes for any district which polled
less than 1000 Republican votes.
b. In both parties, delegates repre-
senttng congressional districts are
called district delegates" The
rest. representing entire States, are
known as delegates at large" Each
delegation Is backed by a substi-
r
Evening star., 1952-07-06
The Purpose

The great point about the politi-
cal convention as an institution, a
point that often is missed in the
tumult and Shouting, is its role as a
unifying force in the party.
The fundamental purpose of the
convention is not to choose a candi-
date. If that were it, conventions
probably would have experienced
their prophesied doom long ago.
For it doubtless is quite true that
there are better and more demo-
cratic ways of choSing candidates.
The fundamental purpose of the
convention, rather, is to unite the
party behind candidate. The
convention is the most perfect
mechanism yet devised for healing
Hpolitical wounds and closing po-
litical breaches. 1t is mass search,
not for clearcut verdict, but for
a sustaining compromise. It is a
battle, not to storm the heights, but
to seize upon common ground
from which new battles can be
fought against common adversary.
Unique QuoIity
This is the quality of the con-
vention system which seems to be
lacking in other proposed methods
of selecting presidential candidates.
In a primary election, for instance,
the party voters can determine who
is to be the party's nominee. But
can they make the defeated fac
tions like him? Can they induce
rebellious party regulars to work
for him?
A decision at the polls, by its very
decisiveness, is divisive. It chooses
between factions; it cannot bring
them together. The convention
system, on the other hand, permits
and encourages the defeated to par
take Loyalty in the ultimate deci-
sion. It provides them, moreover,
with the maximum possible accom-
modation in that decision.
It is in this light that the more
puzzling aspects of conventions
not excluding tortuous platform
compromises, vote trading in the
corridors and deals in smoke-f1lled
rooms begin to make sense. Even
the nonsense that goes with it--the
revival atmosphere, the stunts, the
shouts and banners, the backslap-
ping and booze-can be seen as part
Of the pattern.
For political convention is more
than just a meeting. It is a rally
a rally of the party's strength. And
without such a rally, there is no
easy way of telling what would
become of the party's strength.
The real question, therefore.
probably is not whether. .conven-
tions should survive. The conven-
ton looks very much like an essen
tial piece of our party system Of
politics. Perhaps the real question
is whether the parties should surs
vive. But that Is another story.
Evening star., 1952-07-06

TT is fashionable, nowadays, to
Il deplore political conventions. The
national convention system, as
everybody knows, is hot, noisy,
cumbersome, corny, unidealistic and
antiquated way of choosing presi-
dental candidates. Many people
think it should be supplanted by
an up-to-date selection method
one more reflective of the popular
will. National primaries are the
alternative most frequently pro-
posed; in any event the idea is that
conventions have got to go.
Perhaps they should. Perhaps
the time has indeed come when
we should take a long, fresh look
at our whole procedure for sorting
out potential Presidents. But if
we are preparing to do so, we
should bear in mind that national
conventions have been part of the
American political mechanism for
more than 120 years. We should
ask ourselves if there may not
have been sound reason for their
survival.
Uprising Of 1912
This is not the first time, of
course, that the convention system
has come under heavy attack.
After the election of 1912, the anti
convention sentiment was far
stronger than it is today.
That time, in response to outraged
demand, President Wilson called
for a-Federal law under which
presidential and vice presidential
nominees would be chosen outright
by the voters. There would be
primary elections in each State.
The convention would become a
political appendix, like the elec-
toral college, meeting only to reg
lister the popular verdict and to
write a party platform.
Bills were introduced to effect
this great reform" and no one
seemed to doubt that by 1916 con-
ventionS would be extinct. But
those bills never passed. There
was vague talk, as the months went
by, that perhaps Congress lacked
the power to regulate the election
of Presidents. Behind the mac
ton, however, lurked deeper doubt
"a doubt as to whether the pro-
posed new system really would
work. In a surprisingly short time,
people lost interest in the issue.
The convention system continued
to be taken for granted, until the
present wave of criticism began to
roll in 1948.
Is there some basic function
which the convention may have
been performing over the years of
our politics. function which per-
haps has not been consciously rec
ognized by the participants them
selves, but which accounts for the
longevity and hardihood of this
unique institution?
This is good time to consider
the question. The answer may
provide a useful perspective on the
events which are to transpire at
Chicago this week and later in the
month. Before undertaking to an
swer our question explicitly, how
ever, we must get in mind the phys
ical setup and procedure of the
Evening star., 1952-01-02
Capital Utilities Spend Millions to Expond

Public utility companies here,
spent vast sums of money for ex-
|pansion of facilities in the last
year and face additional needs in
the coming year to keep abreast
|of Washington's growth.
With increasing revenues, how
ever, has come a steep rise in the
cost of labor, materials and other
operating costs. The year-end
found executives sharpening their
pencils to demonstrate to the
Public Utilities Commission that
rate increases must be forth
coming.
In the case of one, Capital
Transit Co., the arguments for
higher fares already have been
presented and the company awaits
a decision from the PUG. Here
are the year-end statements of
the presidents of Washington'S S
four big companies:
To keep pace with rapid growth
of the Washington area, Potomac
Electric Power Co. has spent $102
million for additions and i'm
Evening star., 1952-01-02
Import Rise Reverses
Puerto Ricun Trend

