The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-01-08
SHOCK TROOPS
OF DEMOCRACY
Will Mass in the Forward
Trenches at Banquet Halls
of Washington.
(eY WILLIAM PHILIP slMs.)-

(5Y WILLIAM PHILIP SlMS.)-
Washington, Jan, Sd. N. S.)-The
battle for the presidency begins today.
At 8 o'clock tonight the shock troops
of democracy, who have been gather
ing here for the past week. 7 mass
in the forward trenches at II ; nquet
halls of the New Willard q !. Wash
ington and, two hours later > er the
iron rations of politics - been
served, and the coffee pai < around,
the barrage of speeches v : pen and
the campaign will be on ero hour
for the broadsde is ofD - set for
8 pm. =
William Jennings Bry :: 1ne of the
big guns of the part, s arrived to-
He had been in the scas Cows. John
James NJ. Cox, Of ohi5r so Mrs. Peter
Olesen, of Minnesota, had previously
arrived on the field, as had former
Ambassador James w. Gerard.
Senators Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock, or Ne
braska; Oscar w. Underwood. of Ala
bama; Atlee Pomerene. of Ohio and
Robert l.. owen, of Oklahoma, returned
to Washington earlier In the week to
attend the opening of congress, which
speakers on the double rally bill for
tonight-Secretary of the Navy Daniels
and Atty. Gen. Palmer-were already
on the scene.
Forecast of Star Gazers.
Unless the forecasts of all our very
best political star gazers fall con-
spicuously short of promises, the presi-
dental contest this year will be the
grandest catch as eaten can-~free for
all-and no-holds barred scrimmage a
national election ever provided.
The campaign has not yet begun, but
charges and countercharges are be-
ginning to fly between republicans and
democrats, and with them bits of With
cisms and sarcasms at each others eX-
pense. while independent and nom
partisan groups are preparing to launch
attacks of their own at both the old
line parties.
William Jennings Bryan refused to
do great amount of talking for publi-
cation lest he give away the main
points of his speechs tonight and anti
climax himself. He win speak at both
banquets, as will all speakers, but un-
Ike most of the others who are eX-
pected to deliver pretty much the
same address at the two rallies, it is
believed he will not repeat. Being an
old hand at the game, it is considered
likely that he will begin what he has
TO say at the Washington dinner
where he is scheduled to appear fourth
on the list-and conclude at the Willard
on which bill he is saved for the last
For Bryan will not address himself so
much to the 600 guests at the one feast
nor the 800 at the other, but TO the hum
dred million persons to be reached
through the press
The other headllner attraction at to-
nights feature of the jackson day"
rally Is President Wilson's message to
his party. This message has been
finished and typed, 1t is said, but thus
far there has not been given out the
slightest inkling of what it contains
Rumors that it will be devoted to the
treaty almost exclusively are going the
rounds, lii ewise taht 1t will contain the
presidents announcement that he is
through with politics forever, and under
no circumstances will he become n can
didate for a third term. But the fact
is nobody today knows whether the
message will contain the one or the
other, or. indeed. either.
Twelve speakers are on the program
and though each is supposed to limit
himself to twenty minutes, a number
so there is every likelihood of the dual
rally lasing until well past midnight.
The speech of William Jennings
Bryan at the banquet tonight will
deal with the fundamental things
which he believes will enter into the
campaign this fall and upon which
party success, as he views It, may
be attained. This was made clear
by Mr.. Bryan in n statement today.
He intimated that he is not partic-
ularly concerned in the various can
didates that are in the field for the
presidential nomination. but that he
is keenly interested in the principles
and party issues upon which the
party platform will be drawn, and on
which the campaign will be waged.
with the right kind of a plat
form, unsatisfactory candidates elm
mate themselves" he said.
Bryan declined to discuss either
the treaty situation in the senate or
any of the questions that have arisen
in the party relative to the accept
ance Of the treaty with reservations.
Il will take up those things in my
speech tonight" said Bryan "and I
would not like to say anything in ad-
vance of what l have to say then"
"WilI I take part in the campaign
this year?" repeated Bryan. 81 have
never been out of a campaign |
have been campaigning for forty
years and 1 have been active I'm the
national campaign for thirty years.
| never expect to get out Of a cam
paign. ! shall campaign all the time
as long as l live. There is no reason
for any one to think that have re-
tired that l contemplate retiring, or
that | ever will retire"