The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-06-25
START
FIGHT FOR SEATS
IN SAN FRANCISCO
=, "s ~ Wv bu sSbSSS
Effort to Include Reed in
Missouri Delegation Prom
ises Lively Row--Georgia's
Factions To Be Heard.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 25.-First
guns of the Democratic National con-
vention were to be fired today when
the national committee met to draw up
the temporary roll of delegates. Three
contests had been called to the COM
| mittee's attention, but only one of them,
that involving efforts to give Senator
Reed, of Missouri, seat with the dele
cation from that state. promised more
than routine interest. Only one con-
test, that from Georgia, has been Of
| ficially filed with the committee.
The Georgia contest results were eX-
| pected by party leaders to be settled
in favor fof delegates friendiy TO The
| candidacy. of Attorney Geenral Palmer
for the Presidential nomination, the de-
cision carrying with it confirmation of
Clark Howell as national committee
to be no question as to the result in
what was described as clear case"
where statutory provisions In the state
and party rules dictated the course
of the committee.
The Reed case may prove more diff
flcult to deal with. An effort to place
the senator on the floor OF the con-
vention, although the Missouri state
convention rejected him as a delegate
at-iarge, was expected, and because
Of his. attitude toward the administra-
| tion during senate battles over the
peace treaty. 1t was said to be pos
sible that strong resistance would be
| met before the committee.
The third contest, from Opegon, was
| not regarded as a serious case and
might not 1t was said, materialiZe at
all. In fact national committee Of
ficlals did not know before they as
sembled to examine credentials what
appearance was to be made in any of
the contest cases.
Overnight developments showed two
| matters that have been in a nebulous
stage since the first Democratic lead
ers arrived here to be approaching
more definite shape. These were the
| mysterious and persistent boom for
nomination of William G. McAdoo, even
against his flat decination that he was
not candidate and the conflict as
to prohibition enforcement plank in
the platform.
McAdoo adherents were said early to-
day to be shaping their plans to with
hold his name from the balloting
throughout the early stages. They have
learned that the former secretary of
| the treasury still has a strong follow
ing but are said to fell that in view
of his attitude it would not be expedient
to present his name unless the cX-
| candidates, Palmer and Gov. Cox of
Ohio, should develop. In that event
there appeared TO be little doubt that
McAdoo would be put forward to break
the blockade with the assurance of con-
sideIab strength at the start. His
friends are said to have put their heads
together to formulate plans of this ma =
| ture and map out strategy of the sub
sequent campaign to obtain for him
the two-thirds majority on which Demo-
cratic nominations must rest.
On the prohibition enforcement ques-
fffn IN nGf Ina, ..,,l
ject of discussion in convention circles,
there developed yesterday sudden
movement to ignore the question en-
tirely in the platform. Suggestions OF
this nature came to Chairman Cum
mings of the national committee from
camps representing various shades OF
opinion ranging from bone dry to almost
as completely wet
These feelers toward harmony pro-
gram were not clear enough, however,
to show that all parties to the contest
had arrived at the conclusion that
such a course would be wise.
While 1T was possible that the Vir-
ginia Democrats had followed the pIan
of silence on the Volstead enforce
ment act in framing the platform which
President Wilson has approved. which
might indicate the administration at
titude, it was suggested much depends
on the course W. ]. Bryan plans to
follow on his arrival here today. lie is
credited with having determined to
carry the war into the e1cmy's coun-
try In meeting the wet" drive at the
platform which began more thln week
ago and offer an emphatic brne-dry
declaration on his account.
The movement for platform silence
on the enforcement measure Is said to
have sprung in part from consideration
of this report as to the Ner3ra skan's =
plans. Some at least of its aGvoc ,es
are said to desire now to head off a
vote on such a bone dry program as
matter OF eXpediency. If The issue
were forced to conclusion on the
platform struggle, these atra,cgsts
argued, 1t might be more prejudlcial
to their hopes for modification Cf the
Volstead act than beneficial, while COM
plete silence would leave party rcI-
resentatives in congress free 20 act.
There was increasing activity on
all sides today among workers 70 va
rious presidential candidates.