Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-11
CHAIRMAN FLYNT
RESENTS CHARGE Of
ARBITRARY ACTION

Chairman James j. F1ynt, OF the
state Democratic executive commit
tee, in Atlanta on Tuesday, took no.
tice Of the increasing demand that
Herbert Hooyer's name be placed on
the ballot in the presidential pre-
ferential primary on April 20 by EN-.
rhatically declaring that neither he
nor the subcommittee on rules, of
which ne is chairman, wishes to
assume any autocratic attitude in
this matter.
Although refusing TO admit that
he will call a special session of the
entire state committee to consider
the widespread demand Of Georgia
Democrats, he said that there is no
disposition. on the part Of the sub
committe to be unfair or to dis
franchise any Democratic vote
from expressing his choice for pres
ident. Chairman Flynt was plainly
wit: The charge which has beeu
made that the subcommittee chang
ed the qualification rule for presi-
MIR. Hoover and the charge which
has been made in many quarters that
the subcommittee was arrogating tx,
itself arbitrary and czar-1ike powers
in prescribing Mr.. Hoover and there
by denying the Democrats Of the
state an opportunity to express
themselves on whether or not they
want Mr.. Hoover for their standard
bearer.
Chairman Flynt grew vehement in
his discussion of these two PROPOSE
tions and in his defense Of the &C
ton Of the subcommittee. He went
so far as to dictate a statement to
The Journal representative, which
he requested to be published as
showing the attitude of himself and
the subcommittee. This statement
appears further on in this story.
Forty-Five Replies Received
Referring to his poll of the mem
bers of the state executive commit
tee, on whether they favored Mr..
Hoover's name going On the ballot,
Chairman Flynt said that he had
sent out his QUESTIONABLE with the
purpose of ascertaining how the
members of the general committee
felt concerning the attitude Of the
subcommittee. He said that out of
the seventy-siX members of the COM
mittee, he had received replies from
about forty or forty-five and that
just off hand he would say that
these replies were about six to one
in indorsing the subcommittee. "a
Chairman Flynt would not posi-
lively state that he would not call
meeting of the general committee
before the presidential primary of
April 20. He did say that after
he had received replies from all of
the committeeman he would an
nounce The result of the poll and
would determine whether there was
any reason for. calling the commit
tee together.
He Can't Believe It
Asked if he did not believe there
was a widespread and insistent de-
mand for the putting of Mr.. Hoov-
er's name on the ballot, Chairman
Flynt said that all he knew of any
such demand was what he had seen
in the press, and that he was not
prepared to believe that it was as
great as the press sought to make
it appea".
Hiram Gardner, of Eatonton, sec
rotary of the state committee, and
ex-officto member of the Subcom-
mittec, happened to be in Atlanta
on Tue yd2y and it was in Mr.. Gard
ner's room at the I<imball house
that Chairman Flynt gave out his
interview. He and Mr.. Gardner were
| in full accord on all points dis
cussed.
When the significance of the fact
q
time was mentioned, each stated that
he did not know that the other was
| to be IN Atlanta on Tuesday. Both
denied that they were here for any
kind of conference and Mr.. Gard
ner expressed the purpose of accom-
| panying Mr.. Flynt to Griffin on
| Tuesday afternoon. 1t is expected
| that while they are together they
will &c fully into the details of the
rather acute situation and perhaps
| formulate some future policy.
Judge Flynt's Statement
| The statement dictated to The
| journal representative by Chairman
| FLINT and concurred in by Secretary
| Gardner, follows:
| THE subcommittee was appointed
under Il resolution unanimously
passed Ky the whole state committee
at the meeting on February 6, 1920.
The chair Immediately appointed the
| following subcommittee: Fermor Bar
rctt, of Toccoa: II. II. Dean, of
Gainesville; Miller Bell. Of Milledge-
Vile: j. II. Miner. Of Eastman; L
| II. Parker, of Moultric, with the
chairman and secretary as eN-offlclo
members.
after the adjournment of the
state committee, the subcommittee
met in my room to prescribe rules
under the resolution of the commit
ltee to govern the presidential prl-
Imary At the meeting of the SUP
committee rules were adopted Tor
the conduct of the preferential prl-
Imary, the leading rule of which read
An, Democrat qualified for the
presidency of the United States may
have his name placed upon the ticket
by petition Of 100 qualified Demo-
cratic voters
This, along with the other rules
was adopted without having in m1nt
the name Of any man who mIgh'
Lossibly become a candidate on the
ticket to be voted in the presidents
primary OF April 20. These rules
were printed by the secretary n
February 10 and sent to the cha1T