New-York tribune., 1920-05-08
Administration Men at
Delegate ConferenceCet
Only Resolution for Inn
mediate Disarmament
Prohibition Issue
Evaded Entirely
Governor Smith Elected
Delegations Chairman;
Mack Is Committeeman
From a STAFF Correspondent

ALBANY, May 7.-Delegates and
alternates from New York State to
the Democratic National Convention
met here to-day and refused to in
dorse President Wilson's Admins
tration OR the league Of nations.
Efforts Of Mayor George R. Lunn.
of Schenectady, and former Judge
Samuel S. Seabury to obtain such in
dorsement were vigorous, but they
went for nothing. The best that
they could gain was an eloquent
plea by W. Bourke Cochran for elm
mediate, universal and complete dis
armament"
The gathering also evaded pledg-
ing itself for or against prohibition.
Governor Smith was unanimously
chosen chairman of the delegation.
Mr.. Cochran was chairman of the
resolutions committee, which worked
until an early hour to-day, supposedly
to consider and formulate suggestions
for the national platform pursuant to
the various resolutions submitted to
the committee by the delegates.
The long hours Of work resulted in
the report of the committee coniining
itself to universal disarmament, which
was read by Mr.. Cochran and which
was challenged and denounced by
Judge Seabury and Mayor Lunn as i'm
practical and ineffective, as brilliant
oratorical idealism, q makeshift
method Of lodging all the more i'm
portant issues for which the Democrats
should stand.
Wilson Supporters Talked Down
Mayor Lunn and Judge Seabury
pleaded long and hard for an indorse-
ment of President Wilson or a frank
declaration of the extent to which the
delegates disagreed with his policies,
as we'll as on the league of nations and
prohibition issues, but their fight
against the overwhelming majority
was as futile as. yesterday on
the question of the unit rule. They
were talked down from the floor by
Mr.. Cochran, former Representative
John ]. Fitzgerald and other leaders
who Joined in the heated controversy
which followed the reading of the COM
mlCCee report.
Judge Seabury was promptly de-
state chairman and temporary chair
lnan of the conference, when he at
tempted to introduce a resolution call
ing for a fair and Just enforcement
of the Eighteenth Amendment, an ex-
pressed opposition to "any plank or
platform designed to sanction the lax
enforcement of the law" and con-
demnation Of "any suggestion that
that amendment can be nullifed by
the action of any state of this Union"
Governor Urges United Body
Governor Smith, in addressing the
conference at its close. urged the +
ences beforehand and go to San
clared that no one could sincerely at 3
tack the underlying principle of De- &
mocracy, the rule of the majority 3
Norman E. Mack, of Buffalo, was re-
elected Democratic National Commit
teeman.
In closing his argument against the
committees report, Judge Seabury
said:
"If this is what this delegation Is
going to do, you have a fair example s
of the figure the delegates from New
DIX Will cut HI San ldilClSSo-
predict that if you adopt this mere Z
flight of oratory, this delegation will 3
be held up to general ridicue within {
forty Eight hours.
The great question before the Dem !
ocrats to-day is to give an expression
as to whether they approve OF the I
Wilson administration, and if we don't
approve of it, to what degree that dis
approval goes. If we are for the
peace treaty, let US say so. If We are
against it, or for it with reservations,
let US say so. But don't run away
and dodge the issues"
Asks Plea for Ratification
Judge Seabury suggested that the re-
port be amended SO as to favor the
ratification of the treaty If necessary,
with the reservations required to OBJ
tain the two-thirds vote of the Sem
ate. The important thing was to have
it ratified, he declared
Congressman Fitzgerald pointed out
that Judge Seabury was advocating
something which President Wilson had
specifically instructed the Democratic
Senators not 10 permit to be done in
the Senate. Addressing his remarks to
the objections of both Judge Seabury
anad Mayor Lunn, Mr.. Fitzgerald said:
1--WE can't do the impossible and
satisfy everybody, particularly those
who would descend to anything sug-
gested by the Democratic organization, ),
even if it was an Endorsement of the.
Ten Commandments"
Cochran Draft Revised
The conference was late in conven-9
ing this afternoon. awaiting the report
of the Resolutions Committee 1t was
understood that Mr.. Cochran brought
a draft of the report on world dis.
armament with him from New York,
which ultimately resolved itself into
the keynote" speech of the confer
ence, but that members of the COM
mittee insisted upon revising it in.
certain respects, which led 10 pro-
tracted discussion.
AT the suggestion of Governor Smith
a declaration on his social measures,
which Jared badly in the Legislature,
was added to the report. 1t included
an adequate wage TO maintain res
sonable standard of life, including q
living. wage for women in industry, an
amendment TO the Federal Constitution
l., IL L