New-York tribune., 1920-02-27
Convention in Wrangle
Before Adopting Wet
Plank; Smith Praised.
President Is Ignored
Offer Women Equal
Rank i'm All Affairs
Miss Mills, Miss Mar
bury, Governor andL. f.
Desbecker Form Big ~
By Denis Tilden Lynch

ALBANY, Feb. 26.-The Democratic
unofficial state convention adopted a
platform to-day extensively praising
Governor Smith and his aaministra-
tion and barely mentioning President
Wilson, whose league of nations it re-
fused to indorse The convention went
on record, however, as favoring "a"
league of nations. The platform also
criticized the Republican party lead
ership, particularly Speaker Thaddeus
Z. Sweet and his custer of the i've So
cialists, for having no other remedy
Tor social unrest save repression.
The platform contained a plank de-
claring that the Democratic party was
unalterably opposed to prohibition by
Federal amendment and calling for its
repeal. This plank was characterized
by Mayor George R. Lunn of Schenec-
tady as "camouhage," despite the eff
forts OF the majority of the delegates
to howl him down. Another plank
promised the women square deal and
full and equal representation in party
affairs with the men
Rejects Mrs. Colbert as Delegate
After adopting the platform the con-
ventlon, acting under instructions of
Charles +. Murphy, boss Of Tammany
Hall, and the others Of the Delmoni ic O
directorate who manage the Democratic
party in this state, turned down Mrs.
Elizabeth v. Colbert of this citv. Who
was the leading choice of the Demo
cratic women of the state for member
ship on the "big four" at the National
Convention at San Francisco. In her
stead was named Miss Harriet Nav
Mills, of Syracuse, who received orly
thirteen votes at yesterdays conven-
, tion Of the Democratic women. This
lett Mrs. Colbert and other women p
bit dazed after their first encounter
with the Tammany steam roller
The Tammany delegates wanted to
name some man in place of Mrs. Col
bert. Upstate delegates raised such a
storm OF protest at this and so many
women threatened to bolt the conven-
ton that it was finally decided to name
Miss Mills, who had formally with
drawn from the race and whose
strength was thrown to Mrs. Colbert at
Yesterdays gathering.
Tammany wanted to name only one
woman, Miss Elizabeth Marbury, of New
York City, but was finally forced to
take Miss Mills in addition to Miss
Marbury when it insisted on throwing
out Mrs. Colbert.
Smith One of "Big Four"
The other two members of the Obi
Four are Governor Smith, who heads
the delegation, and Louis f. Dcsbecler,
Of Buffalo. Mr.. Desbecker is former
corporation counsel of his home town
and is a member Of the Buffalo School
Board. The alternates on the "Big
Four" are:
Borough President Edward Riegel-
mann OF Brooklyn, Mrs. Maurice Z.
Connolly. wife of the Borough Presi-
dent OF Queens; Winfield H. Huppuch,
Of Washington County, and Nette NJ
Hewitt, of Carthage.
The row made by the upstate women
over Tamnany's insistence on rejecting
Mrs. Colbert caused a two-hour delay
in getting the convention under way.
Apart from the friction over the
naming of Mrs. Colbert and Mayor
Lunn's clash with his fellow delegates
on the wet" plank, the convention
ran smoothly, a. was expected of a
thoroughly fabricated machine.
Everybody was in high fettle and
the assembled delegates--369 men and
81 wonderland their friends roared
mighty welcome to Governor Smith
when he ascended the platform.
II came to Albany as Governor on