The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-06-26

the convention.
The vote was announced as
unanimous, 40 for Palmer and a
not recorded. "A
Auditorium, San Francisco June "a. -
"a. P)--The democratic national com
mittee plunged directly into the Geor-
Eia contest when 1t met today, Each
faction was on the ground early. hold.
ing whispered conferences and making
last t-mlnute rlans for the battle, Clark
Howell leading the Palmer group, and
former Senator T. w. HardwIck head
OF the opposition forces were conspicu- :
GUS by their activity ~
Line Up Reed Forces.
AS this contest was beng heard.
friends and opponents of Senator James
w. Reed. who claimed a seat as n dele
gate from the Fifth Missouri district,
were also busy lining up their forces,
The national committee planned 10 hear
the Reed case after the Georgia con-
test was decided. R
Although only twenty-eight votes
We're involved In the Georgia case, the
Palmer delegation is composed OF fifty.
six men, each with one-half vote. The
opposition known as the Hoke Saith.
Tom Watson group brought a delegation
OF thirty-two, of whom twenty-fouY
were district delegates with one vote
each and eight delegates -at large with
one-half vote each.
Fl. III. Dean, Gainesville, Ga. opened
for the Palmer delegates. He explained
there is no state law specifically cover
ing presidential preferential primaries,
and In such absence the rules OF the
democratic state executive committee
should prevail.
Spectators Cheer,
The Palmer delegation, sitting as
spectators, cheered Justify at this. And
you" returned HardwicS. have no
tion OF Georgia did anything wrong"
The Smith watson delegates APP
plauded and Chairman Cummings
threatened TO clear the room OF NIL
spectators II there were any more In
terruptlons Of speakers,
Albert Howell, OF Atlanta closed the
argument on the Palmer side, He COM
pared the case to a poker game. PAL
mer, he said, had shown down pair
Of aces. the high hand, and the rest 81
the players. seeing that they wero
ssa sSass sha ss shbbgsq bsst acss ne sss
He said thes executive committee
unanimously agreed that the national
delegates should be chosen from among
the friends OF the delegates who re-
ceived the largest county unit vote This
agreement he added, was known TO all
candidates. was widely published, and
none of the presidential candidates OBJ
jected to II before the primary.
At the primary A, Mitchell Palmer
received 1is votes. Thomas Watson 1872
and Hoke Smith l06. Later, Mr.. Dean
said, Watson claimed he was not bound
by the executive committees rule, and
combined with tho Smith forces In nam
ing anti Palmer delegates. Dean claimed
that the executive committee rules, un-
der which the primary was held, should
prevail.
Howelps Long Service.
Opening for the anti-Palmer group
II. II. Perry. OF Gainesville. spoke OF
clark Howells long service In the ma
tional committee and Of the high re-
gard In which he Is held by It's MEM
bers. He spoke OF Mr.. Howelfs fair
ness. and said he hoped the committee
would not be swayed by personal con-
siderations. but would consider the case
on its merits.
Mr.. Perry argued that the election
of the Smith Watson delegates was
regular. They were, chosen by the state
convention, which, he claimed. was the
parent body. The credentials OF the
anti-Palmer men, he said. were mac
curate in stating that these delegates
had been elected In pursuance OF the
results of the primary. He pointed out
that the credentials Of the smith Wat
son men were certified by the CHAIR
man OF the convention, while the cre-
dentials OF the opposition delegates
were certified by the secretary OF the
executive committee,
Ex-senator Hardwick. who followed
Perry. denied the legality Of any rule
which allowed a plurality candidate TO
send the delegation to a national con-
yention
Under our primary" he said, (which
was fought out Oh the league Of nations
issue, two-thirds Of the votes Of Georgia
turned down Mr., Palmer and the league
OF nations at the ballot box. We never
the primary.
III you do not give us justice, you slap
in the face two-thirds OF the democratic
voters of Georgia. and remember that
Georgia has never cast an electoral vote
Tor tho republican parry"
Hardwick declared that tho state
committee hnd attempted to dictate 10
the state convention what II should do.
But" soid JefR Gary Evans com
mtteeman from nth Georgia. "it has
not assumed IA ~fhe convention was
going to do anything wrong"
Albert Howell, Atlanta closing for the
Palmerites, said the executive COM
mittee exercised the functions Of the
state committee between conventions.
He claimed the executive committee
was the creation Of the convention and
its functions were limited 30 those pre-
tcTlufu DN iNt pOHN GlfNAuk W his
Howell was applauded whoa he humor-
ously illustrated the case BY a poker
game, in which one set Of players
wanted to change the rules OF the game
after the chips were on the table.
This closed the Georgia caar and the
committee Immediately proceeded 20
hear the Reed case. q
Francis NJ Wilson. United States at
torney for the western district of Ms
sour. presented Senator Reeds case.
He said Il was his understanding there
was no contest In Missouri. but that
the only contest in Missouri. hut that
national convention was mot the man
nor the measure" but rather whether
the Fifth Missouri district was 20 be
permitted to name. not once hut twice,
a delegate of itH own choosing.
He explained that under Missouri
rules the congressional districts are
permitted 10 select their own national
delegates. who are passed upon by the
state convention. The state convention
rejected Reeds selection. and referred
" back 10 the Fifth district without
any qualifications or restrictions The
state convention adjourned and suhse-
ducntlv the Fifh district delegates re-
elected Senator Reed. Mr. Wilson as
serted that Senator Reeds title 60
seat ~ the convention was ~ clear ~
that ~ sny other delegate
Asked IN the event Reed were seated.
would the senator abide hy the action