Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1919-10-25
CONVENTION CITIES
TO Be NAMED SOON
NATIONAL COMMITTEES OF THE
BIG PARTIES WILL SELECT
THEM IN DECEMBER.
CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS LEAD
Many Others Will Submit Their
cIaims-Gatherings to Nominate
Next President Probably Will Be
Early in June.
BY JAMES p. HORNADAY.


WaShington.-The national commit
tees of the two political parties are
already beginning to prepare for next
years presidential campaign. The
first actual step by either Of the old
party committees will be to select a
convention city. Each committee will
do this at meeting which will be
held here about the middle of De
cember. Having decided where the
convention will be held. as well as
the convention date, each committee
will issue the formal call for the con-
vention. Custom dictates that the
party that is not represented by the
occupant Of the White House shall
hold its convention first. and unless
this custom shall be disregarded the
Republicans will meet at least one
week, and probably two weeks, in ad-
vance Of the Democrats.
In 1916 the conventions were held
about two weeks earlier than ever be-
fore. the Republicans meeting on June
9 at Chicago and the Democrats on
June II at st. Louis, and the represent
atives of the parties seem TO like the
idea of getting the nominations out
of the way early in June. So ii as gen
orally assumed members Of the ma
tional committees say, that the con-
ventions next year will be over by the
middle of June, or soon thereafter
Many cities already have let It be
known that they would like to enter
tain one or both of the old party
conventions. Chicago and st. Louis
have come to be known as favorite
political convention cities, and the pol
iticians express the view that 1t Is al
together likely that one of these cit
les and possibly both Of them will be
favored next year.
Among the cities from which the
party Chairmen have received invita-
tons which they will submit to the
December meetings are Cleveland, In
dianapolis, Minneapolis, Kansas City
and Denver. At least two Pacific
coast cities, Los Angeles and Port
land, have indicated that they will in
due time let it be known that they
also will extend Invitations.
Chosen City Must Pay the Bill.
The city that takes care of a ma
tional political convention must obi
gate itself to pay the bills of the con-
vention. This ruiz has been followed
fQr-ead while, -EbIs dies not mean
that the cif@Aets -.es fasf 0nsIbIe Tor
the hotel bills on other expenses of
the delegates, but rdoes mean that 1t
must provide the hail free of cost and
take care of the Legitimate expenses
of the national cohmittee. The situa-
ton is usually mi t by the city turn
Ing over to the national committee a
cash sum sufficient to cover the le-
climate convention expenses.
Next years conventions will contain
the same number of delegates that sat
in the conventions In 1916 The num-
Der Of delegates from each state Is
based on the number Of senators and
representatives the state has In con-
gress, and although new census will
be taken In January next year, the re-
apportionment for congressional pur-
poses will not be made in time to af-
feet the political conventions.
Reducing Army to Peace Basis.
The army Of the United States
has been reduced to almost its
normal strength. It now numbers
about 100000 men and $4,000 Off
GERS. The high water mark of the war
was reached November IL, last year.
the day that the armistice was signed,
when the payroll of the army contain
ed the names Of 3,670,8SS men. A bill
signed by the president the other day
provides that there shall not be more
than $4,000 commissioned officers from
October 3, 1919, until June go 1920.
This means that 10000 officers must
be let out. The legislation which the
president has just approved also au-
thoriZes the secretary of war to re-
tain such officers as may be necessary
in grades above their present rank.
Difficult as the process of building
up the army has been, the tearing
down and shaping into a peace time
organization is a more difficult mat
ter The difficulties of adjustment have
been increased by the uncertainties as
to the future military policy of the
government, the inadeQuacy of pay in
the face of the high cost Of living and
the failure of all classes to realize
that economies must be promptly met
In peace there cannot be permitted
the latitude in the use of officers that
is necessary In war and the rank and
promotion of officers must be governed
by consideration of length of service,
experience and general value to the
military establishment as we'll as OF
accomplishments during the war.
Ten Thousand Must Go.
In anticipation Of the passage Of
the bill providing for $4,000 officers,
the war department allotted this num-
Der Of officers to various commands
and military activities Of the army at
home and abroad. The total number
of officers that may be retained by any
command or activity for the time be-
ing was fixed and the commanding Off
GERS Of these organizations were direc-
ted to select, from the officers under
their command, a sufficient number Of