Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-29
Reaction Danger
Peril to MAdOO
Continued from PAGE One

Continued from Page One
to think Il over. That is the one danger
of the McAdoo candidacy. Just as
having time to think over Governor
Cox's wetness and his divorce, innocent
as that was, sufficed to kill the Ohioan's 8
chances.
Bryan was able to beat Cox without
opening his head or lifting his hand.
While there was danger Of Cox's nomi-
nation, Bryan, it is understood. was
ready to support McAdoo to defeat the
Ohio governor. But now that Cox is
beaten, what will be Bryan's attitude
to McAdoo? Even Bryan's friends do
not know whether he has objected to
,McAd,o's nomination on the grounds OF
relationship to the President. ,
If he could reach clear understand
ing with the forces opposed to McAdoo
that they would not name Cox in case
Of McAdoo's failure. he might voice the
dynasty issue on the floor Of the con l.
vention and his influence in that case
would be potent. But CO. operation be
tween Bryan and the conservative state
bosses would be difficult. The role
Bryan will play as regards McAdoo will
! be important, but is by no means clear.
So also is the role Wilson will play
1t seems probable that the President
would prefer some other candidate than
McAdoo, but it is difficult for him tc
show his hand either for or against his
son in law. IL the President aids Nc
Adoo the latter is ruined as a candi
date. For the President to oppose him
! would ,rooto On ouk rd opH npnloaG
ant situation.
Up to the present there has been NJ
sign of Mr.. Wilson's interference
Strong administration men like Secre
tary Burleson, Senators Glass and Sim
mons and Shouse are ardently SUPPORT
ing Mr.. McAdoo, but they are evidentl,
doing so without intimation from the
! White House. 1t is a Wilson conven
ton, as the first session yesterda,
proved. In the demonstration for th'
President there was absence of warn
personal feeling. The noisemaking wa
perfunctory.
, But there is no mistaking the Demo
cratic loyalty to the administration ant
its record. The convention is prout
of what the Wilson administration ha!
done. It bases its hopes of victor!
upon Wilson's achievements, but i
Nouiu llht W ulNOllt lJStll lloht
, personality.
Cummings Is Positive Factor
Temporary Chairman Homer Cum
mings made Wilson keynote speech
Mr.. Cummings is a Wilson type o.
man, dignitied and scholarly lawyer
with something of the Wilson capacity
for writing able addresses in distin
guished English. He is not a popular
speaker. He has a court Of appeals
air instead of stump speaking man
ner, just as Wilson had an academic
instead of an open manner.
Mr.. Cummings thinks much as Mr.
Wilson thinks. He was Wilson choice
for national chairman. The two have
vast deal in common, except that
Mr.. Cummings has a warm personality
which the President lacks. Men like
Mr.. Cummings. His frankness and his
smile win.
The stock phrase, "high class" de.
scribes Mr.. Cummings. He is high
class In the way Wilson is high class
but with capacity to mix with his fell
lows such as the President never de
veloped. Mr.. Cummings speech was
a great personal triumph. He made
the convention by force of his ideas
his diction, his distinguished manner
There is dignity about this we'll
staged, well managed gathering oi
Democrats totally unexpected in the
Democratic party. The academic in
spiration from Washington has wrought
a revolution in the Democracy.
Feminine Influence Seen
Moreover, though there are few
women present as delegates. the womer
have somehow hampered the Demo
cratic gathering as they did the Re.
publican convention. The women here
do not play an important part, except
Mrs. Funk nursing the McAdoo candi
dacy, but somehow, one is aware that
women have had an effect upon thi!
convention.
The refining influence Of the Whit
House and of women is apparent her,
in San Francisco. This is serious
earnest, rather high minded gathering
met in ideal surroundings, in a splen
did convention hall, in comfortable
city where no one suffers from over
crowding or heat.
If the McAdoo candidacy fails, tn,
keynote speech may make Mr.. Cum
mings the Democratic candidate fol
President. One began to hear talk o
this after the address had been de
livered and the convention had ad
journed for the day.
Mr.. Cummings is well placed.
Strategically, he is almost anothe
Wilson, and yet he has mind ant
personality of his own. He is highl!
agreeable to, the President, perhap
more so as a candidate than the Presi
dents own son in law. At the sam
time he is known to the Democratic
state bosses and liked by them. TIL
administration and the state leader
might unite upon him. His con
} servatism would be acceptable to tn
convention. Outside of Cummings, tn
other dark horse candidate is Am
bassador John w. Davis.
The state bosses may elect to max
their first stand upon Vice Presiden
Marshall in an effort to head off Nc