The U. S. Republican Convention, which opened at Philadelphia this week, appears to be running true to form, and though it was originally stated that no fewer than twelve entrants for nomination as candidates for the presidential election were originally put forward, the latest reports suggest that, at any rate for the moment, the tussle for preference is between former President Hoover, and Senator Robert A. Taft, of, Ohio. That does not necessarily mean that either of these two will ultimately become the Republican nomination as presidential candidate, for if the supporters of the two men arrive at a deadlock in which neither of them will give way, there is always the possibility of some "dark horse" eventually securing the nomination. That has happened in the past and a compromise candidate has been resorted to to solve the impasse. Thus it is interesting to note that at least one United States magazine regards Mr. Wendell Wilkie as the leading compromise candidate, and the "dark horse" to watch, despite the fact that he was originally a Democrat and only swung over to the Republicans in 1936. Roughly speaking the system of selecting the party's presidential candidate is by ballot. If no candidate gets a majority on the first ballot, each candidate must show in the succeeding ballots an increase to prove that he is gaining strength. Otherwise he must drop out. The Republicans in fourteen of twenty-one conventions have nominated their presidential candidate on the first ballot. The Democrats usually take longer, but they established their record when, in 1924, in New York City, 100 ballots were necessary before a decision was reached. The statement in the cable published yesterday, that the above-mentioned candidates took the lead over all other Republican aspirants, did not mean that they had secured anything in the nature of majorities, but that amongst the dozen entrants they were controlling the greatest individual support. By the time these lines appear in print the presidential candidate may have been selected, but, if he has not, further ballots will be necessary until either one of the present apparent favourites gains the day, or the votes for other candidates, who have been dropped out after each ballot, shall have become sufficient to secure the nomination of the compromise candidate.
The attitude of the Republican Party towards President Roosevelt, and the Democratic party, was clearly developed in the speech of Mr. Harold Stassen, Governor of Minnesota, in the keynote speech of the Convention. It follows along completely party lines, and embodies precisely those criticisms of President Roosevelt and his policy which were to be expected.t.Mr. Stassen charged the New Deal with neglect of national defence during the past seven years, while "the black shadow of despotism" spread over the earth. As a piece of political rhetoric it may sound all very well, but who was to realize seven years ago, when Herr Hitler had but reached office, that he was to forge Germany into the menace which now threatens the peace and security of the whole world? And if anyone had realized it, what earthly chance would he have had of convincing a world, unwilling to be convinced, that such was in fact the case? It may safely be said that it was not until the commencement of the past nine months that it was possible for the best informed American statesman to have had the slightest chance of awakening his countrymen to the dangers latent in the situation. If it was so difficult to arouse the public of Great Britain and France to the menace which was developing at their very doorsteps, how much more so would it have been io awaken the people of the United States to whom the developments in Europe until a very short while ago were of the merest academic interest? There is nothing in the past record of the Republicans to suggest that they would have been any the wiser than President Roosevelt, and the Democrats are alleged to have been, and while Mr. Stassen's charges may be effective platform oratory there is nothing in the history of the last seven years to indicate that they in any way amount to charges which will receive the favourable verdict of history. Indeed the general tenor of Mr. Stassen's address may with justice be held to have amounted to a declaration of how much better the Republican Party would have handled things as compared with the alleged inefficiency of the Democrats.
The committee responsible for drafting the platform on which the Republicans will go to the country at the presidential election, will find considerable difficulty in finding one which after all is not in the main just as acceptable to the opposing party. Apart from the apparent tendency to accuse the Democratic administration of negligence, ignorance and of drift towards war, the recommendations which the drafting committee are reported to have put forward up to the present are acceptable to voters of either political affiliation, and probably that large section of the electorate which at present stands committed to neither side. Thus the platform in general tends to advocate improvement of the New Deal, rather than to repeal it. It is condemned because it failed to secure adequate national defences, while President Roosevelt has been criticized for the "provocative" statements which he has made on international affairs, on the ground that they tended to involve the United States in the war. It is difficult for an outsider to understand exactly why he should so be condemned, for he did no more than did His Holiness the Pope is seeking to prevent the unleashing of forces that have struck such a blow in Europe, which did necessitate a fair degree of outspokenness. The Republican platform would appear to be going just as far in the tentative paragraph calling for peace with preparedness and pledging aid to "oppressed peoples" who are seeking liberty by resisting aggression. On the balance of the reports, which have come to hand up to the present, it seems as if the platform of the two parties will so closely approximate each other, that the way in which the electorate will vote may depend more upon the question of the personalities of the candidates than ever before. That may have a pr found effect upon President Roosevelt in making his final decision regarding his candidature for a third term of office, for if there is so little to choose between the party platforms as there appears at present the personalities of the two main opponents may Are Sun