Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-24
DEMOCRAT Chiefs |
]. ARRIVE AT COAST.
Murphy Expected to Lead in
Fight to Adopt Moist
i Plank
EYES TURNED ON GLASS
By the Associated Press

By the Associated Press
Can Francisco, June 24.--Prelimi
,or;es to the Democratic National Con :
-ort;op got into the Inevitable period
~ hurry and scramble today with the
snpearancc here of one after another
of the men who are to play leading parts
,n the big quadrennial drama.
In the whispcrings behind the scenes
,bo question Of the party's policy to-
ward hone dry prohibition continued the
h;g theme Of agitation, with prospects
foT A fight on the convention floor grow :
;na better and better. Arriving leaders
and delegations also added some impetus
70 the discussion of presidential candi.
dotes, but that subject still remained
well in the background.
Two figures newly arrived on the
scene attracted particular attention.
0ne was Senator Carter Glass, of Vir-
sinia. fresh from Washington and gen
srally reported to have brought Presi-
dont wilson's own draft of the plat
form. The other was Charles +. MUIR
nbs of New York. the leader of Tam
many Hall. who came direct from the
widely heralded conference of old line
marty strategists at French Lick, Ind.
Leaders Busy as Beavers
Roth of them were as busy as beavers,
but as silent and cagey as mice. Pri-
vstely. they took careful stock of the
situation and conferred earnestly with
other leaders from far and wide. Pub
icly they refused to talk politics. out
line what they hoped to accomplish or
nredct what the convention finally
would bring forth.
Mr.. Murphy was the new center Of
sneculation on the subject of prOhibi-
tion. The declaration Of the New York
state convention for repeal of the
eighteenth amendment and widely cir
cuiated reports Of the patching of an
anti bone dry plan at French Lick
helped to bolster the impression among
many delegates that Tammany would
lead in the effort to write such a plank
into the platform.
This plank said to have been drafted
after conferences in Washington among
men high in the party councils, does not
mention beer or wines by name, but
makes a blanket declaration for more
liberal Interpretation by Congress of
the prohibition amendment. 1t is ex
pected that strong effort will be made
by sponsors of the proposal to throw
the influence of the administration be-
hind it.
No Other Fight Expected
Many of the party leaders, including
Homer s. Cummings. the national chair
man. reiterated confidence that no other
platform plank would lead to fight on
the convention floor. The League of
Nations declarations. as framed by ad-
ministratiOn supporters, was declared by
these leaders to be certain of acceptance
after only nominal squabble in the
platform committee.
Senator Glass's first conference after
his arrival here late yesterday was with
Chairman Cummings. They had dinner
together in the chairman's hotel room
and afterward spent most of the evening
In consultation.
William Jennings Bryan. who is cx-
pected to lead the attack on such a
treaty plank as we'll as the fight against
prohibition liberalization declaration.
still was missing today from the con-
stellaton of leaders here. He will ar
rive late in the week and no one here
pretended to know exactly what plan Of
campaign he may contemplate.
The suggestion that Mr.. Cummings,
who will be temporary chairman. be
continued as presiding officer was put
Toward today as a means of shortening
ne convention proceedings by dispensing
with the fOrmalities of n second con-
Ventioh organization.
Mr.. Cummings said, however, that
personally he did not favor the plan,
ana hoped some one else would be given
the permanent Craftsmanship.
Tammany Chiefs Keep Mum
Not only the Tammany chief but all
OF ms lieutenants refused steadfastly
10 discuss that subject or to say whether
any anti prohibition movement really
had been launched at the French Lick
conference. Thomas Taggart, of Indi-
ana. another principal in the confer
ehce. was expected to arrive here late
Today or early tomorrow, but it gen
sraiiy was predicted that the lines Of
oiVision on the prohibition issue would
not be clearly drawn until the con-
Monday.
4, one element which tended to keep
the problem in fux was the uncertainty
oi many of those here regarding the po-
sitlon OF President Wilson. The Vir-
snia state platform, which has been
gwen the Presidents unqualified ap-
provai and on which the national plat
n ,orin Is expected to be modelled, is silent
on the subject. Some of Mr., Wilson's 3
closest political friends in the admin
,S.ration, however. are known to have
prepared a liberalization plank for
MhiGh they are ready to make fight
In the convention.
Electrical Megaphones Prepared
rhysical preparations at the conven-
Honal nail virtually were completed to
is WIN the perfection of q system of
of ffIlrlcal megaphones to carry the voices
SPEAKERS out to the corners of the
Sosure' installation of the para
d"a,Ia dOnt 1We, started report that Presi-
Sent wilson expected to Address ths
apelegates by long distance telenbonv
uut Chairman Cummings said If there
"rre any such instcntion he was not
aware of il. nv was n''
que hitch in the ARRANGEMENTS re-
Will htS TO be eliminated had to do
wbiob 'ne seating of state delegations
con'n NCeed in number the national
ti'ee tno allotment. In several states
nj J01l ar lnree times the allotted number
et;rsaies were selected, with the in
ton 'hat each should have a frac.
said VI vote. Convention official,
ranso ''srS chort would be made to ar
tboSo, 'or seats for all such delegates,
In t5o some some OF them might have to sit
PI"e'ssma, Mont, June 24.-(By A.
WsIshHupport ior Senator Thomas I.
cbsirnm, or Montana, for permanent
Conr"nIath, OF the Democratic National
]. Rr,aioil was promised by William
made t%n %n mere yesterday. Mr.. BRYAN
en- rou,n ,ne statement during stop here
Mr. ID'p n 10 San Francisco.
at Sor hEEyan E would like to see adopted
unlike th hrF9ncisco platform lust as