Evening star., 1920-02-16
PLATFORM MODELS
ROUSE DEMOCRATS
ON CAPITOL HILL
Marshall for Conservatives
and Bryan for Radicals
Furnish Blueprints.
BY \. O. MESSENGER.


found today that pronouncements of the
past forty-eight hours have furnished
the democrats with the blue prints OF
two party platforms. one suggested by
William J. Bryan and the other by Vice
President Marshall One is said to be
the proposed 1920 model of democracy.
with stream lines and all new-fanGled
dudads and the other return to early
Cleveland drawings. conservative ana
with Indiana trimmings of the Hen
Gricks, Voorhees,, Holman, Turpie shade.
Specifications of the two competing de-
signs will be found in another column.
Importance attaches to the PLATFORM
suggestions of these two eminent demo
Gratis from the fact that Mr.. Marshail
is prominently suggested as possible
chairman of the committee on resoiu-
tions of the national convention, IN De
half of the conservative democrats
while Mr.. Bryan is said to entertain no
sort of doubt that he himself will domi-
nate the resolutions committee.
Mr. Marshalrs Statement.
Still more Importance, however. is ac-
credited to a very significant statement
by Vice President Marshall in his letter
on the subject-a statement which poll
ticianS construed as carefully studied
and potent with meaning.
Thus far. the President, who is the
chief of our party" wrote the Vice
President, has not deemed it expedi-
ent to express his opinion as to what
the issues will be-" and he thereupon
proceeded to announce what in his
opinion the platform should designate
as the issues He set forth the views
as his own and invited Indiana demo-
Gratis, if they share them, to express
the same by sending him as a dele
lr,na ffnrl lyTGT N
ton. where he proposes to do all in
his power to have them incorporated
in the platform.
Old-Line Democrats Pleased.
Vice President Marshalls course
in calling attention to the lack of pos
tive declaration of principles from
the source whence an announcement
might reasonably be expected is said to
have pleased the old-line democrats in
Congress. who felt it was high time
that somebody was speaking out in
their behalf, the while Mr.. Bryan is
holding revival meetings throughout
the country and exhorting the faith
full along his own radical lines.
Whether his letter is a prelude to
subsequent announcement that he is
in the ring for the democratic nomi-
nation for President is the subject of
speculation, with opinions both ways
expressed. The general belief is that
Mr. Marshalrs attitude toward the
nomination could be summed up in
the possible thought by him. We'll.
why not?"
Rallying Point Furnished.
At any rate. democrats said today,
the Vice Presidents words should
have the effect of drawing attention
of the country to the fact that there
Is still some one in high public posi-
hn n he oil IL
fashioned democracy, minus radical
embellishments. He is regarded as
having set up standard around
which democrats of his turn of mind
can rally for the time being, whether
or not he be chosen as its standard
bearer for the campaign.
Mr.. Marshalrs closest friends think
that he will feel that he has per-
formed good service for his party in
doing this much whether it brings
him personal advantage and promo
ton or not. No one feels inclined to
foreclose possible benefits accruing to
him by saying outright that this is
as much as he really expects to do.
Good work" was the SententiouS
comment of one politician at the
Capitol today in reference to his
effort.
Bryan Got Month start.
Mr.. Bryan. it was said by democratic
politicians, has more than a full
months start of the other faction in
promoting his personal views on the
platform and cinching up his lines
for the big battle at the San Francisco
During that time demo-
Gratis have remained silent, but chatting
under their silence and the restraint
imposed upon them by the very condi
tion which Vice President Marshall so
frankly stated, the silence in a quar-
ter toward which every good demo-
crat was bending his gaze prayerfully.
as the Mussulman toward Mecca at
eventide.
Democrats expect from now on a
more positive stand by other demo-
Gratis of prominence. since Mr.. Mar
shall has taken the first step and said
Come on in: the water is fine 1t is
not presumed that he will be chided as
invading the prerogative of another
higher up in the party. as he takes
pains to express his opinions as his
very own and set forth for the pur-
pose of announcing his candidacy as
a delegate at large to the convention
from his own state. where he is the
democrat by title.
Watching Other Statements.
At the same time democrats are
awaiting with keen interest, now that
Mr.. Marshall has broken the silence
which has hung over the higher titular
quarter which Mr.. Marshall challeng-
ed. They fully expect that it will be
assuming as they do
that recent events forecast a resump-
ton of activity along political lines.
as well as in public and foreign af-
fairs.
Politicians declare that until def
mite statements come or are authoriz-
ed from the highest source, the three
most active figures in democratic pol
tics militant will be Vice President
Marshall, William jennings Bryan
and Gov. Cox of Ohio. if Champ Clark
should decide to run for the senator
ship and not aspire to the presidential
nomination..