The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, June 12, 1936, Page 5

. THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE, FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1936 ‘Use Common Sense in Government’ Is Alf Landon’s Creed 5 Governor Landon’s Family < A> APPLIES BUSINESS METHODS T0 MAKE ' BUDGETS BALANCE Party Workers Howled When He Started Cleaning Out Loafers in Offices STRAIGHTFORWARD MRS. LANDON WINS LOVE OF NEIGHBORS Republican Nominee’s Wife Is Unaffected, Sincere and Unafraid Topeka, Kan., June 12.—Gov. Alfred, ‘Mossman Landon of Kansas will car- i the Republican presidential banner Will this quiet and unassuming state executive win over the nation’s voters and return the G. O. P. to power? The cotton-growing farmer in the south and the wheat and corn-pro- ducing agrarian of the middle-west ask these questions. Many business men opposing the NRA, the AAA, the HOLC, the WPA, and all other alphabetical agencies make similar inquiries. The industriaist and the Seated with Governor governor tunes make him the next president, banker, the laborer and the profes- daughter Peggy Ann, upper left; Mrs. Landon, upper right; beside she would be the youngest mistress sional man want to know more about the governor are John Cobb and Nancy Jo. of the White House since Grover Topeka, Kas., June 12.—The young- est of the 1936 First Ladies possibilities’ is delightful 36-year-old Mrs. Theo Cobb Landon, wife of Gov. Alf M. Lan- don of Kansas. Should political for- Alf, M. Landon, of Kansas, are his Cleveland installed his 22-year-old bride there, and her two young child- ren would be able successors to Sistie and Buzzie Dall, the presidential grandchildren who have rounded out the family life at the executive man- sion. Theo Landon’s friends and neigh- bors expect her accession to the White House would convert that august res! dence into one of the neighborly spots of the nation, for, they insist, she takes after her father, Sam Cobb, long a Topeka financial power. What they mean is that, like her father, she is Straightforward, unaffected, sincere and unafraid. Not given to “palaver- ing” with people, never “putting up & front” and never, under any circum- stances, showing off. She is a most attractive person, slender and of medium height, with dark eyes and hair and a dimple in her right cheek. It’s the dimple, they say, which first captured Alf Lan- don’s admiratoin. He was a widower with a nearly grown daughter, Peggy Anne, when they met. Married in 1930 they have added to the family Nancy Josephine, 3, and John Cobb or “Jack,” 2. Peggy Anne, 19, is a sophomore in Kansas University. Mrs. Landon is a harpist. She long played regularly at home and at oc- casional social affairs, but nowadays she plays chiefly to accompany the childish voices of Nancy Jo and Jack when they sing before going to bed. Has Fine Sense of Humor Her greatest delight is telling little stories concerning the children’s say- ings and doings. She has a *keen sense of humor that Nancy Jo’s habit of making candid comment on any peculiarity shown by visitors at the executive mansion puts severly to the test. A gentleman caller wearing spats and carrying a cane was the lat- est victim. Nancy Jo didn’t hesitate to say she didn’t like the ensemble. Usually Mrs. Landon breakfasts with the children and spends most ot the morning with them. She has luncheon with the governor and his F |guests. During the past few months, Landon. He is slightly above medium height, stocky and broad of shoulder. He has @ square jaw, a firm mouth that breaks into an easy smile, and blue- gray eyes. His forehead is furrowed and his hair iron-gray. He won the Kansas gubernatorial Yace in 1932 against Harry Woodring, now assistant secretary of war, while Roosevelt was carrying the state against Hoover. He demonstrated that. this victory was not @ fluke or politi- cal freak by repeating last year. Practiced Economy ‘When he campaigned, he promised Kansans that he would apply com- mon sense methods of government if elected. He promised to reduce the cost of government, wipe out all un- necessary bureaus, and stop wastage of public funds. The per capita cost of government in Kansas in 1929 was $71. Today it is $51. General property taxes have been decreased 32 per cent. State and local revenues have been reduced trom $124,000,000 to $97,000,000, “Oh, yes,” Landon admitted, “there ‘was quite a howl from party workers. I told them that if the way to pros- perity was to give everyone a job in the government, then my job would be easy.” During the first 10 weeks of his first administration, Landon wielded the pruning knife with