Bidding Begins

Philadelphia stepped up last week as first bidder for the Republican National Convention next June. Mayor Harry Arista Mackey and Pennsylvania's Senators Reed and Davis led a delegation to Washington, extended their formal invitation to Chairman Simeon Davison Fess of the Republican National Committee. Senator Fess was told that a 15,000-seat convention hall awaited the Republican delegates, that ample hotel space could be reserved and that rates would not be upped. More important was Mayor Mackey's statement that Philadelphia was ready to meet any "financial proposition" the G. O. P. required for convention expenses.

Keen is the rivalry among big cities for the nominating conventions of the two great parties. In practice the national committees meet in December and auction off their party gathering to that city which, political considerations being equal, makes the highest cash bid. Hotel men, merchants, local politicians contribute to a municipal purse which goes to the national committee as a subsidy. The bidding price for conventions averages well above $200,000. Ample time is allowed for political wire-pulling before the committee makes its choice. Kansas City paid $160,000 for the 1928 G. 0. P. convention and even then did not get it until a potent Democrat, Jouett Shouse, now chairman of his party's executive committee, had used his influence for his home city. Theoretically the bidders get their money back from the spendings of the delegates, but Clevelanders lost heavily in 1924 when the convention that nominated Calvin Coolidge lasted barely three days. Houston paid $225,000 for the Democratic convention in 1928, New York $250,000 in 1924.

Philadelphia's opening bid last week spurred Atlantic City to enter the auction. Republican Congressman Isaac ("Ike") Bacharach took Chairman Fess to the Atlantic City Rotary Club to see the resort's attractions. A direct appeal to President Hoover to have himself renominated in New Jersey was planned. When Mayor Mackey heard of this rival agitation, he told Senator Fess: "If you go to Atlantic City, the delegates will be ballyhooing around all night and bathing all day."

Politically national conventions are steered toward doubtful States where they will do the party the most good in publicity and local pride. Philadelphia is handicapped because it is in indubitably Republican Pennsylvania.-- The Midwest is the most favored locale.

--For the same reason, no Pennsylvanian has been nominated by the Republicans for President or Vice President since the founding of the party in 1854.

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