The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-18
National Committee Votes
to Decrease Number of
Southern Delegates
NOT PARTY LAW
UNTIL INDORSED
Subcommittee Appointed to Urge Inn
mediate Ratification of Action.
Protest by Southern Repre-
sentatives of No Avail

Washington. December 17--The repub-
lican national committee tonight con-
cldded its labor for reform In party pro-
eedure, and launched lis campaign for
a reunion of warning elements, by adopt
ing a resolution providing for a radical
change in the basis of representation in
national nominating conventions, which
would reduce the quota of southern states
from 80 to l6 per cent of the conventions
total
The action of the committee, criticised
in vigorous terms by several of its MEM
bers, but made unanimous before adj
journment, must be indorsed by states en-
titled TO cast a majority of votes in the
electoral college before 1t becomes party
law In order that such action shall be
taken as promptly as possible the commit
tee appointed a subcommittee of three
consisting OF Charles b. Warren of Miehi-
gan. Senator Borah of Idaho and Cover
nor Hatfield of West Virginia, to prepare
an address to the states urging immed-
late ratification of the proposal. This
address win be drawn up shortly after
the Christmas holidays, and leading mera-
bers of the committee expressed the hope
tonight that it would be met by early
action.
Approval by the states will insure a
call from the national committee for the
national convention of 1916, along the
lines laid down today.
Plan n Comnromise
The reorganization plan adopted came
as a compromise which reflected the
views of many committeeman that south
ern representation should be reduced, but
not brought to the vanishing point. The
resolution reads as follows:
Confident that the action of this com
mittee representing as 1t does, practically
the unanimous sentiment of the republi-
can electors of the states, will be ratified
by the republican electors OF the states;
BE it resolved. That this committee
shall issue call for the national con-
vention to be held in the year 1916 to
vice president in accordance with the
following basis of representation:
Each state shall be entitled in such
convention 10 IOuF dtltBdteS-dt-ldTBe, one
delegate-at-large for each representative
in Congress at large from any state; one
delegate from each congressional dis
trict; an additional delegate from each
congressional district In which the vote
either for republican presidential cleo
tors in 1908, or for the republican candi-
date for Congress in 1914. shall have been
not less than 1900 and that for each dele
gate chosen, alternate delegate shall
be chosen in the same manner and at the
same time to act in the absence of the
delegate.
provided, however, that the above
basis of representation shall not be made
the basis of call for the national con-
vention to. be held in the year 1916. un-
less prior to January l. 1915. republican
state conventions held under the laws OF
the states. or called by the republican
state committees of the states in such
number of states as are entitled to cast
a majority of the votes in the present cleo
toral college, shall ratify the action of
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