facility. Bureaus were eliminated or consoli- dated and waste was wiped out. Job holders who drew fat salaries for sitting in swivel chairs with their feet on desks were rudely booted out of office. Alf. M. Landon, governor of Kansas and today nominee of the Republican party for president, is acquainted with the proverb, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Two a romping youngsters keep Governor Landon from Next to his family, horseback riding provides the Kansas gov- ernor’s chief diversion. But the family comes first. After a hard day at the office, Alf Landon briefly sheds the cares of being a depression governor and a leading national candidate possibility. His two children, John Cobb, 2 years and Nancy Jo, 3'2 bri help divert attention from oppressive economic and political problems. Evening strolls are a habit with the governor. Last autumn he could be seen getting his airing with a tiny figure trudging along on either side. When cold weather set in, this was changed to a romp in the big executive mansion living room and perhaps a short auto ride. While there was snow, the auto ride was sometimes changed to a sleigh ride. Frequently guests at the mansion were taken along to ride behind Dobbin and the bells. ‘When Nancy Jo was born, Candidate Landon was dubbed “Lucky Landon.” He had won the Kansas Republican governorship nomina- tion, a healthy brown-eyed daughter, and a gushing oil well all- in one week. John Cobb was born at the close of the Landon’s first year at the executive mansion. He is a sturdy little youngster today. The gov- ernor, who was a prep school football player but had to give up college football because of severe shoulder injuries, smilingly tells his old college friends that John Cobb will collect the Landon football glory. Peggy Ann, 18, is a sophomore at Kansas university. The gov- ernor frequently is her escort to football games and basketball games. She is the only child of a first marriage. The first Mrs. Landon died in 1918, and Peggy Ann was a young woman when Alf Landon was married to Theo Cobb in 1930. ‘Theo Cobb Landon is in charge of the Kansas executive mansion ae She is a gracious hostess and an extemplary mother and wife, all in one. ‘These are the home ties that help divert Governor Landon from state problems and from interviewing political visitors every night Minds Own Business as well as each day. | In Younger Years Such an unorthodox method natur- i Tear aS , Landon Boomers ih ———————— ally horrified the professional poli- . | ‘ticlan, but if it hurt Landon politi- cally it did not show in his second campaign. His first victory against ‘Woodring was by a scant 6,000 votes, while his second triumph last year was by 63,000 votes. He lost only 15 of 105 counties. “I have only one predominant Go Built Up With Care Loyal Friends Kansas Governor's Candidacy Pp by Cleveland, June 12—From little known prairie state politician to a front seat on one of the gaudiest con- vention bandwagons of recent times, all in one year. ‘That's the success story of Alf Lan- don of Kansas, and the details of how it all happened were the awe of dele- gates as wave after wave of rumor of “Landon on the first ballot” swept the convention city. Like many things which seem to have “just happened,” the Landon boom didn’t “just happen” at all. There was good, solid powder in it, but don’t think the priming wasn’t carefully adjusted, the fuse nicely set, and the match assiduously’ applied. Two years ago, newspaper read- ers noted a small paragraph in the political news, to the effect that Kan- sas had re-elected a Republican gov- ernor. H'm! Not only elected in 1932, but the only Republican gover- nor to be re-elected amid the 1934 Democratic landslide! H’m! Oh, well, Kansas always was naturally Republi- an, wasn’t it? Who Is This Landon? ‘The modest suggestion by a Kansas City paper at that time, that this made Landon a Republican presiden- tial possibility, caused practically not even a mild ripple. Landon? Lan- don? So the winter of 1934-5 slid by, with never a further mention of Landon except by an occasional correspond- ent, desperate for a “political dope story,” who noted that Landon was the only Republican governor who looked like campaign material at all. ‘The country let Landon lapse back into what Grover Cleveland became famous for calling innocuous desue- tude. But a certain group of Kansas City friends of the governor, mostly news- papermen, did not forget. The Kan- sas City Star’s managing editor, Roy Roberts, a college chum of Landon, and Lacy Haynes, Star political ex- pert, were prominent among them. They never quite let the Landon idea