Frank Knox, Presidential Possibility, Expects Republican Victory in 1936

All odds favor a substantial Republican victory at the polls this November, in the opinion of Colonel Frank Knox, Chicago newspaper publisher and aspirant for the G. O. P. nomination.

Commenting on Senator Borah's entry in the Illinois primaries, Knox said, "The whole thing is a joke. Washburn (Robert M. Washburn of Massachusetts, Republican Senatorial nominee in 1934) is the man who put Borah into the Illinois race. We won't have any trouble winning that one."

An Original Anti-New Dealer

The Chicago newspaper publisher was undecided whether he would enter any of the other Presidential primaries besides Ohio and his home state. Knox has consistently opposed the New Deal, although he supported the President's early moves towards a balanced budget. He was one of the original anti-New Dealers to attract nation wide attention as a possible Republican nominee.

"I would like to see the Republican party take over intact the planks in the 1932 Democratic platform relating to a balanced budget, sound currency, reduction in governmental expenditures, and abandonment of the policy of crop restriction for agriculture," the Colonel declared. He was one of the first to advocate that the Republican party adopt as part of its platform those Democratic planks which President Roosevelt has failed to carry out.

Southern Revolt Doubtful

The possibility of Governor Talmadge's revolt giving the electoral vote of the South to the Republican party seems remote to Knox, although he said, "I believe that Florida, North Carolina, and Texas are very doubtful at the present time, and that there is a good chance for them to swing to the G. O. P. column in November. Furthermore, although this is just speculation, I believe that Al Smith's speech in Washington lost at least a million votes for Roosevelt."

Turning to agriculture, the Chicagoan attacked the proposed farm bill now pending in Congress as "Just another way to get around the Supreme Court decision invalidating the A. A. A. The new bill gives a virtual blank check to Secretary Wallaco to continue his economy of scarcity'."

Farm Plan

Knox said he favored former Governor Lowdon's plan of subsidies to farmers administered by state agricultural and land grant colleges. He declared that this was the only way to administer agricultural policies without making the farmer subject to bureaucratic centralization at Washington. This plan was originally put forward by Herbert Hoover, speaking at Lincoln, Nebrasks, on January 16 of this year.