Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-15
President Chooses westcott to
Make Speech and jer-
seyites Ask Fielder.
POLITICS TO uIVEN UP
At White HOUSE SOON
To Ask Speaker Clark to Be Perma-
nent Chairman of Democratic
National Convention.

An interesting situation has arisen IN
connection with the nomination OF Pres,-
dent Wilson at the next national conVen-
ton Of the democratic party, as developed
TODAY by the visit made to the President
by John w. Westcottso Of Camden. at pres
ent attorney general of New Jersey. Mr..
westcott is the man who put the Presi-
dent in nomination at the Baltimore con-
vention four years ago. Presumably De-
cause of sentimental reasons. the Presi-
dent recently wrote Mr.. Westcott, asking
him to repeat the Baltimore performance
and received letter of acceptance. The
New Jersey delegates to the national con-
vention held meeting without knowing
of the correspondence between the Presi-
dent and Mr. Westcott, and. feeling that
it was up to them to arrange Tor the
Presidents nomination. asked Gov. Fielder
of that state to make the nominating
speech. Gov Fielder accepted as promptly
as Mr.. westcott had DONE
1t was not long before the mix-up be-
came known and since then there have
been efforts to zuntangle the anair.
the position that it was up to the
democratic delegation from his state
to Ak up the matter, and Mr.. Westcott
will be the eventual choice. 1T was said
He called on the President To-Day, ana
is supposed to have spoken of the mat
ter. although he had other business TO
talk about. Mr. Westcott has recently
come out as a candidate Tor the oemo-
cratic nomination for the United States
senate against Senator MARITIME, who
was expected to have no opposition
within the party. 1t is declared that
Mr.. Westcott is not an administration
candidate, and is running on ms own
account The administration forces
will play neutral in the senatorial con-
test.
II am not looking for Endorsements
in the Senate race the New Jersey
candidate said, when spoken to on the
subject.
Mr.. Rainey Sees the President.
Representative Rainey of Illinois con-
ferred with the President today about
the bill for a tariff commission about
to be presented In the House. The bill
represents the Presidents ideas, 1t is
understood. and the democratic pro-
gram, II it can be carried out, is to put
the measure through before the ma
tional convention of the party and
make the measure platform pronun-
citation, as an evidence OF the 1nten-
tions of the democratic party in the
future to revise the tariff upon recon-
mendations of the commission
The plan now is to offset the re-
publican attacks upon the present tarin
bill and its alleged weaknesses with a
promise to live up to tarin revision
through a tariff commission. This will
be one of the paramount planks OF the
convention. it is said.
There were evidences OF consider
able politics around the White House
today, even beyond the calls Of Mr.
Westcott and Mr.. Rainey. Senator Will
liams of Mississippi spent some time
with the President, discussing political
matters of a somewhat confidential
nature" he said.
The prospects are that the White
House will Hven up is a political CEN
ter from now on, and that the Presi-
dent will have to settle number OF
questions connected with the conven-
ton and the campaign within the next
five or six weeks. Many of the planks
of the democratic platform will be
submitted to him before they are in
serted and some of them will receive
his approval or disapproval before the
convention meets.
Speaker for Permanent Chairman.
An important decision the President
must make almost Immediately after
the convention is the selection of a
chairman of the democratic national
committee to conduct the campaign. 1t
has been taken for granted in many
directions that Fred Lynch, the ma
tional committeeman from Minnesota,
would be the choice, inasmuch as he
is a strong. figure in the committee
and has much backing. On the other
hand, however. there has arisen opposi
ton to him. and intimations that his
usefulness as chairman of the COM
mittee may be affected by alleged con-
tracts for supplies to the allies in the
European war. The President will
naturally investigate the charges, and
will endeavor to pick a man not open
to serious criticism.
Former Gov. Martin H. Glynn of New
York has been practically agreed upon
as temporary chairman of the national
convention. with the approval OF the
President, and Speaker Clark will be
asked to become permanent chairman
of the convention. it is said.