The New York herald., 1920-01-08
Nebraskan's Expected Attack
on President Due at Jackson
Day Dinner Tonight.
LEADERS WONDERING
AS TO THE OUTCOME
Kansas City Gaining Over San Fran,
cisco as Place for the National
Convention.
By JAMES A. HAGERTY.
Herald bureau,
No. 1,jO2 ii Street, N. W.,
Washington, ID. c., Wednesday.


Washington, ID. c., Wednesday.
Speculation concerning the forthcoming
letter OF President Wilson and the speech
of William ]. Bryan, which will be read
and delivered at the two Jackson Day din
ners here tomorrow night, overshadowed
all other matters discussed tonight by
Democrats who had gathered from all
parts Of the country for the meeting of the
Democratic National Committee tomorrow.
With a belief that break between Pres
idcnt Wilson and his friends and Mr..
Bryan and his supporters is inevitable, the
tendency amcng the Democratic leaders Is
to go slow on committing themselves to
ce ndidates until It is known how far apart
the two are on reservations to the peace
treaty and how far Mr.. Bryan intends to
go at this time. either In promoting his
own candidacy for the Democratic nomina-
tion for President or in opposing any or
the other candidates row inNthe field.
Homer S. Cummings. chairman Of the
Democratic Committee, declared positively
that the committee would stand by the
President on the League Of Nations and
would pass a resolution to that effect. MT
Cummings asserted that there had been
campaign OF slander against the President
and predicted that those who now opposed
his efforts for world peace would be
ashamed of their position within ten years
With a clash expected at one or both Oh
the dinners. the meeting of the National
Committee, the chief business OF which is
to select a city for the Democratic Ma
tional Convention, took on secondary
interest The choice was said to lie be-
tween Kansas City. San Francisco and
Chicago. with the chances slightly favor
ing Kansas City. The convention prob
ably will be called two weeks later than
the Republican Convention, or on June y,
but possibly may be postponed until
June %.
Palmer I'm the Lead.
A majority of the committeeman so far
here seem to favor Attorney General a.
Mitchell Palmer At least. he may be re-
garded as the leading candidate so far as
the political leaders are concerned. Inc
absence of William G.. McAdoo has caused
n temporary recession of his boom, but ms
friends maintain that ii Us only temporary.
Despite the published reports that Mr..
McAdoo has decided he does not want to
be a candidate. II Is the belief OF most oil
the Democratic leaders that his departure
for Texas on the eve of this gathering is
rather clever ruse to keep out OF possible
complications that may arise as result oil
the TWO dinners. ne tCIStuobs 10 thob
Mr.. McAdoo has forfeited no real advan-
tage by staying away. He undoubtedly
will be q candidate " he believes he can
be elected and still is in n position 10
throw his hat into the ring at any time.
There will be a great gathering of Demo.
cratic Presidential aspirants tomorrow
night. There will be twelve speakers who
will make double appearance at both din-
ners All except one of these-Mrs. Peter
Olesen. who was selected as the Demo-
cratic woman orator-are at least reccp-
tive candidates.
In addition there will be letters from the
President and Mr. McAdoo. completing the
roster OF possibilities. with the exception
of Herbert Hoover whose Democracy Is
subject to some doubt. incidentally. there
Is considerable interest displayed In Mr..
Hoover by some of the Democratic COM
mitteemen, particularly those from the
West.
Mr.. Bryan will be the fourth speaker at
the dinner in the New Washington Hotel
and the last at the banquet In the New
willard President Wilson's letter will be
read just before the beginning OF the
speeches at each dinner. According 10 the
present arrangements. the Presidents let
ter will not be reached for publication until
eight O'Clock I'm the evening or possibly not
ru.N it is read.
short Time for Byrar.
In either case, Mr.. Bryan. II he con-
templates an attack upon the Presidents
attitude on the peace treaty. probably will
have no opportunity to become acquainted
with it's contents until 1t is read. Homer
$. Cummings. chairman OF the National
Committee. has requested the speakers to
confine their addresses to twenty minutes,
so Mr.. Bryan will have approximately an
hour TO decide what comment, IL any, he
Will make OF the Presidents letter.
Generally speaking. the present national
Democratic organization is hostile to Mr..
Bryan's reputed ambition. What the
leaders fear Is a recrudescence OF the old
Bryan strength sufficient to prevent the
nomination of any candidate no may op-
pose. Members of the committee, particu-
larly those from the West, have reported
that there has been great activity among
Democrats who were formerly adherents
of Mr.. Bryan and have been politically
inactive recently.
Those opposed to Mr.. Bryan expect him
to use the rule requiring two-thirds OF the
delegates 20 n Democratic national con-
vention for the nomination OF a candidate
for President to create a deadlock similar
to that at Baltimore In 1912, and then to
attempt to bring about his own nomina-
ton.
II was said that an attempt to have the
National Committee recommend the abro-
cation OF the two-thirds rule and sub
stitute nomination by majority would be
-
Continued on page six, Col. ski