The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-05-31
CONTESTS IN G. 0.P.
CONVENTION CHOICE
BEGINNING TODAY
(By Associated Press)

CHICAGO, May 31.-The right OF
nearly one-seventh of all the delegates
to the Republican national conven-
tion to occupy their seats when the
big quadrennial show opens here one
week from tomorrow was at stake to-
day when the national committee
opened its hearing in 1877 contest cases.
By a unanimous vote the Republican
national committees first action today
was to throw open hearings on con-
tested delegations. Chairman Hayes
made the recommendation as he prev
iously announced he would and there
was no opposition in the committee.
1t was decided to take up contests
in the alphabetical order of states. The
first contest to come before the COM
mittee, that from Fourth district of
Alabama, was abandoned when the
committee called it. The committee
was ready to go ahead hearing con.
tests when it assembled but some dele
cations and their attorneys were de-
layed by late trains and the commit
teemen went on with their business
while waiting.
coIored Delegations Arrive.
Many of the contesting negro dele
hand early, even before the doors
opened. Hayes was an early arrival.
Frank H. Hitchcock also was on hand
early and had a series of conferences
with committeeman and contestants.
He had nothing to say concerning a
meeting of Wood managers called for
tonight at which it is understood the
dierences in the Wood forces are to
be taken up and Hitchcock's future
connection with the generals candi-
dacy decided
Practically all direct committeeman
were on hand, with the absentees rep
resented by proxies.
Notable among the proxy holders
are John L. King, of Connecticut, for
merly manager for Major-Genera]
Leonard Wood, who holds the proxy
of Senator Boise Penrose, Of Pennsyl
vania, and Joe Healing, of Indianapo
lis, representing James A. Hemenway
of Indiana.
Contests from three southern states
| Alabama, Arkansas and Florida
will be heard today, committeeman
said. When the committee met this
morning it's first action was to pre-
pare calendar and fix limits on the
time to be devoted to oral arguments
by attorneys for the contestants.
! Open; Marks a Precedent
I Announcement by Chairman Will H
Hays yesterday that the contest ses
/ sions would be open, marks new de
parture in Republican procedure anC
was hailed in the camps of the vari
GUS candidates as the passing O
"steam roller" methods.
| Besides the contestants themselves
attorneys and friends of the variou:
candidates and newspaper men, rep
resenting the public, have been in
vited to attend. The executive ses
sion of the committee, which opened
todays business, and the compilation
Of the calendar was expected to tax,
all the morning and part of the after
noon.
The first contest, involving on,
delegate from the fourth Ala bama dis
trict, is not expected to be reached
! before the middle of the afternoon.
Two uninstructed delegates are con
testing for the seat, with the Woo
and Lowden factions interested to tn
extent that their campaign manager
testified before the senate investigat
ing committee that each had spen
$1,000 in that state.
AS usual in past conventions, virtu
ally all the contests originate be
tween "lily-white" and black an,
tan groups in southern states.