SAN JUAN, p. R.-Puerto Rico
imported more than $400 million
worth of goods from the mainland
in fiscal 1851 and shipped more
than 1884 million worth of goods
to the continental United States.
Both those figures, according to
the Puerto Rican Trade Council,
are new records, but the sharp rise
in imports reversed a trend Of the
three previous years. The value of
imports in fiscal 1850 was 1913 mil
lion and of exports $210 million.
Evening star., 1952-01-02

it's responsibilities to the public,
the employees and its stockhold-
|ers," he added.
with the expiration Of its
Union contract on June 80. fol-
lowed by a strike, 1t became neces-
|sary to add more than SIT mil
lion to wage costs before service
could be resumed. This was a
terrific setback.
although the effect Of the
new wage increase was felt imme-
diately after a new union contract
was agreed upon. the methods
and procedures necessary to OBJ
tain an adjustment in fare under
the present archaic regulatory
processes still find Capital Transit
waiting for an increase in its
rates.
"The downward trend Of pas
|sengers seems to have tapered off ,
although it is too soon to estab-
lish a definite conclusion. Heavy
traffic continues to retard the eff
cheney of company operations and
manpower also has been an acute
problem in the year."
Evening star., 1952-01-02
'MoIoyo Asks UNESCO
To Aid in Education

KUALA. LUMPUR, Malaya.-A
federation legislator says he has
asked the United Nations Educa-
tional, Social and Cultural Organ
ization to assist in the Malayan
program Of free, compulsory edu-
cation.
A member of the legislative
council said on his return from
the UNESCO conference m Bang
kok that he had told the confer
ence delegates: "A new policy OF
free education has fired the imag-
ination of the people of the Fed
Grafton of Malaga and it is TAX
ing shape. Malaya's political and
educational urgency must be met,
and we hope assistance in full
measure will be given UNESCO."
Evening star., 1952-01-02

this year, demand on the system
reached a new high of 583 900
kilowatts, jump of $1,000 from
1950's peak.
In 10 years ended in 1851, both
kilowatt-hour sales and peak de-
mand have more than doubled
and the number of customers has
increased 29.4 per cent. The COM
pany has contracted for a third
unit at it's Potomac River plant
at a cost of around SIS million,
with completion scheduled in 1854
With rising expenses and taxes
offSetting rising revenues, net in
come ror 10 months this year was
81, 165 900, or only $772,000 above
1850, even with higher electric
rates which became effective April
20. Mr.. Dunn estimated that 1851
earnings will be about $550,000
below the per cent basic return
contemplated by the Public Util-
titles Commission plan.
Evening star., 1952-01-02

materials, taxes and wages" said
Mr.. Crigler.
Construction expenses for en-
largement and improvement of
service reqired $15.9 million in the
year. or about So million more
than in 1850 and raised total plant
to $127.1 million at the
years end.
The company installed $4,000
telephones in the year. This re-
suited in a net gain of $4,000 and
raised the total in service to an
all-tine high of 523, 900.
Capital Transit Feels Pinch.
The year for Capital Transit has
been a literal merry-go-round of
attempts to keep pace with forces
of imitation while coping with
Evening star., 1952-01-02
D. {. Area's S Growth
Continues Despite
Initiation and Taxes
Continued From Page D-1D

Continued From Page D-1.)
22.7 per cent from a year earlier
and 208 per cent above the 1941
period.
Savings and loan associations of
the city also set new records in
the year. Assets on November 80
totaled $451 ,508,691, a gain of
$40,465, 900 from year earlier.
Loans of $4O0, ,3S6,704 were up
$29 ,233 900, while invested capital
of $375,656,912 was up $32,458,-
799.
The latest figures show big
gains since the end of 1941 when
assets amounted to only $172,-
$4,000; loans, $162 1863 900; in
vested capital. $149,467, 900.
Traffic Heavier in Year.
Despite a decline in auto sales
and registrations, Washington
traffic late in 1851 was around
10 per cent ahead of 1850 and
55.7 per cent above 1941, vehicular
counts showed.
In contrast, passengers of Capt.
tai Transit Co. in II months of
the year were SIS per cent below
a year earlier and Is per cent
above the same 1941 period.
Automobile registrations on No
vember 80 totaled 191 ,999 VS.. 1885,
538 a year earlier, new-car titles
in II months totaled 27,059 VS..
81, $50 and used-car titles totaled
az, ,627 VS.. 45,204.
Utility Records Impressive.
The area had 294 ,489 gas meters,
365,547 electric customers and
799,840 telephones on November
30, all new records, which repre-
Evening star., 1952-01-02
D. {. Exchange Sales
Set Record in Year,
With Prices Firm

