New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-12
Wilson Flatly Told His
Son-in-Law Can't Be
National Chairman.
so THE SECRETARY
is NOT CANDIDATE
Committee Wants Cummings.
but President May Insist on
Choice of Lynch.
- /. s,ar co--,.no,t-nt ., Il. r,,,,,,.

It. Louis, June 1l.-William G. Nc
Adoo viii not be the new chairman Of
the Democratic National Committee. be-
cause the leading members Of that body
sent word TO President Wilson that
they would not stand for the selection
OF his son-in-law The Secretary of the
Treasury wanted the place, and the
President wanted him to get it, but a
rebellion broke loose in the ranks of
the Democratic leaders and the Presi.
dent capitulated Mr. McAdoo has
issued statement saying he would
not take the place, but the real story
Is that he could not get it if he wanted
it, except after a fight that would tear
the Democrats TO pieces.
The story Of the efforts 10 make Mr..
McAdoo chairman of the national COM
mittee Is one Of the choice pieces Of
gossip that have filtered through the
lobby OF the Jefferson Hotel here. II
starts with the meeting Of the sub
committee Of the national committee
here 10 make arrangements for the con-
vention and select its officers. They
rad barely started 70 talk things over
when word was sent out from Wash
lngton that Ex-Governor Glynn Of New
York had been chosen as temporary
chairman of the convention. The mem
bers Of the subcommittee did not know
that Mr.. 0lynn had been selected until
they read IL IN the newspapers.
The subcommittee members did not
Ike the idea of making the announce
ment from Washington, but being loyal
Democrats they took the medicine
brsvely. Another day had barely
passed, however, when the announce
ment came from Washington that Sen
ator Ollie James had been selected as
permanent chairman. Then the COM
mitteemen began 10 get mad. They
asked one another what they were
meeting for. one or more suggesting
that II Washington was running the
show there was no necessity for them
20 do any work. Cooler heads pre-
vented anything drastic by the sub
committee. however. and the announce
ment from Washington Of Senator
James's selection was swallowed as that
Of Ex-Governor Glynn had been.
Then the Final Straw.
Then the committee got down to work
again, when word came from Wash.
ington that Mr.. McAdoo would be chos-
on chairman Of the national commit
tee 90 succeed William F. McCombs,
who had announced that he would not
seek reelection. This was the straw
that broke the camels back. The mem
bers Of the Subcommittee. with one ac-
cord, went up in the air" and there
was unanimous agreement that some
thing had TO be done right away TO put
a check on Washington.
"The only thing we have left 20 do is
10 give out the tickets for the conven-
tiOn,'. one Of the irate committeeman
declared, "and f something is not done
right away Washington will take on
that job, too"
One of the members Of the committee
was delegated 10 get in touch with
Washington by telephone and inform
the President that under no. circum-
stances would the committeeman stand
for the selection OF Mr. McAdoo.
The logic of the situation apparently
appealed 20 President Wilson. for Sec
rotary McAdoo was told to announce
that he was not candidate for chair
man.
Lynch May Be the Choice.
so one knows yct who the new chair
man viii be- The selection viii not be
made until the convention is over. II
the committee has its way Homer s
Cummings, Of Connecticut, will be
chosen. There is a strong liking for
Fred b. Lynch, Of Minnesota, around
The White House, however, and he APP
pears 10 have the inside track, be.
cause. after all, the Presidential candi-
1t e oh L II
M be chairman.
" Mr. Lynch is chairman Of the execu
tive committee of the National Com
miftec. and has been doing a lot Of
party work from Washington for tn,
last year or more. To is possible, how
over. that the leading members of IN,
committee will convince the Presiden
that Mr.. Cummings is the man for th'
place. He is one of the oldest mem
bers Of the committee and has had al
important post boz every campaig' fol
the last sixteen years.
Should Mr. Wilson insist on the selec
tion Of Mr.. Lynch there may be fight
but the odds are against IT, There is &
feeling among the committeeman here
that President Wilson is not going {,
have an easy time getting reelected
In fact some of the committeeman
frankly say that with Mr.. Hughes a.
his only opponent the chances Of tn,
Presidents reelection are doubtful.
The National Committee will meet
tomorrow 20 hear contests, but tho
question Of a new chairman will not bt
taken up. Six seats I'm the convention
from the District of Columbia are con.
tested The District membership i'm thC
National Committee is also contested
The only other contest is over the com.
mittee member from Texas.