Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-01
'HOMERCUMM|NGS
|. GROONED AS DARK
HORSE At FRISCO
Chances Appear Good in
Case of DeadIock-Mc
Adoo Still Considered IN
Lead
ny DAVID LAWRENCE
right, 1920, for The Atlanta Journal. }

SAN FRANClSCO, Gal, June oU.7
Cummings, Of Connecticut, stands
out thus far as the dark horse of the
Democratic national convention. If
McAdoo doesn't win and the dele
gates are in prolonged deadlock, the
remarkable impression made by
Cummings in his keynote speech.
which was full of praise for Presi-
dent Wilson, would commend him to
the large number of delegates who
are supporting Palmer and McAdoo,
but who are at heart for the Wilson
policies no matter who the candidate
may be. Cummings is a Wilson
man through and through.
Convention strategy has made the
domination of dark horse just as
much possible here as it Was in Chi
cago. The same sort of psychology
cal influences. are at work as made the
Republican convention impatient with
deadlocks and anxious to go home.
And the tactics of each of the big
three 1eaders-Palmer Cox and = Nc
Adoo. are such as to make entirely
possible the wearing down of the
strength of each.
The McAdoo sympathizers have
more enthusiasm than ,shrewdness.
They are minus any real leadership,
and while this is a tribute to the
disinterestedness of McAdoo himself,
it makes for clumsiness and anna
teurishness and confusion. For in
stance it was firmly insisted by Dan
ielI c. Roper McAdoo's chief adviser
who is in New York. that no nomi-
mating speech be made. This was en-
tirely agreeable to all but a few of
the McAdoo supporters here and was
the plan until today. Then the few
persuaded the many that it would be
better to have McAdoo's virtues ex-
tolled. -
Coalition Against McAdoo
It was contended that no better
opportunity would present itself than
to tell all the delegates at one time
lust why McAdoo should be nomi-
mated. And so the decision now is
10 permit the nominating speech. Nc.
Adoo and Roper are powerIess to
prevent it. But that isn't the only
Thing which shows division in the
NdcAdoo ranks.
Nobody apparently, IS able to- han
die second and third chotce votes SO
Ithae the Mica stf Ell In may be
cumulative 1t sounds like an easy
thing to do-to hold strength in re-
serve-but the delegates are uncon-
trollable, they want to go for him
on the first ballots. They can't wait
Also the talk of McAdoo has grown
former secretary of the treasury
have virtually been forced into a
coalition against him.
Efforts to form a Palmer and Cox
combination with temporary assist
ance from favorite son groups are
proceeding in alarming fashion. The
presence here of several cabinet Of
ficers, all working for, McAdoo, has
not helped his cause. Down among
the delegations, the spontaneous de-
sire for McAdoo is unmistakable and
they are prepared to make hard
fight, but the big question is how
much stamina will these delegates
have for a prolonged fight, such as
gave Wilson his triumph at Balti-
more in 1912.
Cummings shows strength
Each of the managers is trying to
make the other show most strength
on the first ballots. Even the Pal
iner forces are trying to hold back
at first and bring their greatest
strength to bear on successive bal
lots. These also are the Cox tactics
and it looks now as if both had sue
ceeded in forcing McAdoo to take
the lead earlier than was expected
Once McAdoo begins to lose and is
passed by Cox or Palmer the en-
thusiasm of the McAdoo men may
be somewhat dampened and then it is
not impossible that they would turn
| to a dark horse.
Homer Cummings showed on the
| second day of the convention thai
| he was just as high in the esteem
of the delegates as when he delivered
| Ills hCy 1OIS SpScCIl Ills appear c1IASS
on the floor was greeted with 1ouc
| applause. When he nominated the
sending Of telegram of congratu-
| lation to the governor of Tennessee
because the latter called a special
session of the legislature to ratify
the woman suffrage act, there was
| instantaneous approval, but the eff
| fectiveness of Cummings was appar-
| entTa second time when the conven-
| ton had tabled a resolution calling
| on the Democratic national commit
| tee to include one woman from each
state.
| Evidently some of the old-line pol
iticians didn't want it done, but Cum
mings with a brief and convincing
statement told the convention thai
| its sincerity on the woman suffrage
issue would be questioned if it re-
! fused to permit women to have a
| voice in the councils of the party
| The motion was passed with a gen
uine demonstration of approval AND
woman something which the Repub-
licans denied them at Chicago.
Cummings Boom Starts.
Every state will have a woman
| on the Democratic national commit
| tee, not merely in an advisory ca
pacity as heretofore, but with equal
voting power with the male mem
| bers.
When the convention had adjourned
for the day and the delegates got
back to their hotels they found hand
bills reading as follows:
| How about Homer Cummings for
president of the United States. His
keynote speech already has won for
| him the presidency throughout the
land. Today he personifies the vic
| tory of Democracy at the polls. Put
aside prejudice and consider in terms
of party success, and you will see
! that Homer Cummings words of
| today will ring around the world,
| the truly great utterances Of the
/ truly great leader of the 1920 Demo
cracy. A great moment has pro
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