die in their own paper. They had friends throughout the country. Roberts had been a widely known Washington correspondent. Landon Acquires Manager In the meantime, Landon had pulled off a little coup of his own which strengthened his home de- fenses. When Landon was breaking into politics as campaign manager for the liberal Clyde Reed, the opposing manager for the conservative group was one John Hamilton of Topeka, @ good-looking young law teacher and legislator. This rivalry between Landon and Hamilton continued after Reed's elec- tion as governor, and Hamilton even prevented Landon’s election as pre- cinct committeeman in one contest. guests have been plentiful at the exec- But shortly after Landon’s first elec- thought now,” Landon says, “and that is to mind my own business. After all, @ governor does have to work. Kan- sas has balanced its budget, lowered taxes, and met every relief need. In addition, we experienced three ma- jor disasters: drouth, dust storms, and floods. “My political philosophy decrees that I shall never worry about my political future and I am sticking by that creed now.” i After graduation from the Kansas ‘University School of Law in 1906, Landon entered the banking business in “Independence, his home town. ‘Then he became an independent oil producer and the business principles he has learned in banking and oil have been applied to government. Sees Foreign Trade Need He endorses part of the AAA, but believes the major error is the inat- tention given to a restoration of for- eign markets through which the farmer benefited. “Industry and agriculture must be balanced and foreign trade revived before there can be any farm relief,” he contends. “I cannot agree that any plan utive mansion, important personages coming from far and near to interview ‘the Kansas “budget balancer.” Most of her afternoons are taken up by social or official engagements. -a| When free to do so, she goes to her ;|mother’s house and chats with neigh- bors who constantly drop in. She crochets and knits and has recently finished making brother and sister suits for Jack and Nancy Jo. Collects American Glass An enthusiast over antiques, her col- lection of luster ware and early Am- erican glass is one of the finest in the state. The Cobb home is an eight- room house comfortably furnished and possessing that “hominess” so grati- fying to the visitor. In the corner of the living room is a large cupboard holding Mrs. Landon’s collection of luster. Many of the pieces were given to her by the governor on various an- niversaries. In the evenings, if there are no call- ers, Governor and Mrs, Landon talk and read until bedtime. These eve- nings together are their happiest Mrs. Landon is a graduate of Wash- burn college, Topeka, and a trustee of the college. Her sorority is Delta \Gamma. She is a member of the American Association of University ‘Women and of a few local clubs. Aids Childrens’ Charities On Nancy Jo's birthday, July 29, Mrs. Landon gives a party for child- ren at the Provident association. On Easter children from the Topeka orph- anges are invited to an egg rolling on the executive mansion lawn. When the Children’s theater gives its per- formances numerous children are sent tickets by Mrs, Landon. She is interested in sports, but doesn’t participate in any. She plays for farm products is feasible or ad- visable, for the simple reason that man cannot control the forces of na- ture. Until man can control the weather, it is folly to control farm ” says the governor. Waste in the AAA and other ad- ministration bureaus and from ex- tation and high-selaried tatives,” Landon And where is the Forgotten Man today? “The Forgotten Man is still doesn’t worry her. She can cook a meal, if she cares to, but as she points out, “why do so when I have a Poek. NPR can cook a far better meal partly “Relief Alfred M. Landon the baby and the youth is shown in these two pictures from the family album. Government to Close Loaning Under HOLC and that the chances for victory next| Washington, June 12—(#)—The fed- year are good. “Roosevielt can't be beaten?” “Wait and see.” getting its $3,000,000,000 back again. lending books close officially The ail otar’ Matias 1 heer Wit at midnight and officials of the ers—and I heard it in many sec- | « tling near Independence. first elective office, but without political experience. He campaigned for Governor|speeches,” he jull Moose cam- insisted. f Hu man and the indus-|was made available to more beginning to see that the | 1,000,000 home owners. of 7.” \N, D, State College ay Hi 5 recovery. Expt o 4 r tion as governor, David Mulvane, vet- eran national committeeman, died. And