Dumplin's and Dollars

Cadle Tabernacle and the State fair grounds in Indianapolis were arenas last week for 10,000 yowling old delegates to Dr. Francis E. Townsend's fourth annual

Old-Age Pension convention. Just a few weeks prior, the gaunt, grey doctor had at last driven his Plan to a vote in Congress, had seen it overwhelmed 302-to-97 (TIME, June 12). He now offered his followers to resign as their leader "when you find a superman* to take over the work."

"No! NO! NO!" shouted the oldsters. "Amen! We're back of you!"

Democratic Governor M. Clifford Townsend (no kin) of Indiana welcomed the conventioneers, advised them: "Make sure who are your true friends and who. are trying to ride on your shoulders. . . ."

Representative Pat Cannon of Florida shouted: "The masses have never lost a battle!"

Senator Gerald ("Neutrality") Nye of North Dakota shouted: "I defy anyone to attack the soundness of this general [transactions tax] principle."

Representative Martin Smith of Washington waved aloft $5,400,000,000 as the first year's yield from a 2% retail sales tax and 2% gross revenue tax on producers, wholesalers, etc., to be divided among 8,000,000 non-working pensioners over 60 who would spend $56.26 each per month.

The oldsters got so pepped up that they heaped $3,500 cash into a basket as a starter for Dr. Townsend's radio campaign fund. They chanted:

We will kill the old red roosters

For the folks who now are boosters

And well all have chicken dumplin's

When it comes!

Dr. Townsend's next strategy is to send oratorical squads called "trail blazers," ten men to a squad, into the districts of 53 Representatives who accepted his movement's support in the last election, then deserted at the showdown. This activity will be concentrated in the Great Lakes States. ("Why, 75% of the Congressmen west of the Mississippi are for us anyhow!") By election time next year, if he has campaign funds enough, the Doctor expects to have so spread the fear of oldsters that the next Plan vote in Congress will be different. For his radio fund he asked $1,000,000, raised dues to 1 1/2 per day. (Dues last year were 25-c- monthly, brought in only $153,147.) Secretary-Treasurer Robert C. Townsend (son) reported that the Townsend National Weekly ($2 per annum) finished the year with $32,103 surplus. The Townsend Foundation, a contingency fund raised by contributions and birthday balls, had a $28,315 surplus. "Time and tide are fighting with us!" shouted California's Senator Sheridan ("Ham & Eggs") Downey at the convention. But Dr. Townsend, who is 72, said that if neither the Republicans nor Democrats take over his cause nationally before long, he will form a third party. "We're getting tired of waiting," he shrilled.

Lest the Doctor die still waiting, the convention designated Son Robert to carry on after him.

*A crack at Harvey Smith, president of a Townsend Plan club in Covington, Ky., who claims to represent 1,000 clubs "dissatisfied with the way the movement is being run . . . by one man." Harvey Smith sued Dr. Townsend for squelching him, had him served on the platform with a summons.

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