Word: townsend
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Less than two-thirds of the delegates were over 60, for the Townsend Plan also appeals to young citizens with parents or other aged relatives to support, but to impartial eyes Secretary Clements' audience seemed as likely a collection of prospects as an undertaker could find outside Old Folks Home. Nonetheless their numbers and zeal served notice that the Townsend dream still lived, warned Congressmen to expect another wave of letters and petitions when they reconvene in January. The convention also introduced to the nation the man who, out of good Dr. Francis E. Townsend's misty imaginings...
Messiah. A painting of Dr. Townsend stood last week at the head of the stairway to the Stevens' Grand Ballroom and pictures of him sold fast at 50? apiece. With the pleasant-faced little woman who was a widow with seven children when he married her, the gaunt, grey, gentle one-time country doctor moved among his followers receiving the reverence accorded an authentic Messiah. He it was who first had the gleam which promised to give old people ease, young people jobs, drive poverty from the land forever. Since early last summer he and Mrs. Townsend traveling mostly...
Turning to less exalted matters Dr Townsend mentioned the need of "a half million dollars per month" to carry the gospel to the East & South, offered his followers a homely example: "Mrs. Townsend and I ... meet our club dues liberally by the simple expedient of refusing to part with any pennies that come into our possession until 'dues day' and then turn in our collection of red money. Thus for this month more than 200 Indianhead coins have come into our possession...
Finally Dr. Townsend arrived at a matter which has lately rankled deep in his generous heart: "And now, my friends let ; admonish you against insidious and hurtful propaganda that may arise within your ranks. The very rapid development to our organization ... has made it inevitable that inefficiency and selfish ambition and even rank dishonesty should find lodgment among us Some [local] leaders...
Thus did good Dr. Townsend brave thick-flying charges that he and National Secretary Clements have turned their great dream into a pious racket...