Landon was big enough, or foxy enough, as you choose, to name his old rival Hamilton as national com- mitteeman. The breach was healt and Kansas Republicanism became a unit instead of a divided camp of old Bull Moose and conservative, with highly individualistic wings adhering to Senator Arthur Capper and to Pub- lisher William Allen White. Landon had closed up his home front, and also provided himself with a very astute campaign manager. Came the end of the fiscal year. Kansas had balanced her budget. So had several other states. But some- thing about Kansas and budget-bal- ancing seemed to go together, and Landon was chosen to make a speech about it for the National Economy league. How Boom Began Almost immediately Landon and balanced budget, Landon and econ- omy in government became synony- mous. This was midsummer of 1935. All this was right down the alley of Publisher William Randolph Hearst, who had been bitter in de- nunciation of government spending. He sent investigators to Kansas and combed the Landon record. Finding it clean, he threw all his publicity resources, newspaper, magazine, news- reel, and radio, into the now mount- ing Landon boom. ‘William Allen White, “the sage of Emporia,” whose political judgments are known and respected in the prairie states and nationally, now en- dorsed Landon as the Republican Jan indifferent game of bridge, and it |fo rit were directly solicited, but there un- doubtedly were a few personal strings pulled, It was still all talk. Not a shadow of organization beyond this personal but incessant activity of friends. They had never stopped writing to every- one they could think of, inside and outside the state. On Oct. 1, 1935, Oscar Stauffer, publisher of a chain of Kansas and ‘Missouri papers, called a meeting in a Kansas City club of Kansas pub- active committee for Landon. It started work Oct. 15, sending out let- ters and literature, mostly reprints of newspaper articles, in response to in- quiries, No contributions of more than $500 Landon Boom Is no Accident; It’s Masterpiece of Planning FISCAL CONDITION OF GOVERNMENT 0 BE BIG CAMPAIGN ISSUE GOP to Stress Roosevelt Orgy of Spending 11 Billions Without Results (Copyright, 1936 by David Lawrence) Cleveland, Ohio, June 12.—This has been a dignified, earnest, pur- poseful convention—neither a carni- val nor a circus nor a spectacular show. The crowds in the galleries wanted amusement, combat, demonstrations. But the delegates who came to the Republican convention were for the most part serious-minded men and women who were more business-like than theatrical. Hence some news- paper accounts will discuss how the affair “dragged,” how “dull” it was and how lacking in “color.” But when the serious problems of the nation are considered there is no time for fun-making and the absurd parades of banners and artificially stimulated demonstrations. This convention came here to pick the man who seemed best equipped to win votes and capture the election. ‘They believe Landon is that man. The delegates exude a confidence of triumph in November which was quite ® surprise to “defeatist” writers who have assumed the election was all over and that the Roosevelt-Farley ticket would not even have to make ® campaign. Finance Is Prime Issue While the platform covered many topics, the conversations among the delegates indicate clearly that they mean to make the prime issue of this campaign—the fiscal condition of the government and the reckless spend- iB. The keynote is “three long years,” which was taken up by the delegates as a theme song. It refers, of course, to President Roosevelt's speech of March 10, 1933, in which he said: “For three long years the federal govern- ment has been on the road to bank- ruptey.” Mr. Roosevelt in that message to congress, referred to the deficits of the Hoover administration and said that, with the year 1934, they would amount to $5,000,000,000. Now it turns out that the deficits of the Roosevelt administration will amount to $11,000,- 000,000. There is little comfort in deficits anyway, but the argument is that, if the Roosevelt administration has produced recovery, why have the deficits risen and why are they con- tinuing after recovery is here or well on the way? Have Learned to Count Some of the Democrats are already saying that, if the Republicans want to make an issue of “three long years,” it can be Hoover's three long years, too. But the Republicans are answer- ing that the American people have learned how to count and that eleven billions is more than twice as much as five billions, especially when re- covery is supposed to have become an accomplished