Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-28
WAS Thrillinc scene.

was 11IlllIUS SCIAlSs H
Auditorium, San Francisco, June
28.-Thirty minutes before the hour
set for the opening Of the convention.
the brass band beside the organ loft
was blartng popular airs n the dele
gates were beginning to trail into the
hall. They stood about in groups dis
cussing candidates and issues. None
OF the convention officials or leaders
had arrived at hat hour and the
expectation was that as ia the case
with all conventions, it probably would
be late in starting. A supply of Cali
fornia redwo0 gavels made from the
celebrated burls of the redwood trees
were brought to the platform for use.
Official photographers and moving
picture men were busy looking for no
tables. with Little success. Women
' composed a great part of the s>ecta-
tors in the visitors galleries. h
song leaders ais were on the Job early
all primed with material. political
parodies on popular. airs printed on
leaflets were scattered among the
delegates and visitors. The Long.
Long Trail. Smiles, Over There, and
Where Do We Go From Here, all were
supplied with words of political mean
ing predicting Democratic harmony in
the convention and victory at the cleo
ton. Fair co-ed's nshcred the women
uClO6hlCS W lllCII stats dIlu LIE IlCII
mostly took thir chances on finding
their own. Banners, flowers and Cali
fornia fruits were all through the hall.
Completely refitted for the conven-
ton the great auditorium presented a
fine picture of %neatness and polish
usual in convention halls.
The big dome which hitherto had
been a handicap for acoustics was cut
off with a new false ceiling of drah
| nj IL rnd mn ,1,o e, 4 >1@~1k>J -, = I i. ~ =, u
white figures like ar overgrown fancy
parasol.
The seats and gallery floors also
were in drab and there was only
enough of flags and bunting to COM
plete the harmony of the scene with
out a touch of gaudiness.
1t looked much different than when
President Wilson made his speech
here last September for the League
was nothing but confusion. the acous-
tics went to pieces and only a few of
the many thousands who came in
could hear the presidents words.
San Francisco, June 2S.-Delegates
and leaders were prepared for a fight
over both platform n candidates as
the Democratic national convention
assembled today for; its opening SEES
sion. "N'a
The. actual convention work itself
was only preliminary and perfunctory,
but the arrival of convention day
served to bring further into the open
the questions which had been divid-
ing delegates n perplexing the elder
politicians in their pre-conventior
conferences.
The. keynote speech of Homer S
Cummings as temporary chairman
was the principal feature of the days
program.
The Prohibition Fight.
The Invest subject in the minds OF
the delegates manifestly was the i'm
pending prohibition fight, but talk OF
candidates was gaining more and
more, attention as the rival managers
got down to cases with the big .'ody
of uninstructed and u%npledged dele
gates. Today for the first time the
entire convention personnel was here
and the. opposing elements were TAX
ing definite bearings.
The latest turn of the McAdoo
boom furnished a new angle to the
convention preliminaries but it's pre-
else effect on the relative situation of
the candidates was not yet clear. An
nouncement that the former secrc'
tary OF the treasury. despite his dec
laration that he did not van this
nomination. would be willing to ac'
cept it, was variously accepted by the
several elemtns of delegates.
* Uele&ates Busy. 3
Delegates WHO were working fol
planks they hoped to have incorpor
ated in the platform were at work
early distributing literature anon
the delegates. The leaflets and card!
related to h cause of Irish freedom
and other questions which are bcin:
presented to the resolutions commit
tee. =
The band swung into medley of ma
tional airs and when it struck Dixi'
the southern delegates got their frs
chance to let out the rebel yell. The.
stood on chairs and waved their ban
ners. beating time with the music.
] News of the maneuvering still il
progress among the platform maker
on the outside drifted into III hal
with the assembling delegates. 1t wa
said that those expecting a hard tigh
from Bryan on the League of Ma
lions plank would be agreeably dis
appointed as Mr.. Bryan had drafted
league plank which the administra
tion forces would accept and support
1t was also reported about the con
yention hall, much to the relief G
some of the administration leaders