The spectator., 1919-06-10
DEMOCRATS OPEN
 1920 CAMP AICN
Aggressive Fight for Presidency Promised by Leaders
 of the Party.
SHOW SPIRIT OF CONFIDENCE
Representative Women From All Sec tions of the Country Present at Meetinu of the National Com
 mittees at Chicago.

mttteeS dI IItISdSos
 The formal opening guns for the presidential campaign of 1920 were fired at Chicago on May 2S and 29 at d gathering of the Democratic Ma tional committee, the Associate Wom- ans National committee and many chairmen and secretaries of state com mittees Members of President Will sons cabinet and other notable party leaders were present, and while sounding keynotes took occasion to vigorously denounce the Republican leaders for the character of their at tacks, as we'll as to call attention to Democratic achievements during the last eight years.
 The participation of the women, for the first time, in the national councils of the party brought representatives from all sections of the country, and on the occasion of the banquet they divided the oratorical honors with men of political note for many years.
 There was no lack of confidence on the part of men or women. The lat ter. while hoping for universal suf- frage in the election of 1920, pledged the Democrats those western suffrage states that played such an important part in 1916. The general effect of the meeting was to sound the tocsin for an aggressive war from now on, in which tour to every debatable state west of the Mississippi river, by Homer s. Cummings, national chair man, will form an important part. There was not a Democratic leader present who did not leave Chicago convinced that vigorous counter attack would be made on the Repub- iicanS.
 Republicans Reactionary.
 Terming the Republican party 'one that complains and moves back ward.' and the peace treaty and the League of Nations covenant as the greatest document of human liberty ever prepared" Chairman Cum mings on his arrival in Chicago start ed things moving briskly. Striking smartly at the Republican "Old Il, Hc Sdu II IS IuuiICSL tuut the Republican party. has again fallen under reactionary leadership. The choice of the committee heads in the recently organized house of represent atives is very discouraging to every progressive American. while the cleo ton of Senator PenrOse to head the finance committee of that body indl- cates the type of leadership to which the Republican party is committed"
 The banquet held on the evening of May % was the occasion of addresses by MT. Cummings, Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. and Franklin D. Roosevelt, assistant secretary of the navy.
 In speaking of Republican islander" MT. Cummings was loudly applauded when he said that "As 1 read the re- ports of these speeches of strict and unrelenting partisanship l wonder what phrases of abuse, what language of vituperation, what iavective, what recital of blunders and crimes would have agitated the politica' atmosphere If the president of the United States had led the country to a disastrous conclusion of an unsuccessful war Every epithet of reproach already has been exhausted in an attempt to dis credit the leadership of Americas president at time when America's prestige was never greater, America's power never so vast, and Americas success never so transcendent. The campaign of islander, which is the very spume of politics, has been reserved for America's greatest leader in the hour of Americas greatest triumph. To listen to the spokesmen of the Re publican organization is to gather the impression that America lost the war and has been forced into discredit- able peace, humiliating to all lovers of constitutional government and free dom."
 Democratic Party's Record.
 In refuting oldtime Republican claims that the Democratic party was sectional, lacked experience in leader ship, was committed to free trade, in- capable of providing revenue, insin- cere in professions of friendship for labor, inimical to the farmer, an en- emy to legitimate business and in capable of carrying on a war, Attor- ney General Palmer paid tribute to President Wilson by saying:
 '"They said the Democratic party lacked the experience in training in statesmanship which made for con structive leadership in solving the complicated problems on the far-fung line of your governmental activities.