fact. There is no doubt that facts and fig ures on the government spending, con- stitute’ the most vulnerable point in Democratic armor. Obviously the “smear Landon” campaign is already in the making at Democratic publicity headquarters, which believes in that sore of thing. Likewise there will be flaws to pick in the Republican plat- form, though, to be sure, the Demo- crats have paid little attention to their 1932 platform, so they can hardly have much debate on platform principles. The so-called liberalism or progres- sivism is too abstract to bring into un- derstandable terms, just as constitu- |tionalism is hardly likely to become sufficiently concrete for stump speech- es. There is, on the other hand, a tendency here to make an issue of what is described as Roosevelt dic- tatorship, with coercionist practices in government as the target of attack. So much for the purely political warfare. The disinterested bystander will grieve at the way conventions do their work—both Republican and Democratic. It is much too hurried and confusing. The last-minute compromises to get agreement in the resolutions committee are tragic. But that’s the convention system as it has gone on for generations. Rural Church Notices Driscoll Lutheran Church Services, 11 o'clock a. m. Luther League 8 o'clock p. m. Zion Lutheran Church Services at 3 o’codck p. m. OLAF A. ANDERSON, Student Assistant in Charge. Caution Cools Landon Slant on Vital Issues Leader in GOP Race Speaks Freely on Most Questions But ‘Not Ready’ on All; Doesn’t Profess to Go Off Half-Cocked in Ideas Frazier Hunt, world famous reporter for NEA service and special correspondent for The Bismarck Tribune, visited with Governor Landon in Topeka a few days before the Republican national convention. He asked him 10 questions. Here are the questions and here are Governor Landon’s answers: 1 Do you favor balancing the budget? If so, do you advocate ( ) reducing relief expenditures or increasing taxes? If by taxes, what kind? ‘We should move towards balancing the budget as rapidly as possible. Let us put relief on an efficient basis so the money appropriated for it will serve its proper purpose. There are plenty of places where money is being wasted on needless experiments so that we can make the required reductions. pee Pate 2 Should relief be by direct cash payments or as wages? ( ) Should relief be paid for and administered by the federal government or by the states, or both? ‘What the young people of America really need and earnestly desire is not relief, but opportunity. The first thing that ought to be done, is to find out what the requirements actually are and what is wrong with the pres- ent set-up. Let us have the truth about it, whatever it is. The people are entitled to know the facts about these enormous expenditures of their money. Not that they begrudge what is necessary, but that they want it properly used. When we have the facts, we must provide an honest and effective relief system, administered so that the money will go to those who need it and deserve it, free from political strings. We need desperately a cheaper, simple and more responsible relief administration throughout our Union. Federal financial aid was obviously necessary in our recent emergency, but every community knows best how to care for its own. The federal relief program has lacked the flexibility to meet local conditions. In many cases, the way it has been carried out has denied aid to truly deserving. In other instances it has encouraged too many to become chronic indigents. There are cruel implications in the present program. Two changes are imperative. One is the decentralization of relief. The other calls for encouragement to the person who is trying again to become self-supporting. waicore (3 How should the problem of permanent unemployment and care of the aged and unemployed be handled? ‘We must first have a change in attitude and politics that will give en- couragement to the person who is trying again to become self-supporting. All this continuous experimenting and piling up of one uncertainty onto another, keeps business upset and holds back undertakings that would bring more jobs. For more jobs is the only real solution to the relief prob- ems, jobs that will allow people to keep their self-respect and plan for their own and their children’s future. There is no future on the relief roll. Em- ployment comes from the common conviction that the American system of representative government is secure. Confidence is far more important than the exploitation of a multiplicity of pretentious plans which do not work. Solving this problem of unemployment and old