The Topeka state journal., 1916-06-07
BY PERRY ARNOLD0

Coliseum. Chicago. June Under
the handicap of a drab, dull day, with
"A rain soaked assenblage, the Repub-
lican national convention got under
way today. The weather was plainly
on the nerves of the crowd that quiet
ed down at 1928 when Chairman
HilIes' gavel fell twenty-eight minutes
after the time set.
Ii was not until liter Temporary
Chairman Harding had gotten well
along in his keynote speech that the
air really warmed up. The Ohioan,
reputed to be one of the handsomest
men in the country and a polished
speaker drew the first old fashioned,
hall-rocking applause when, having
warmed up himself and warmed his
rain-soaked audience, he pleaded for
d navy that fears none in the world -
Applause that lasted through min
ute of frenzied cheers greeted his
declaration that the United States
should not be too proud to fight"
Atmosphere Chilly.
Harding greeted an audience that
was wet and cold, sneezing with ap-
preaching colds and uncomfortable in
the musty atmosphere of the hall. He
got a politely gracious reception but
as h S polished phrases sunk into the
audience. he gradually warmed the
air The 5000 began to forget their
sniffles. their cold feet and wet
clothes.
The Republicans convened without
any sign of any sort of agreement on
the candidate whom they will select. 1t
was still Hughes and Roosevelt and
Burton and Fairbanks and all the rest
with nobody knowing exactly what
would happen. There was no doubt
that the G. O. P convention was
fFrl0f fr1fn tod h1 I7~af
pening and about to happen at the
Auditorium, where those who broke
the bonds four years ago. were holding
a conference.
That there would be an attempt for
a get together meeting of commit
tees of both conventions was certain.
At least one resolution was to be in
troduced suggesting a com bination of
interests. This was the one fathered
by the New Jersey delegation, asking
that committee be appointed to ad-
wise the Progressives as to RepubIi-
cans plans for platform. This is
the scheme advanced by Edward
Brennan of Jersey CITY.
Waiting in Rain.
Doors to the Coliseum were opened
at o'clock and at that early hour
there were several hundred bravely
waiting in the rain who thankfully
slid into their places. Three hundred
dH44OIHitQ pOHCeInen under Chief
Healey's personal direction were on
duty, with several score additional
plainclohes men. As a matter of fact,
Tor the next hour, the convention hall
looked like an assemblage of blue
coats.
Chairman HilIes dressed soberIy in
dark cutaway suit, arrived at 10
O'Clock and he and Sergea nt-at-Arms
Stone came out on the front rostrur1
for brief look over the hall then
holding only 800 or 400 peo-
pie. The hall was so dark that some
of the lights across the great dome OF
the hall were turned on. In this vel
low light and the faint blue-grav of
the dark day without the hall looked
greenish- gray.
KanSanS First.
The first delegates to arrive were
two from Kansas. They looked lone
some sitting in the forest of chairs ar
ranged IN nice rows on the floor
over the speakers rostrum was
hung gigantic sounding board Of
wood and paper mache Back of the
great platform proper. high UP over
all, the likeness of Abraham Lincoln
looked down from a frame brilliantly
illuminated by electric lights.
Above this was the presidents flag
blue with the great seal of the United
States standing out brilliantly in the
lCOndnued on Page -