The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-07-10
DRY CONGRESS TO
Be bRyAN'S AIM,
EXPERT DECLARES
David Lawrence Finds Strik-
ing Similarity Between
Worship of Johnson and
Loyalty of MCAdoo Friends.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,
Especial Correspondent Of The Ne,

NSPeC'di correspondent of The News
SAN FRANcTsCo .." julv 1o-Tbougb
the differences between the Republican
ana Democratic conventions be few
Lney are nevertheless worth analyzinp
Es.nolonalism reached its peak in the
discussion OF politics here and in the
almost fanatical loyalty with which the
supporters of McAdoo refused to ac-
cept his declination to be a candidate
ana carried his name through a mighty
Dattle because he seemed to embody
the vision of a Wilson and the aggress-
lVeness OF Roosevelt.
It's all over now and neither McAdoo
nor Hiram johnson can be the bene-
Ilciary of post-mortem but there is
a striking similarity between the de-
Totlon OF the folks who worshiped
Hiram johnson and the folks who
ceago. the ideaIists weren't even given a
nearing. They were bluntly showed
aside and outwitted by the master
Strategists. At San Francisco, the
ldealists were listened to and then
coldly overwhelmed
Few men in recent years have Sue
ceeded in kindling the emotion to which
william Jennings Bryan set fire in the
democratic convention. Hiram John
son sat by admiring the reception that
a California audience gave to a man
who made his appeal on a moral issue,
but cruel and unrelenting political ex-
pediency sent Bryan to defeat within
a few minutes after the delegates and
the galleries had ceased cheering him.
They accepted his doctrine but not his
frank suggestion that the convention
go on record as it had cheered
William Jennings Bryan is grieved
and Inundated. His friends see the
Commoner disappointed not because he
wasn't selected for the presidency as
so many people have insisted was his
ambition, but downcast because in the
hour of his greatest triumph-the rati-
fication of the prohibition amendment
his own party turned a deaf ear to
as sincere and forceful a plea as was
ever made on public platform.
Heard But Not Needed.
The, memory of Bryan fighting for
dry plank in the Democratic platform
will always be the dramatic episode
OF the convention. He stood there like
a crusader offering his life to cause,
deceived by the leaders from the wet
states. But they didn't heed his ad-
vice. They ignored the subject and
the wet states nominated candidate
whom Bryan believes is wet.
Bryan will not bolt the party. He
will probably not make any speeches
against Cox, for the latter will sooner
or later make it clear that any revival
of the wet and dry issue rests with
congress. ..-
Bryan. however, plans to fight for
will enter the districts of Republicans
and Democrats alike who come out for
any increase in the alcoholic content
of beverages
On the treaty issue, Bryan made the
mistake of Juggling in his own amend
ments. He tried to get plank in the
platform proposing an amendment to
the constitution so that a majority vote
instead of two-thirds could end war. He
would have been twice as dangerous
to the convention if he had suggested
that the Il Democratic senator's who
voted with the majority on reservations
to the peace treaty be indorsed AS it
was, he fell victim to the effective
satire and keen retorts of Senator Car
ter Glass OF Virginia, who distinguished
himself in the debate on platform, and
showed a set Of oratorical teeth that
will bite hard into Republican argu
ment even though this is his first
term in the senate.
Glass was looked upon by his dele
cation as a possible dark horse in the
event that the deadlock could not be
broken. Virginia remained loyal to
him and the vocal Interruptions by
John Joyce, Of Norfolk county, Va, his
musical exclamation wonderful" as
Glass struck away at the foes of the
platform, constituted species of ia
NOflJe son aOuldtlOn ndTuly eNCellGu.
Democrats Show Better.
The Democratic platform was de-
bated in the open. The Republican
platform was debated mostly behind
closed doors. Each convention had its
own method.
AS a matter of fact, notwithstanding
all debate, the program worked out by
majority of the platform committee
here in executive session was adopted
by the main body of delegates by as
big a vote as at Chicago. The Demo-
Gratis, however, did put on better
show-William jennings Bryan, Bourke
Cochran, of New York; Carter Glass and
cambridge Colby-an oratorical feast
extraordinary and all in one day.
Also, the Republicans listened at
tentively to Samuel Gompers, and gave
the platform. That was exactly the
treatment which the Republican dele
gates liked. The Democrats gave Com
pers most everything he wanted, and
that was popular with the Democrats
here Each convention had its own
ideas of what sort of an appeal the
platform should make-the Republicans
catered to the business folks; the Dem
ocrats to the laboring man.
1t took just as long to read the Re
publican platform at Chicago as IT did
the Democratic platform here, and the
delegates in both conventions seemed
about equally dazed and bored by the
flow of political vocabulary Conslired
in by so men after all-night and day
sessions.
But newspaper correspondents VINO
attend the proceedings of congress from
wear to wear thought both the Republi-
can and Democratic platform commit
tees displayed wonderful powers OF con
centration and evolved in two or three
days what it would take 80 senators