Foreign policy session may start Wednesday
Democratic Convention program
Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
The schedule of the Democratic National Convention (all times CWT):
MONDAY
10:00 a.m.: Platform hearings begin.
3:30 p.m.: DNC meetings.
TUESDAY
More committee meetings on platform and other matters.
WEDNESDAY
11:30 a.m.: Organizational meeting of convention to appoint committees and temporary officers.
8:15 p.m.: Addresses by DNC Chairman Robert E. Hannegan, Director of the Women’s Division Mrs. Charles W. Tillett and Oklahoma Governor Robert S. Kerr, temporary chairman and convention keynoter.
THURSDAY
11:30 a.m.: Address by Permanent Convention Chairman Senator Samuel D. Jackson of Indiana. Adoption of platform and other committee reports.
8:15 p.m.: Addresses by Mrs. Helen Gahagan Douglas (movie actress and vice chairman of California State Democratic Committee), Quentin Reynolds (war correspondent). Nomination of presidential candidate.
FRIDAY
11:30 a.m.: Selection of vice-presidential candidate.
8:15 p.m.: Final session – adoption of resolutions of thanks to the host city (although it is unofficial, it is expected that President Roosevelt will address the closing session by radio).
Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
Farm leaders today urged the Democratic National Convention platform committee to adopt an agriculture plank calling for the development of an economy of plenty with employment for all.
Witnesses rushed their presentations on the insistence of Committee Chairman John W. McCormack of Massachusetts, who was determined to finish all domestic business by Tuesday night so Wednesday may be devoted exclusively to the vital foreign policy plank. In fact, the essence of the platform has already been drafted in a form agreeable to President Roosevelt.
Urging adequate farm prices and “an economy of plenty that makes full employment possible,” Albert S. Goss of the National Grange told the committee that “we must avert the tragic error of allowing abundance to destroy its producer.”
Pressure groups cited
In addition to asking a full share for farmers in the post-war economy, James G. Patton of the National Farmers Union hit at Congressional action which has limited lending functions and the tenant purchase program of the Farm Security Administration.
Mr. Patton charged that FSA functions were curtailed because it “has been vilified and misrepresented” by “pressure groups” profiting at the expense of the family type farmer who is the backbone of the nation’s economy.
W. Kerr Scott, North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture (representing the Agriculture Commissions’ Association), asked the committee to recommend legislation setting a definite formula “to determine agriculture prices in relation to wages of labor and prices of consumer goods.” He asked that the legislation specify that jurisdiction of the price formula be under the Secretary of Agriculture.
News rights requested
Kent Cooper, general manager of the Associated Press, asked that the Democrats declare themselves in favor of a “worldwide right” of news services and newspapers “to gather and distribute news without government interference.”
The Platform Committee was also urged to favor reducing the legalized voting age from 21 to 18 years of age, and to give residents of the District of Columbia the right to vote.
Rep. Jennings Randolph (D-WV), chairman of the House District of Columbia Committee, said the Republicans had failed to heed the pleas of District residents at their convention and urged the Democrats to take advantage of this oversight.
1,000-word platform
Although Party Chairman Robert E. Hannegan denied he had brought from Washington a platform draft with President Roosevelt’s okay on it, there was little doubt that the sort of document desired by the President has been pretty well settled on.
It will be short – perhaps only 1,000 words; its domestic sections will be largely a pointing-with-pride to the administration’s record and most of it will be devoted to war policies and pledges for international collaboration to maintain peace.
Chairman McCormack said the group will meet tonight to hear all who want to appear, go over statements, and whip the party declaration into final shape.
Other scheduled to be heard today or tonight are Mrs. Emma Guffey Miller of the National Women’s Party, Miss Bertha Van Hoosen of the American Medical Association for women, and Miss Agnes Nestor of the National Women’s Trade Union League, on the proposed Equal Rights Amendment for women.
Negro rights next
After them will be witnesses on advancement of Negroes, which will bring up the proposal to create a permanent Fair Employment Practices Committee – a red flag to many Southerners.
The National Negro Council yesterday voted to demand an equal rights program with teeth in it that will include struct enforcement of the Supreme Court decision in the Texas case giving Negroes the right to vote in primaries, a permanent FEPC, anti-lynching legislation, repeal of poll taxes by constitutional amendment, and a “G.I. Bill of Rights” for Negro war veterans to protect them from lynching, discrimination and assure equal civil rights.