Evening star., 1920-06-23
PROHIBITION ISSUE
PROVOKING D|SCORD
AMONG DEMOCRATS
RumbIings Become More
Ominous as Party Chiefs
Arrive for Convention.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
San FRANCISCO. June "a
Rumblinss of democratic disc6rd
over the prohibition issue became
hourly more ominous today as dele
gates and party chiefs arrived in in
creasing numbers for the national
| convention.
hope that the gathering storm
might spend itself behind the closed
doors of the platform committee vir-
tually was abandoned by the leaders,
and they prepared to face an out
preak Of tempestuous debate on the
| moor of the convention itself
Such development. it was agreed
everywhere. would hold many dra-
matte possibilities. including a fur
ther complication of the uncertain
| outlook as TO the presidential nomi-
nation
"Bone Dry" LAW Tnkcs Stage.
Already the overshadowing issue in
| pre-convention conferences the aues-
tlon or platform declaration against
the present bone dry law almost
took the whole stage for itself today
as the gathering delegates heard of
Postmaster General Burleson's an
| nouncement for a modification of the
Nolstead act. BY many accustomed
| to regard the Postmaster General as
political spokesman for the White
House the development was accepted
as warning of which way the wind
of administration influence would
| blow
Others among the party leaders re-
fused to take that view, but no one
here assumed to know with certainty
how far the sentiments of President
Wilson might be in accord with those
of Mr.. Burleson.
The latter, who announced his stand
yesterday at San Antonio Tex. will
| not reach San Francisco until late in
| the week.
Sides Cement Their Lines.
What every one here does know.
however. is that both sides of the
controversy are cementing their lines
and bringing their heaviest artillery
for finish fight. After many confer
ences in an effort to lay a basis for
harmony, Homer S. Cummings. the
national chairman. said today 1t
seemed fair bet" that the question
would be taken to the convention floor
for a settlement regardless of what
decision was made in the platform
committee.
Closely intertwined with the prohi-
bition question is the problem of Sc
| iecting a nominee in accord with the
platform as finally agreed on. and
among many of the practical poiiti-
| clans there is a feeling that the two
| decisions must be settled virtually at
| one stroke. So the pleas OF candfdates
| managers are falling on deaf ears Tor
the present while the leaders get thelr
| bearings on the more immediate ques-
ton of a bone dry or beer platform
League EcIipsed With Candidates.
The league of nations disagree
ment. along with several other as
puted platform issues, has followed
the question of candidates into tenn
porary eclipse. Among most OF the
leaders it is agreed that whatever
trouble develops over the treaty VIII
he only drop in the bucket COM
pared TO the prohibition fight.
Leaders of the bone-dry forces
were confident today that they Would
command a good majority IN .ne pia.-
ford committee where each state mas
only one member. and could keep
out of the committee report any dec.
laration for change in the present
law. With this view most OF the op-
posing managers privately agreed.
but they declared that when an ap-
peal was taken to the convention
itself the vote would tell a much
different story. The large states lt
was pointed out. while having onay
will have a much greater voice IN
the whole body of delegates. who
make up the final court OF Appeals
And most of the largest delegations
counted on LOT SuPpolL " Inv
advocates of a beer plank.
Unit Rule Complicating.
A compIicating feature of a con-
vention floor fight would be the unit
rule. under which many state dele
cations are instructed to vote as
body 1t was suggested today. how
ever. that there might be a general
agreement to let each delegate be
counted according to his convictions
when the prohibition issue came to its
final showdown. On that basis both
sides were predicting victory. ana
many of those in position to know
were declaring the outcome would
be close.
Some of the oldest leaders declared
in fact, that the division might De
close enough to make argument ana
oratory on the convention floor the
deciding factor. In any case. such an
open fight would be likely. it is pre-
dicted, to furnish many thrilling
turns.
William Jennings Bryan would be
expected to head the bone drys ana
he probably would find pitted against
him strategists and orators OF the
sirst rank.
Cochran May Oppose Bryan.
w. Bourke Cochran of New York
was mentioned as one of those who
might be asked 10 match wits and
the convention debate
Although Mr. Bryan is expected TO
make a fight also against the admin
istration treaty plank, the general be-
lief of his friends here is that he VIII
reserve his greatest effort for the
prohibition problem. He is expected
to reach San Francisco late in the
week though the treaty fireworks
NAV start with the arrival late today
of Senator Carter Glass of Virginia,
who is credited with holding Presi-
dent wilson's commission to write the
administration league Of nations
plank ;.
Senator Glass is the leading candi-
date for chairman of the platform
committee. and the general prediction
tcday was that he would be chosen
to that position with little opposition.
Some of the anti-administration man
ayers had not abandoned hope. how
ever, that they might combine their
forces to elect some one else.
Chairman Cummings said today
that it still was an open question
whether the adoption of the platform
or the choice of nominee would
come first on the convention program
The prospect of a prolonged tight in
committee over prohibition, and per-
haps some other subjects, has led to
movement to go ahead witI hSSAAng
while the coasmittec sits. Thc >>ial
rter is to dispose of the plT$' rni
first hnwever. and the general A. !irs
s, emed to be that custom wo%1 be
followed.
Prospect for Deadlock.
II