The Washington herald., 1920-07-01
Wilson Crowd
Plans Bryan
WaHop Today
League Chief Issue if Fight
Is Carried to Floor of
Convention.
BY ROBERT 7. BARRY.

Copyright. 1870. BY Public Ledger Co..
San Francisco. June So The
crushing of William ]. Bryan and
the smashing Of his political infiu-
ence is to be undertaken tomorrow
at the Auditorium. The platform
fight will be the medium.
The administration forces are
confident that before the session is
closed on the platform discussion
the political star of the Nebraskap
will have been in eclipse. They are
sure of their strength. They know
that efforts to eliminate Mr.. Bryan
have been made at other Demo-
cratic national conventions.
They recall that many times at
Baltimore. eight years ago. his op-
ponents thought he was whipped.
always to find him bobbing up anew
and emerging from the convention
stronger than ever.
This is a different kind of con-
vention. 1t is so thoroughly or
ganized by and for the Wilson
forces as to lead veterans OF many
such gatherings TO observe that
never in the history of the Demo-
cratic party was there such a ma
chine-controlled assembly. Loyalty
to Woodrow Wilson is not the test.
1t is subserviency to Woodrow Will
son. Intolerance with all opinion
not formulated in the groove of Will
son policies is~so marked that even
the Vice President was denied a
place on the platform committee
because he dared to hold liberal
views on the treaty issue.
Antis in Minority.
It is doubtful whether 800 votes
can be mustered in the convention
against any motion not bearing the
! administration stamp. There are
l, ,OS5 deieGates.a The effert, of some
of the administration forces to
organize an effective one-third to
prevent the McAdoo nomination is
proving difficult-if not impossible
] And the chances for anything ap-
|, preaching that strength on a mat
ter of party policy are too remote
to merit serious consideration.
The administration program with
| reference to the platform, party
leaders believe. is just as sure to
prevail at the convention as the
handpicked committee on resolu-
tions. Mr.. Bryan began his fight
in the committee tonight. He gave
every assurance of carrying il to
the floor. Whether he will change
his mind could not. of course, be
stated. Nothing else than his de-
cision not to fight it out. from the
floor will prevent the walloping
| the administration claims TO have
| in store
Even some of the most radical
prohibitionists among the delegates
are determined to assist in trim
ming Mr.. Bryan in the convention
1t is the hope of such leaders as
Homer S. Cummings. Carter Glass
and others to do the work so thor
| ouShly as to remove any POSSIBLE
| ity of the Nebraskan's reappearIng
as he did at the Jackson Day dinner
in Washington, "the ghost at the
feast" A story is told here that
when Postmaster General Burleson
called on Mr.. Bryan, a day or two
ago. he found his former cabinet
associate reading the Bible. The
I book was open at the passage re.
: lating to the experience of Daniel
| in the lions den. Mr.. Burlesou
thought the coincidence so striking
he could not refrain from comment
ing on 1t. Mr.. Bryan's friends are
saying now that they will learn in
convention something of how Dan.
/ iel felt.