The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-15
AMERICAN PLANK TO BE
 SENSATION OF PLATFORM

| for general approval of the President 5 course for peace and prosperity" but | President Wilson's friends here are de- termined that the platform would not be complete without a strong presentment on that point and Senator Husting of Wis consin was assigned to prepare plank with the suggestion that it be drafted in terms sufficiently strong to make it one of the keynotes of the campaign. The enthusiastic manner in which the conven- ton today received Temporary Chairman GlyEns speech of Justification of the Presidents policies in keeping the coun- try al peace had lent force to this plan. A plank on woman suffrage, which , was suggested by the President himself, probably will be redrafted. Some of the resolutions committeeman were of the opinion that it might be regarded as not sufficiently definite. Indications tonight are the plank will not be unlike the republican plank, recognizing the right of suffrage for women, but holding to the right of the states to regulate the ballot themselves. President Wilson has repeatedly stated his position in that way to suffrage leaders and in the New Jer- sey elections last year voted for the suf- rage amendment, which was beaten.
 COMMITTEE IS ORGANIZED
 The platform committee organized to- day by electing Senator Stone chairman
  retary. It started public hearings with President Gompers of the American Fed eration of Labor, who presented 16 labor blanks similar to those offered to the re- publicans in Chicago last week. Before taking recess for dinner, it had lis tened to advocates for blanks against mlitarsm and representatives of the woman's peace party. Senator Stone said he did not know whether the prohibition forces would present their views to the committee He said the ubcommittee of nine which will do the real work of making the platform, with President Will sons draft as a basis, would not be appointed until the entire committee fn- ishes the open hearings.
 President Gompers began by declar- ing that the democratic party had done well by labor, but it must go further
 You have only done half enough" said MT. Gompers. The future of any political party depends upon what it will undertake to do for the masses of the people. The competition between politi- cal parties now and in the future must be on the principles and policies that make directly for the masses"
 MT. Gompers said he appeared before the republican committee with his de- mands for labor.
 "They asked us to condense them" he added, "and when they appeared in the republican platform it took microscope to see them
 The labor leader said he was for pre- paredness
 But he said, i've do not want sim ply the preparedness to carry gun. There must be something better wider, deeper than carrying a gun. There must be a preparedness that is physical, men, tai and spiritual and particularly indus trial"
 Mrs. W T. Thomas of Chicago repre- senting the womans peace party and speaking, she said, for Jane Addams, who was unable to appear, told the committee the time was ripe for a plank by which the United States might take the lead in establishing an international court of justice and for another for referendum vote before the United States could de- clare war except when its territory was invaded or treaty guaranteed by it had been violated.