The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-18
DIPLOMATIC POST
PLAN TO RELIEVE
. EMBARRASSMENT
McCombs Will Go to
Paris, but Under
Protest.
HIS PARTY PLANS
ARE NOT APPROVED
Elaborate Scheme of Organiza-
ton Frowned Upon by Wilson
and Bryan, While Enrnity
Toward McAdoo Is Added
Reason for President
Sending Him Abroad.
Especial to The rlmesDispatch.l ]

Especial to The Times Dispatch
New York, March 1T.-Wil,iam r.
McCombs. chairman of the Democrats
National Committee, has accented tho
ambassadorship to France under pro-
test This Is we'll known to his friends,
but Mr.. AfcCombs refused to talk about
it tonight. In fact, he immured him.
seit IN his apartment at the Hotel yan-
derbilt and refused either to receiya
reporters or to answer telephone calls
nave nothing to say about tt was
al ne would say to close friend who
met him, in the Wall Street district
soon after the announcement had come
from Washington that under the urc-G
ing OF President Wilson he had recon
sidercd his dcclination of tho Ioan;
post.
Only last week Mr. McCombs told
several friends of an elaborate scheme
Oh party organization which would
keep him busily engaged until tho
close OF tho Wilson administrations 1t
was because OF this he stated. that he
mad decided to decline the Prcsidents
profer of the post Mt Paris
Wilson Disapproves Plan.
:, II is Known now that the President
ulsapproved of Mr.. NrcCombs's organi-
Hation plan. one of tho features oe
%hlch was TO organize the party from
me White House down to the precinct
committeeman in every nook and GRANNY
y. TIE country. 1t is also limited that
William Jennings Bryan did NOT Inol-
with favor on the McCombs plan. He
and the national chairman have neyen
been on friendly terms
AT tho meeting of the national come
,nittee Inc day after President WiIson.a
inauguration, Chairman NIcCo,nbs ont
lined his ambitious scheme. which ,na,,
with no open opposition at the tjma
from any quarter. lie went so far as
oe .@ Haye ave thomas !. Pence. a close friend
Oh s,ecretary Josephus Daniels, elected
publicity agent with instruotious,
iorthwitb to open branch headounrtei,.,
In Washington and begin actively the
work of agitating the new plan. Nat
uraiiy. the news found its way quickly
TO the White House, and also tn ths
State Department..
Within n very few days after +bs
cHairnnan purpose became known an.
nouncement was made from the white
.,ouso or Ar McCombs's selection by
france.-the sole positive announce-
lneht thus far made OF the fIlins OF
any diplomatic post. In the diplomatic
service MI McCombs. of course, woulfl
,' ue u@nuer @ the immediate direction OF
the Secretary of State. who is under-
STOOD 10 have Interpreted the Mo
COMBS party organization scheme az
trauSht with danger to an import,nt
P,ank or tho Baltimore platform. whjrh
preuscu me candidate to Il single term.
vice under Secretary Bryan is n suhiact
upon which the national chairman,a
intimates are notably divided in onjn.
ion. ~ opih"
II goes without saying that il Mr..
McComhs goes to Paris as anha a,,dc,s
ne would not build the party orCan,
Hation along the close lines he had
Planned. even should he he perpittad
10 retain the charmanship. Hence. II
is generally assumed that as soon
L. a
to France the national chairmanshin
VIII pass from his hands to somebodv
else-possihly OF his selection, hut
even that is in doubt.
Not ON Friendly Terms.
William G. McAdos, Secretary of ths
Treasury, is vice chairman OF tho com
mittee, and 1t is said that he soon will
tender his resignation of that position
at tho behest of tho President and in
recognition OF Il fixed custom that nm
Cabinet officer shall hold office in tho
party's national organization. The re-
lations between the Secretary of tbo
treasury and the amba ssador- elect
have never been cordial since they be-
came officers on the committee
Dormant but natural jealoustes and
rivalries between them were fannefl
into flame by gossiping friends of each
during the campaign, The result was
that at the close of the presidential
night they were open enemies.
MI fG<AuOo now SltS at the side of
the President Mr. McCombs is re
ceived cordially at the White House.
but has not tho advantage OF the close,
and constant contact enjoyed by his
rival for tho presidential favor the
Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Nc
Combs soon will he separated from the
President by the width OF the Atlantic :
Ocean. His official communications
and advice to the government VIII
reach the White House through thu
State Department.
In his unique scheme OF political
organization Chairman McCombs had
planned to finance the organization =
wholly through the party's resources.
He estimated that the cost of organ
izing and of maintaining the orgapi-
zatfon would be about $4,000 a year.
This he had Intended TO raise by levy
ing tax upon the members OF tha
national committee. Each committees
man was to be assessed according tn
the size OF the Democratic vote In his
State. It was believed by the chair
man that this understanding soon
would engcnder such spirit of rivalry
and emulation among the committees
men that the obtaining of tho money.
needed would be more matter of de-
tail.
nnnHrnN ~ ~. .~-