TOWNSEND RENEWS
THIRD PARTY TALK
Doctor Says That One Will Be
Formed if Republicans Are as
Cold to Plan as Democrats.
DISAVOWS TIE TO BORAH
Has Not Pledged Organization
to Senator, He Stresses—Feels
'Personally Friendly.'
By The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES, March 23.—The threat of a Townsend pension plan third
party was revived tonight by Dr. Francis E. Townsend, author of the plan which
would give $200 a month to persons over 60 years of age.
He declared that if "the same coldness (to the plan) is displayed by the
Republicans as has been displayed by the Democrats, a third party, composed
exclusively of Townsend plan followers, will be formulated, with the avowed
purpose of shelving both Democrat and Republican parties perpetually."
Dr. Townsend announced yesterday he was changing his registration from
Democratic to Republican and spoke favorably of Senator Borah, Republican
Presidential candidate. he emphasized today, however, he had not pledged his
organization to support Senator Borah for the nomination.
Anything he does, he said, will be merely an expression of his personal
attitude.
"I am not trying to commit our organization to any one," Dr. Townsend
declared. "In politics, one can never know when a candidate's attitude may
change, and it is not my wish to be entangled by pledges.
Borah
"Only One Sympathetic"
"I have said Senator Borah was the only one to show sympathetic attitude
toward our movement, and naturally I personally feel friendly toward him."
"Townsend organizations everywhere," he added, "will continue the policy
of supporting the men for Congress who are unqualifiedly for the Townsend plan,
regardless of whether as candidates they are labeled Republican or Democrat.
"I am making no effort to regiment the members of the Townsend
organizations in an effort to throw the strength of those organizations to either
the Democrat or Republican parties. To attempt such a thing would repudiate the
action of the Chicago convention which distinctly reiterated the fact that the
Townsend groups were non-partisan.
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"The Townsend organization everywhere will continue the policy of
supporting the men for Congress who are unqualifiedly for the Townsend plan,
regardless of whether as candidates they are labeled Republican or Democrat."
Awaits Republican Stand
A signed statement issued today by Dr. Townsend goes on to state:
"Townsend further asserts that whatever action he takes relative to
registration or voting will be merely as an expression of his personal attitude
and cannot in any manner be interpreted as an attempt to coerce the voters of his
organizations against their will. He does not expect from this administration in
the future any change in attitude in this regard.
"He hopes that there is still a possibility of the Republicans showing
amore favorable attitude, but he is not pinning implicit faith in such action on
the part of the Republicans.
"He announces emphatically that in the event the same coldness is
displayed by the Republicans as has been displayed by the Democrats, that a third
party, composed exclusively of Townsend plan followers will be formulated, with
the avowed purpose of shelving both democrat and Republican parties perpetually."
Borah 'Glad to Have Support'
WASHINGTON, March 23 (AP).—Senator Borah said today that he
was glad to have the support of Dr. Townsend.
Dr. Townsend's statement was interpreted by representative
McGroarty,
Democrat, of California as clinching the Republican nomination for the Idahoan.
"It was the biggest helping hand Borah has yet received," Said Mr.
McGroarty, sponsor of the Townsend legislation in the
House.
"In my mind, this makes certain the nomination of Borah at Cleveland
because the Townsenders will be swayed, without a doubt, by Dr. Townsend's choice
of the senator.
"Borah now becomes the candidate of all those Townsenders who are
Republicans. All the West will send Borah delegations to Cleveland and so will, I
think, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, even Pennsylvania and Certainly New York."
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