Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-18
WHAT ARE NATIONAL COMMITTEES
ny FREDERIC }. UASI<tN.

NEW YORK, August lI.-"wha. Is
the Democratic National Committee
mau representing ono OF tho
greatest financial r.tiuS concerns in
tho world walked into the Democratic
campaign headquarters yesterday ana
sprauG that question on the publicity
men. H.. wanted to know whether the
thinE was II corporation: II so. how
much capital stock IT had. and what
was the purpose OF It's existence.
Tncy laughed at him. asked him If he
had cvcr heard OF the great Demo
cratic party, told him they were AN
organization for the making OF Prcs-
dents.
Nn Coubt the man was either very
ignorant or unduly curious. but when
IL comes right down To specific infor-
nation. what do you know about these
national committees. who have consti-
tut"d themselves OF late ana annoumc-
ed their intention OF providing us with
a chief executive.
OF course. YOU understand that a
national committee consists az one
representative from each state and
Territory, ANA that a campaign com
mittec IL selected Got clcctcd) from
among the members OF this larger
committee, and also from the ranks OF
the faithful at large, some men being
chosen for their money, some because
of where they live and few because
knowledge. You are also aware that
a chairman for this campaign commit
tee IS selected and secretary and Il
treasurer ESPECIALLY a trcasurcr) and
that the thing IS then organized into
Il series of bureaus. such as a uuhli-
city bureau, which disscminatcs iufor-
nation by every means possible: q
speakers bureau, which selects from
a host Of volunteers Il battalion Of ora
tors and tells them when and how To
perform; and - foreign bureau. which
has for it's special duty to explain TO
the untaught immigrant in his own
language why he should and other
wise pcrSuad. him TO vote for the
right candidate for President
You also know that there is a Chi
Gag" Headquarters. which does for the
West much the same thing that
the New York headquarters does in
IN. East; and that the satellites Of
these chief national luminarics are the
stat" headquarters which do the local
work. and in turn carry the organiZa-
non on down to the counties and from
counties to voting precincts
Familiar as YOU are with this wide
spread and detailed plan of organiza-
iion, which covers the country. like AN
octopus. ana lays q persuasive tcntacle
OF som" sort upon every wav.ring
voter. YOU do not really know what a
national committee IS unless YOU have
seen the monster at work IT is usual
~ h"IS'b upon AN upper floor Of q
downtown of.ic" building. and in gem
"ral plan and outline resembles the
chainb"rod nautilus or the French de-
Tense at Ncrdun. In the central cham
her or stronghold. surrounded 10y
clouds OF 5ccent cigar smoke. golden
haired stcnoGraphers ana checks in
from thrc" 10 seven figures. sits that
man OF destiny. the national chair
man--at least, this is the popular and
ncarSaN immersion Of him
National Chairman Guarded.
lie is protected by about forty seven
outer chambers OF lines Of defense
in The shape Of deputy chairman sec
rctaries. assistant secretaries. clerks
stcnogra piers and Office boys. And all
OF them tire needed. For against these
5ulwarks bravcly hurl themsclf all Of
the patriots who are bent on saving
the party-country editors who want
to devot. their papers to the cause
would-bc orators, leaders Of the Italian
the Lithuanian. the Hindoo, tho Afri-
can. the liquor. the labor and every
other variety OF vote in the country:
chorus girls. society women. prize
fighters and any number of other
kinds. They are all laden with large,
br:rh: ideas. and all Of them arc in
spired 10y e deep devotion to the prin-
clnleS OF tho party The press agents
say so. They admit il themselves. And
also most Of them are willing and even
thHiou> " pc put thc pay Icii ol
to spend $500 or 100000 Of the COM
rnttee's money for the good OF the
cause.
Receiving. sorting and ejectinG this
mass of humanity in a tactful and poll
tcianir manner seems at glance to
be tie ina!I job of majority of the
employees of a national committee. The
two great difficulties in the work of
the president makers is that many Of
those who arc on the job. realizing
that il is Il political one. feel that il
would he a violation OF the best ira :
ditions of Amcricanism TO work too
hard. and those who are not on the
pay roll keep those who are, busy by
their persistent and determined effort $
10 get on. Thus tho national commit
tee is thrown on the defensive early
| i'm the game, and has Il hard time get :
| ting a'ofind to the aggressive features
| or its work.
Thoroughly Systcnutizcd
OF course, the thing is pretty well
| systematiZed. There is a man for each
particular complaint, and he has scv-
cral assistants. each OF whom will hold
the enemy for quite while. 40 that
| it is only the most determined and tho
most favored who got anywhere ncn,
the committee chairman. For example
| IL Colonel Quill, cditor-in- chief Of IN.
| Shellbhrk Weekly Struggle wishes Ia
| tell the chairman OF the Democratic
| National Committee what his papcr car
| do for tho cause and what tho cause
can do for his paper. after q reason