Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-06-10
Possibility of Debate on Flour and Prolonged Conven-
 tiOn Looms
OLD LINE LEADER IS
 FOR MILD CHANGES
Tells the Committeeman Declaration Eiatly Against the Covenant Will be Harmful-Varied Matters are
 Heard by Committee

Jects, ranging from enforcement of i the prohibition act to free food for hapless inventors, were discussed by l 50 persons today before the resolu- tlon committee, sitting to receive sug- gestions on blanks for the platform. Every one who wanted to talk was heard and the five minute rule. grave ly adopted yesterday, was subject to liberal interpretation and many re- servations. At the close of the hear ing the committee had enough testi- mony to keep it occupied several days. High spots in the meeting included a vigorous attack on the anti-strike features of the Cummings rail- road bill and the Kansas industrial courts law by Samuel Gompers; a strong plea by Senator Capper of Kan sas and others for enforcement of the dry laws; clash between members of the committee when Ben c. Marsh, representing a farmers organization, made what one committeeman called a socialistic speech and a demonstration when Frank P. Walsh spoke in be- half of Irish freedom.
 The republican row over the league of nations suddenly took on such a furious aspect today that for the moment it almost overshadowed the nomination deadlock and threatened to upset the whole tenor of the na- tional convention.
 It was stiffening of resistance by the mild reservationists group which brought the issue once more sharply to the fore just as resolution sub committe thought it had about brought all elements into harmony.
 w Murray Crane of Massachusetts, a former senator and old line leader in many preceding conventions was the central figure in the development Emerging from the obscurity which hitherto had surrounded his presence here, he gathered about him group of mild reservation advocates, and in- formed the platform builders they would make mistake unless they de clared for league of nations princi- pie as against the principle of no lea que at all.
 May Fight on Floor.
 Because of the position Senator Crane has occupied in previous party parleys the younger leaders manifest ed no precipitous desire to antagonize him. They reconsidered their plan to adopt plank not containing such an affirmative declaration and decided to postpone discussion of the league question by the subcommittee until all other subjects were out of the way.
 One immediate result was to fore cast a prolonged debate in the sub committee and perhaps later in the full committee not to speak of the possibilities of one side or the other finally bringing the subject to the Floor of the convention itself. The promise of delay also matched a move ment to proceed with the nomination while the platform still is in the mak- ing. A proposal which threatened to complicate still more the troubled out look over candidates.
 While feverish conferences outside of the committee wrestling with the problem, the sub-committe itself sat all day and far into the night clearing aside other and less controversial is- sues. Whether report could be made at tomorrow's session remained un- certain, with some of the most experi enced in the vicissitudes of platform building predicting the task could not be finished before Friday.
 Meantime, the remainder of the res olutions committee of 5 spent the day in open hearings listening to the plat form suggestions of farmers, labor leaders, prohibition leaders and sym pathizers in the cause of Irish free dom. The hearings were closed late in the day and the data gathered will 20 before the subcommittee tomor- row.
 Johnson Wants Action. Senator Borah of Idaho, leading the fight in the sub committee for flat declaration against the Versailles league of nations declared he was as- sured of a majority of the thirteen members. His claim was disputed by the mild reservation advocates, however, who said they believed the pressure they were bringing to bear would result in plank more affirma- tive in character. They have submit ted in writing to the subcommittee a draft that would satisfy them.
 The exact source and character of the movement for immediate nomina- tion of a candidate, leaving the plat form to be adopted later. was not ap- parent. It was said, however. that some of the Johnson men looked with favor on the proposal and that Sena- tor Johnson's friends on the sub-com mittee were counselling against haste :n deciding the league question.