Dealings on the Washington
Stock Exchange set another re-
cord in the last year, and with
demand exceeding supply in a
number Of favored issues, prices
remained at high levels.
Operations Of companies with
securities listed on the exchange
generally reflected further growth
of the Capital and their securities
were in strong demand through
out the year.
Two leaders in the securities
f1eld here outlined a hopeful sit
uation in year-end statements.
Exchange Sets Record,
The Washington Stock Ex-
change handled the largest volume
OF trading in it's history during
1851. reported President Joseph K.
Evening star., 1952-01-02

the District alone by an advance in
prices of natural gas on Septem-
ber l, and the supplying company,
Atlantic Seaboard Corp, has asked
a second increase of $780, 900 a
year, effective in March, 1852, a
total increase of $1.8 million in
costs within the District.
AS other costs also have risen,
Mr.. Boothby said his company was
obliged to apply on November 28
to the PUG for increased retail
rates.
The 1851 construction was A.
nanced largely through So million
OF new common stock early in
the year and SO million of bonds
offered in July. Nearly 80, 900 new
customers were added to company
lines in the year ended Novem-
ber 80 and gas sales in the period
rose 21.4 per cent.
Cites Earnings Problems.
The Chesapeake & Potomac
Telephone Co. had big gains in
business during 1851, but at the
Evening star., 1952-01-02

sented gains from a year earlier
of 1888 gas meters, 23,153 elec-
trio customers and 68.943 phones.
The real interest was in the
distribution of gains between the
Capital and it's suburbs. OF the
total gas meter increase, only g.
218 were in Washington, COM
pared with 10.003 in the Mary
land suburbs and 5,932 in the
Virginia sections.
The division Of electric Gus
toners was 2,511 in Washington
1929 in Maryland and 8,419 ir
Virginia. The telephone gain in.
cluded 34,841 in Washington, IT,
065 in Maryland and 17,028 in
Virginia.
Washington postal receipts for
II months set a record of $20,-
002,582. a gain of 11.8 per cent
from a year earlier and 134.8 per
cent above the same 1941 period.
Larger increases were shown by
major post Offices in the SUBJ
urbs.
Evening star., 1952-01-02
Wool Trade Anticipates
Period Of Some Stability
BY the Associated Press

BOSTON, Jan. 2.-After months
marked by apprehension, violent
price fluctuations and slow de-
mand, dealers are reporting evil
dence that the wool market is
approaching a position of relative
stability as the year ends.
The trade saw "glimmerings"
Of a January pickup in reports
that the mems wear industry was
seeking new stocks of fabrics.
For the long pull ahead,
stepped-up wool production in the
United States and the opening of
Western grazing lands for more
wool growing is urged.
Evening star., 1952-01-02

panieS have excellent manage
ment and in keeping up with the
tremendous growth of Washing
ton, have done a superb job OF
expanding" said Mr.. McCammon
"The utilities and banks have been
in the forefront of this move
ment and Washington stores
have been most progressive in
providing new facilities"
The exchanges volume for the
year totaled 294,849 shares VS..
250,120 in 1850 and 1866 900 of
bonds VS.. 1901 900 in the previous
year.
d. C. Securities in Demand.
A large unsatisfied demand for
securities of Washington com
panies was a major feature of
trading here in 1851 and is ex-
Evening star., 1952-01-02

Mr.. Rouse, who is chairman of
the unlisted securities committee
of the National Association of
Securities Dealers for District II,
which includes Washington, SAID
that the lack of offerings was felt
on both the over-the-counter
market and the Washington Stock
Exchange.
Shares Of Washington banks
were in particularly strong de-
mand during the year and few
investors were willing to part with
them, he declared.
Evening star., 1952-01-02

provementS in
the last decade,
and the growth
continues, Pres
ident r. Roy
Dunn reported.
Kill o W a t t.
hour sales in
10 months this
year were 1875
per cent above
d year GdIuGT,
10,400 new Gus
t o m erS were
added in the
same p eri o d.
and in August
Evening star., 1952-01-02

regulatory pro-
cedureS tn a t
have become
outmoded un-
der pres e n t
economic con-
d / MS. de-
clared Presi-
dent j. A. B.
Broadwater.
"All of these
t h / n 6 S have
m de it ex-
trenely diff
cult for man.
|agement to
Laon IN ho1onon
Evening star., 1952-01-02
instrument Demund Coins

PHILADELPHIA. Jan. Fifty
thousand additional buyers are
expected by Minneapolis Honey
well Regulator Co. to become
purchasers Of industrial instru-
mentS during the next five years.
Incoming orders point to a 100
per cent increase in the indus
trial instrument business by 1856.
Evening star., 1952-01-02

END OF the year
was concerned
with the prob
lem of adequate
earnings, re-
ported j. r. B.
Crigler, v ic e
president and
general man.
ager.
Despite a
very SllgnL I'M
provement over
1850, the earn
ings rate for
1851 was lower
than is required
Evening star., 1952-01-02
Like Tightening

NEW YORK. Jan. 2.-Prelim-
mary consumer acceptance Of
Tightening Change indicates that
there's another. $40 million an
nual retail market in hair light
ening preparations. says Martin
L. Straus II. president Of Bymart-
Iintalr, Inc, which introduced
home hair coloring through 50,-
900 drug and department stores
last year.