South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-16
HOLD UP WORK OF
PRINTING OFFICIAL
G 0. P. PLATFORM
Senator James l.. Watson Ex-
plains Disappearance
Of Plank.
BY louis LUDLOW.


~ Indiana, who was chairman OF
the platform committee at Chicago.
has directed that the printing OF the
official version OF the platform shall
be held up until II Is determined
whether or not the missing plank is
70 be found and inserted IN the Of
fetal draft which IS 70 be published
in the campaign text book
This startling Information was
made known here today by Sen.
Watson. who explained in detail in
an interview for The South Bend
News-Times all OF the circumstances
connected with the disappearance OF
the plank.
Deals With Liquor.
The particular plank IN question,
which was lost som eWhere between
the time OF IFS consideration in the
platform committee AZ Chicago and
the presentation of the platform 20
the convention. was the one that
dealt with the liquor question. II did
not. however. specifically refer 20
that question but simply placed the
republican party on record as being
IN favor OF "the enforcement OF law
and the maintenance OF order"
As Sen. Watson understands what
happened. the plank was adopted by
hurry OF putting the platform to-
gether 70 be read 10 the national
convention n was not included and
was not read 20 the convention.
Therefore. 10 was not. in fact, adopt
ed by the convention.
This raises a nice question as 20
whether q plank that was adopted
by the platform committee and in
tended 20 be Fart OF its finished
product. but which IN fact was not
read 70 the convention and adopted
unanimously, IS really now a part Of
the platform which should be pro-
mulgated in the Official draft. Sen.
Watson takes the view that II should
be accepted and proclaimed as part
Of the platform. although he says
that the declaration that the repub-
lican party believes IN the enforce
ment OF law and the maintenance Of
order don't mean anything.
Who doesn't believe in the en-
forcement OF law and the mainte-
nance OF order 20 he asked. and then
by way OF comment, he added:
Drops Question.
we might just as we'll have de-
clared that Paris green is a good
remedy for potato bugs. II would
have meant just as much"
With the lost plank left out,
there Is no expression in the repub-
Iican national clatforra that refers
in any way 10 the prohibition issue
and 1t Is as much OF a blank on that
subject as the democratic platform.
Sen. Watson, who not only was
chairman OF the platform committee
but who read the platform 20 the
convention. is perhaps best quail
fed OF all men TO speak OF the cir
cumstanCes connected with the dis
appearance Of the plank.
AS everybody knows, said he
the platform committee was literal
Is overwhelmed with suggestions as
10 a liquor plank. Besides personal
solicitations we received kilograms
and letters galore on the subject and
we heard al the delegations that
presented themselves. OF course. the
suggestions we're OF the most con-
hicting character, some wanting the
most rigid declaration in favor OF the
18th amendment and the Volstead
law and others insisting on "a decla-
ration for the legalizing OF wine and
beer
In the midst OF our discussion Of
the subject IN executive session Viii
liam Allen White. OF Kansas. offered
n two-barreled sort of resolution. one
barrel OF which declared for the StI
70 carry &c into effect and the Other
barrel asserting that the republican
party stands for the enforcement O,
law and the maintenance of order
Resolution Divided.
Whites resolution was divided
The first proposition was voted dowT
and the committee simply adopted
the part declaring that the republic
an party stands for the enforcement
OF law and maintenance Of order.
At least. I am sure the latter par
was adopted. Sen. smoot OF Utah
SAYS there Is no doubt of 10; that n
was sitting By my SIDE whom ] pu
me motion and that he knows j
was adopted.
When the committee had com
pleted the platform the various pro
visions that had been agreed 10 wer,
turned over IN hodge-pOdge form q
Sen Smoot. who. with the aid o
SIX stenographers had been delegat
cd 10 put the various parts togethe
and get the finished draft tn shaLe q
be read 10 the convention.
cit IS almost impossible for on
who was not there 10 realize the in
sistent demand for haste in gettin
the platform 20 the convention hal
The convention had waited "a day 70
il, nomination speeches had bee
put over until after 10 was read, an'
every few minutes a messenger from
Chairman HAYS or someone else a
the hall arrived az our rooms TO i'm
form US that the convention was get
ting exceedingly restless; that IL wa
beginning 20 manifest an ugly dis
position over the delay and that w
had better get that platform 10 tn
hall or there would be somethin
doing
Ride I'm Fire Truck
When Sen Smoot and his corp
or helpers finally got the draft il
shape he era bbed II and he and
jumped into fire departmen
wagon that was waiting outside ~
US. with the gong Changing ever
foot OF the way we covered the dis
lance from the Auditorium hotel O
-he coliseum in exactly four minutes
which was going some. AS we en-