age pensions is both humane and economic and we shall solve it in spite of our past neglect and recent well-intended but utterly unworkable, hastily thrown together, make- shift legislation. The obligation to protect old age lies straight before us. aoe Do you favor further devaluation of the dollar or stabil- (4) ization at present gold content? Do you believe in any form of currency change, currency inflation or credit inflation, a return to the gold standard, the remonetization of silver or a man- aged currency? NOT ANSWERED. See footnote*. eee (5) Do you favor any program whose aim is to control or fix wages, working hours or a shorter work week? I am opposed to any program aimed at the control of wages for ¥ feel this would be unfair to labor. Our steady tendency has been towards shorter working hours and I believe this tendency will continue. There should be government regulation, wherever regulation keeps opportunity open and protects, not hampers, the people as a whole in the exercise of their rights. I'm thinking of such things, for example, as the protection of childhood and of women in industry, working men’s compensation, enforcement of sanitary conditions, proper lighting and ventilation, compulsory safety de- vices on machinery, and reasonable working hours. Now, if you will expand this definition to cover all sorts of anti-social practice, you will see what I am driving at. eee (6) Do you favor an amendment to the constitution authoris- ing the federal government to deal with economic and social problems, national in scope, or of limiting the courts as to their right to declare laws of congress unconstitutional? NOT ANSWERED. See footnote*. eS (7) Do you favor modification or suspension of the anti-trust laws to enable businessmen to get together: (a) To agree on trade practices; (b) To agree on labor relations; (c) To agree on control of production; (d) To attempt to fix prices? NOT ANSWERED. See footnote eee (8) What is your remedy for the farmer? Do you favor the curtailment of production, industrial or agricultural? I agree with ex-Governor Frank O. Lowden that as long as we have @ tariff on industrial and certain farm products, those producers of sur- plus farm crops are entitled to something that gives them its full equivalent on the domestic share of their production. ie (9) Are you in favor of the policy of making reciprocal trade cig Sepnties fo: cereurate foreign trade or reduce tariff walls? e tariff sho andled in such a manner American standard of living and the American erohas Fernberigt a ever, attempt to reopen, so far as possible while maintaining the above consideration, these blocked channels of international trade. —o—— (10) Do you favor a policy of public power development; the continuance or expansion of T. V. A., and control of utili- ties through the utilities holding company act? NOT ANSWERED. See Footnote*, *NOT ANSWERED, Landon explained, because he vii answers to some such auestions asked by other newspapermen ood We and because his mind was still open about the exact answers. at 2 p. m. he will speak at Watford City and is scheduled to talk again at 8 p. m. at Parshall. Talks at 2 p. m. Wednesday at Stanley and 8 p. m. the same day at ‘Minot will conclude the series. Olson Is Continuing Nomination Campaign | Ole H. Olson, Eddy county farmer and Progressive Democratic candi- | date for the North Dakota guberna- torial nomination in the June 24 pri- | Disclose Dead Man , opened a series of ten ak r ing engagements Friday ec at Tried to Hang Self Lake Juanita. — Saturday he is scheduled to talk at 2 p. m., at Jamestown and Sunday at the same time will address an audi- ence at the Mouse River Park, north of Minot. Olson will talk at three different points on Monday. He will be heard at 11 a. m., at Wildrose, appear at Crosby at 2 p. m. the same day and talk at 8 p. m. that evening at Wil- liston. Two talks each on Tuesday and ‘Wednesday will bring the speaking tour to @ close. Tuesday afternoon Grand Forks, June 12.—(?)—Inves- tigation of the death of Louis Under- , dahl, 52, killed by a train two days ~ ago, brought the disclosure by Fargo police he recently had tried to hang himself while in jail there. Under- dahl was said to have relatives in ‘Kenyon, Minn. He was a member of the Fargo American Legion post. —EEE—EE———EEEeEE——E——E—EE Pigg own pet love sl G e Harvest of Esta Save Father’s Face He has suffered all these years from razor cuts, scratches, in-grown hairs, etc. A SCHICK DRY SHAVER will give him shaving comfort the rest of his days— Rian So onay sobeete £ Sold on 80 Days’ Approval Remember, Sunday the 21st Is ~ Father’ s Day —PHONE