New-York tribune., 1918-07-20
SquaI Breaks as Women Hang
Banner Attacking Wadsworth

0 0@s &SS~A GG
(Staf Correspondence Of The TriJ,cre)
SARATOGA, July 19.~-"As there is a
just God in heaven we must beat the
, German brute!
"We cannot have peace for the world
unless we dictate peace on German
soil!"
Those declarations from former
President William II. Taft at the clos
ing session of the Republican State
Convention to-day brought the dele
; gates to their feet and provoked pro-
longed applause. The former Presi-
dents address was only one of the
features of the second dav of the con-
vention, the other being turbulent
scene, accompanied by bitterness, when
half dozen members of the National
Woman's party hung out an anti Wads-
, worth banner over the balcony to the
left of the platform, and resisted when
a sergeant-at-arms and two others at
tempted forcibly to remove the offend
ing sign.
Before the banner was taken away
the convention was in an uproar Miss
Mary Garrett Hay, who had the floor
reading the platform adopted by the
convention, publicly disavowed the con-
duct Of the women in the balcony, say
ing they were not voters, and was her
self taken to task afterWard by the
mlltants, who proved that with one
exception they were voters, while one
was delegate.
Cheers Greet Taft
Chairman Fassett called the conven-
tion to order at HOS O'Clock and the
Rev. Father Fox, of Saratoga, pro-
nounced blessing. Almost imme-
diately Mr.. Taft, escorted by Judge
Sanford Smith, of Columbia County,
and his brother, Henry w. Taft, of
New York, came into the hall, his ap-
pearance being greeted by applause and
the playing of "America."
Representative Smell, chairman of the
committee on credentials, reported one
contest between the Whitney and
Bracket factions of Saratoga County
and said the committee had unani-
mously decided in favor of Senator
Whitney's delegates.
Speaker Sweet of the Assembly re-
ported on permanent organization, con-
tinuing Chairman Fassett and Secre-
tary Gleason as the active directors of
the convention but supplementing the
staff with fifty vice -chairmen of men
and women.
1--WE can wait with complacency for
the report of the committee on resolu-
tions," said Chairman Fassett. cas- we
have with us to-day our longtime
friend, our great public teacher our in
spired leader, William H. Taft"
Instantly the delegates were on their
feet giving Mr.. Taft rousing greeting
"You see before you a statesman ac
cording to- the definition OF the late
Tom Reed" said Mr. Taft, with his IA
nous chuckle and winning smile. "Tom
Reeds definition of a statesman was a
politician who is dead"
Great Business in Hand
owe have nothing to do with the
campaign of 1920" continued the
speaker "Nineteen-tw twenty can take
care of itself, and probably will.
'The principal business the great
business in hands to give knock
out blow to William of Hohenzollern
and his compliant German people"
Mr.. Taft said the leading political
question before the nation was, Will
Republican Congress more certainly
help to win the war than Democratic
Congress? He praised the Presidents
addresses, saying they were great his
toric documents, and he had words Of
commentator for the food admins
tration and the building of the can
tonments. But turning to the other
side Of the question, he said that there
had been a deplorable degree of halt
ing and hesitation on the part of the
Administration.
"Unless we do something" he said,
"we are likely to have to fight not onlv
Germany, but the whole Russian coun-
try back of her. Let us hope the dis
patches from Washington saying this
government is about to intervene in
Russia are true.
I'VE shall be fortunate if by the
close of 1919 we have in the fighting
line 100000 fighting men, on a basis
of 40 per cent of men in the fighting
line to 60 per cent supporting them be-
hind the line. Drafting 100000 men
will not be enough The time to begin
preparing an army to win this war is
now. We can't raise 100000 men un-
der the present draft law. The present
draft law should be amended both re-
ducing and increasing the draft age.
In view of this, the Administrations
should lead, and if it does not lead we
need a Republican Congress to pass
the law"
FOR constructive Criticism
Continuing, the speaker said that
what was needed was constructive
criticism, in the first place and in the
second place the enactment of legisla
ton for the creation of an army so
large and competent that the very crea-
tion of it will take the stitfening out
of our foes.
Miss Mary Garrett Hay, chairman of
the committee on resolutions, was in
troduced, receiving a most enthusiastic
greeting. Before she began reading
the document it was known that the
report of the platform committee
would be unanimous, the Barnes peo-
pie IN the committee deciding that as
the Whitman men were in control
there was little use of wasting time
fighting over planks in the convention.
Applause greeted the reading of the
plank when Miss Hay, raising her
voice. said:
We emphaticaly call upon the
United States Senators from New York
to vote for the submission of the suf
frage amendment to the states"
When the plank commencing the ad-
mlnlstratlon of Governor Whitman was
read the applause was generous. last
ing minute or more. The delegates
also took notice when Miss Hay read
the plank concerning the pending con.
stltutional amendment providing
literacy test for the right to vote. This
was one of the planks that caused long
debate in the committee. There vas
no plank with reference to temparance
or prohlbltlon or referendum on the
national amendment. That also was q
matter that had hoon fous,h+ o,,t -;