Spots Neutral The sun could hardly have chosen a more awkward time, in the neons of its existence, to come out in spots than the present. For reasons which are an open book to Siccawei Observatory and the Society of Electrical Engineers (China Branch and possibly other countries as well) whenever the sun breaks out into a rash there is in: erference, amounting to almost complete stoppage, of wireless transmission on the Earth, which is an incredible number of light miles away from the centre of this solar system, This is an in-fiction which could be borne with ease were the only news to be heard from Europe confined to the alleged entertainment fancied by the directors of the different broadcasting monopolies which exist there, But when there is important news—news upon which the fate of the Earth may well rest—it may be pardonable to ask: Is everything right with the universe? At the time of writing the Shanghai public of all nationalities, no matter on which side in the present conflict they are engaged. are anxiously awaiting news of what Mr. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, really did say about the French navy; while people are wondering what the French navy is doing or intends to do, no matter what Mr, Churchill has said about them; and while there is more than a suspicion that Hitler and Mussolini have already launched a blitzkrieg—then a certain amount of impatience against the Astronomer Royal, Father Gherzi, and whatever high authority looks after these things in Italy and Germany, can justifiably be felt, Was it not an Italian scientist who predicted these sun spots at precisely this time? One comfort the anxious supporters of the Allies can hug unto themselves, and that is there are just as many anxious supporters of the other side waiting to get answers to the same questions, All equally want the sun to get over its present malaise with as little delay as possible, so that the news can come through, If the deadlock lasts much longer, doubtless that school of news-mongers headed by Dr. Goebbels (Joseph of that ilk) may soon be inventing even more than they have been inventing~up to now—a development which might put more than a fair.strain on the inventive capacities of the countries which still believe that truth is the best form of propaganda, These British It has been the lot of Britons to read so much of the bad things which the Nazis have to say about the British Empire, that it is sometimes refreshing to read extracts from German works which have something more truthful to say. Thus Count Puckler of the "Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung" has written a book entitled "Wie Stark ist England?" from which the following passages are taken "The constitutional form of the British Empire has changed since and as a result of the World War. The former British colonial empire has developed into a league of freely affiliated independent States, a league sui genesis, a league unique in world history. It represents an original contribution by the British people to the political history of the world. The British Empire can best be described as a confederacy of States without any central executive power. (page 207 Eng. Ed.)
"The burden of Empire defence which rests on Great Britain in times of peace is small in relation to the extent of the Empire and its riches. The Dominions are responsible for their own defence, The remainder of the Empire is defended by Great Briton with her fleet, approximately 30 squadrons of aeroplanes on overseas service and about 92,000 men. That is the total strength of British troop units overseas.
"The fact that an Empire with a coloured population of over 400 million souls can be held With such weak military forces is a testimony to the brilliant British administrative talent. Throughout the whole of the British Empire, including all the Dominions, Great Britain herself and all her military garrisons overseas, there is a total standing army of only 441,000 men as against a total population of almost 500 million souls.
"Such a thing is possible because the British Empire is not like the old Roman Empire, and has not to be constantly defended against the Insurrection of oppressed peoples. The existence of the British Empire. is not being called into question from within," (page 225 Eng. Ed.)
The Dominion Governments conduct their own foreign policy; they conclude treaties and trade agreements with foreign States; and they maintain their own diplomatic representatives in a large number of foreign capitals.
There is nothing to prevent the Dominions from seceding from the Empire at any time.
In the Empire the Dominions are on a footing of complete constitutional equality with Great Britain.
The Government of India enjoys fiscal independence and concludes separate trade agreements with foreign countries.
Great Britain levies no tribute from India. On the contrary large grants have been made recently by Great Britain to India in order to assist in meeting defence expenditure.
Great Britain draws no tribute from the Colonial Empire, On the contrary, in spite of the burdens of war, she has just inaugurated a policy of social and economic development among Colonial peoples which will cost her Treasury £50 million spread over ten years Continual progress is being made In various parts of the Empire in the direction of Self-government for those territories which are ready for it, In territories inhabited by primitive or backward peoples (particularly in Africa) British administration by a system known as "Indirect Rule" is training these people in the art of managing their own local affairs in order that in due course they may stand on their own feet.
"The British Empire in its present-day form is an experiment, and it is recognized as such by Great Britain' too. The very fact, however, that experiments are being carried out and new forms of relationship between the member countries created is proof that the British Empire is a vital and vigorous association of peoples." (pages 223—4 Eng. Ed.)
Herr Hitler, himself, speaking before the Reichstag but fourteen months ago said "The Anglo-Saxon people has without doubt performed for the world an immeasurable work of colonizing. To this work I give genuine admiration. Thoughts of destroying this work seemed to me, and seem to me from the loftier standpoint of humanity only the offspring of human vandalism."
Herr Hitler can be so apt in his remarks at times!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.