New-York tribune., 1920-06-27
Bryan Leads
Fight Against
League Plank
Continued from page one)

they did not consider the Republican
reservations destructive
The first real evidence of how much
force Bryan can put behind his
opposition to the policies of Presi-
dent Wilson will come in the
makeup of the resolutions COM
mittee, which will draft the plat
form, and in the choice of the per-
manent organization of the convention.
rect contest between the Administra
tion forces and Mr.. Bryan's forces. If
Mr.. Bryan finds upon the resolutions
committee majority of men sympa-
thetic with his views on prohibition,
| the League of Nations and other ques-
tions, the chances of fight at the
outset will be minimized If the Ad-
ministration men control and insist on
declaration in support of the league
covenant as brought from Versailles
by President Wilson Mr.. Bryan may
oppose bringing the issue into the
platform at all.
Prospect for Fireworks
Of course, if the vets attempt to
put in a plank which runs counter to
Mr. Bryan's declared views on prohi-
bition, Mr.. Bryan certainly will carry
the flight to the floor of the conven-
ton. In such an event, Mr.. Bryan will
not be unanswered and there are pros
poets of fireworks which might even
eclipse the display that accompanied
mr.: bryan's fight at Baltimore and
which eliminated in the nomination of
Woodrow Wilson.
bryan formally opened his fight for
a prohibition platform plank after his
election to-day by the Nebraska dele
cation to the resolutions committee.
lie made long and vigorous address
at at a luncheon of the Commonwealth
Clup on prohibition and other platform
questions in which he declared the
Democratic party must be Saved from
the liquor interests"
MI. Bryan said that while an open
hgnt might be avoided, he would force
a record vote, both of states and in
dlVldual delegates, if the LIQUOR oues
tlon should be brought up in the con-
vention. 1t was the paramount issue
before the Democrats, Mr.. Bryan said;
declaring his special purpose here was
to have "dry" plank Incorporated in
the platform-an essential to party
victory in November, he declared.
Vets Encouraged by South
The vets were encouraged by re-
ports from Southern delegations that
hopes of the prohbitionsts for
solid South for prohibition declara-
ton were unfounded. They declared
that the unit rule could not be in
voked on all Southern delegations and
that many of the Southerners were
ready to vote against the pro-
hibitionists.
Mr.. Bryan told his audience to-day
that he sought his place on the
RESOLUTIONS Committee especially to
tight for a dry plank. He asserted
ne would welcome minority report
from the Resolutions Committed. if
necessary, to bring the issue squarelv
before the convention.
when we're through" he continued
"the country will know whether the
Democratic party will be the chatte
property Of the brewers or whether
they'll be out of business, never to
raise their black flag again. There
will be no lodging the issue, no skulk-
ing around as there was at Chicago. !
If the Democratic party isn't willing !
to speak out. after the Supreme Court.
has wlthered every argument of the !
vets, it ought to DISSOLVE"
Assailing the Republican convention !
Tor its silence on prohibition, Mr.. !
Bryan said that if the Democrats |
Wished to secure support from 26,O0O,-
200 women voters they must declare |
For continued prohibition. Any break
n the prohibition wall, he said, would |
result eventually in establishment
If saloons, gambling halls and dives.
on-Committal on Candidates
Individual candidates were not dis