The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-06-23
BONE Dry
OPPOS|TIO|N
IS GROWING
Almost Certainty Bssf
Plank Fight viii Rsach
Convention Floor.

San Francisco, CAL. June 25s
Rumblings of Democratic discord
over the prohibition issue became
hourly more ominous today as del.
egates and party chiefs arrived IA
increasing numbers for the nation
al convention.
Hope that the gathering storm
might spend itself behind the clOs-
ed doors of the platform committees
virtually was abandoned by the
leaders, and they prepared to face
an outbreak of tempestuous dis
turbance on the floor OF the con-
vention!
Such a development, It Wa
agreed everywhere, would hold
many dramatic possibilities, tn-
cluding a further complication OF
the uncertain outlook as to the
presidential nomination.
Antl.Drys Calming.
Already the overshadowing is
sue in pre-convention conferences.
the question of a platform declara-
ton against the present bone dry
law almost took, the whole stage TOR
itseh today as the gathering dele-
gates heard of Postmaster Gener-
al Burleson's announcement for 3
modification of the Volstead act.
By many accustomed to regard
the postmaster general as pOliti-
cal spokesman for the White house.
this was accepted as warning Of
which way the wind Of admins
| tration influence would blow.
Others among the party leaders
refused to take that view.
MIR. Burleson, who announced his
stand yesterday at San AntouiO,
Texas, will not reach San Fran
cisco until late in the week.
Finish Fight Forecast. a
What everyone here does know,
however, Is that both sides of tho
controversy are bringing their
heaviest artillery for finish fight.
After many conferences in an effort
! for harmony, Homer S. Cummings,
the national chairman, said today
it seemed to be "fair bet" that
the question would be taken to the
convention floor for q settlement
regardless Of what decision was
made in the platform committee.
Closely intertwined with the pro-
hibition question, is the problem
of selecting a platform in sympathy
L nj
upon. Among many of the practi-
cal politicians there is a feeling
that the two decisions must be set
tied virtually at one stroke. So the
pleas Of candidates managers are
falling In deaf ears for the present.
while the leaders get their bearings
on the more immediate question Of
a bone dry" or a beer platform.
League Only Sidesh0w.
The League of Nations disagree-i
ment, along with several other dis
puted platform issues, has followed
the question of candidates into
temporary eclipse. Among most
of the leaders, it is agreed TINT
whatever trouble develops over tho,
treaty will only be drop in the,
bucket compared to the prohibition
| fight.
| Leaders of the bone dry forces
were confident today that they
would command good majority IN
the platform committee, where each
state has only one member, and
could keep out of the COMMITTEES re-
port any declarations for q change
in the present law. -
With this view most Of the op-
posing managers privately agreed,
but they declared that when an ap-
peal was taken to the conventt66
itself, the vote would tell . much
different story.
!, Large States Hold Power.
| The large states, 1t was pointed
), out, while having only one vott
each in the committee, will haEe Z
much greater voice in the whole
-.