Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-06-21
DECKS CLEARED
FOR CONVENTION

San fRANCISCO, June 2l.-One week
from today, with the baRging of the
gavel of ]. Bruce Kremer Of Montana,
temporary chairman, the second of Amer
fca's great quadrennia political powwows
will swing into action.
Today all is IN readiness.
The great civic auditorium in which
the democratic national convention win
convene is a beehive of activity Car
penters and electricians are putting the
finishing touches on the alterations nee
essary to house the convention. Deco
rators are busy adding touches Of color
here and there and completing the drap-
ing Of the great arched dome Of the
building
Upstairs in the myriad Offices which
are a part Of the structure. directed by
Homer s. Cummings, national chairman,
the activities Of the national committee
are proceeding. Typewriters are speed
ing, telephones continually ringing. mes
sengers crowding each other and here
and there committee meetings are in
progress.
Delegates are coming and going from
the executive offices OF the convention
eadQuarters-hundre OF them arriving
here ten days before the date of the con-
vention opening
CONTEST COMMITTEE
To MEET FRIDAY.
The first actual indication Of the trend
of the convention will be given on Frl-
day, when the national committee meets
to act on contests, according TO party
leaders here.
Two nti-administration groups viii
appear before the national committee.
seeking a decision which will seat them
In the convention.
The contests center around Senator
James Reed of Missouri, who has been
enc OF the most bitter opponents OF Pres
ident wilson's stand on the league of ma
tions, and Senator Hoke Smith of
Georgia. who also fought against the ad-
ministratIon league Of nations program.
While II is generally understood here
that the national committee is staunchly
behind the administration, there Is no
doubt but what the forces opposed TO the
present democratic regime viii marshal
their forces behind the contests OF Sena-
tor Reed and Senator Smith.
Both contests are brought upon tech
nical grounds.
Senator Reed was unseated as a dele
gate by the Missouri state convention
and was reelected by his district.
The contest which concerns Senator
Smlth is over the twenty -eignt delegates
from Georgia which are claimed by At
torney General A. NJ Palmer. Senator
Smith and Thomas Watson.
The question which will be raised In
this contest is only application Of the
Georgia primary election law to a presi-
dental preference primary not provided
for specifically in the state primary stat
utes.
Another contest which II is expected
will be brought before the committee is
one oyer the seat Of the late G. T. Bald
win from Oregon.
Downtown the hotels are filling up. At
the Palace, national headquarters. the
lobbies are filled daily with delegates
and outsiders.
At the st. Francis, which is housing
the celebrities attending the big meet,
William Jennings Bryan. here in the
triple capacity Of delegate, newspaper
man and foremost exponent Of the "drys,"
has a room a few doors from that Of
Gov. Edwards of New Jersey, candidate
for the presidency and supporter Of the
vets" Bryan has It on the Jerseyite
In that he occupies the presidential
suite"
SETTING Is
UNPARALLELED.
The national