Life — May 31, 1928 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Berween now and November 6, this nation is going to enjoy the most sensa- tional presidential campaign in its history. Will Rogers is in the field! Four years ago, he received a scatter- ing of votes for the Democratic nomina- tion in the gruesome convention in Mad- ison Square Garden. On Election Day, of the same year, a considerable number of citizens throughout the country took the trouble to write Will Rogers’ name on the ballot. Since then, Rogers has been growing in strength steadily as a presidential can- didate. His extraordinary performance in the dle of Ambassador-Without-Port- folio has made a profound impression -on his countrymen. The American public is beginning to regard Will Rogers as the foremost crusader against the Demon of Bunk. Every straw vote that has been held in recent months has indicated an increasing popular sentiment for Will Rogers, and tor the principles of Humor, Humanity and Common Sense that Will Rogers fepresents. In the forest of presidential timber, Rogers stands out like a giant redwood in a grove of saplings. Six months ago, we formed tentative plans for the organization of a new party, dedicated solely and simply to the elim- ination of bunk. We invited Will Rogers to be its candidate, At first he refused to accept the nomination, on the ground that he might be elected. At length—in fact, last week—he decided to accept, and his first speech appears herewith. This campaign will be conducted un- der the auspices of Lire, and Will Rogers’ campaign speeches will be published every week in Lire’s pages. This will enable him to remain at his home and avoid the wear and tear, the back- slapping and hand-shaking, of a speak- ing tour. In next week's issue of Lire, Rogers will announce the basis of his platform, and in subsequent issues he will name the members of his cabinet, ask embar- rassing questions of the Republican and Democratic candidates and answer ques- tions that are directed at him. Don’t get the idea that this is all just a big joke. Read the accompanying key- note speech by Judge Lindsey, and you will realize that the Rogers Party has a serious purpose. Before this campaign is over, a lot of professional politicians will Has Started be tying to persuade Will Rogers not to make his humor so darned pointed. We need hardly add that we want vol- unteers for the Rogers Party. As Our Candidate explains in his speech of ac- ceptance, we can’t buy any votes, as we have no campaign funds. But we shall be glad to hear from all those loyal Amer- icans—and there are millions of them— who have become sick and tired of the words “Republican” and “Democrat,” and who don’t care to be burdened with either. The Rogers Party—unlike the other two partics—is open to the public at large. If you have any suggestions for platform planks, or for cabinet officers, or if you have any questions to ask of Our Candidate—send them to the Rogers Campaign Headquarters, 598 Madison Avenue, New York City. Join the Will Rogers Party now; seize a good front seat on the band-wagon; add your voice to the merry chorus that is going to laugh the bunk out of politics. This promises to be the most glorious Party ever thrown. Lire. The Following Representative Americans Have Indorsed * Will Rogers’ Nomination: HENRY ForD Haro_pb LLoyp NicHOLAS MuRRAY BUTLER Roy HowarpD GLENN H. Curtiss JuDGE BEN B. LINDSEY BaBE RUTH WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE CLARE BRIGGS GRANTLAND RICE GEN. WILLIAM MITCHELL RING LARDNER Rev. FRANCIS J. DUFFY TEX RICKARD CHARLES DANA GIBSON comicbooks.com