Americus times-recorder., 1920-05-25
STILLLOYAL TO
RECORD
SAY Smith MEN
Delegates Not Bound To
Oppose Administra-
ton Or League

faction of the Georgia delegation to
the San Francisco convention do not
feel bound by the Georgia state con-
vention of last week, by which tk2y
were named, to vote for reputation
of the party and president at the ma
tlOnal convention, or against the
League of Nations with reservations,
as has been interpreted in many sec
tions of the state as being obligatory
upon them under the terms Of the
convention resolutions. On the con-
trary they will stand for an endorse
ment of the administration and for
the League of Nations with reserva-
tions, just as advocated by Senator
Smith.
This was indicated today by ex-
pressions of Smith delegates on the
eve of the meeting of the Georgia
delegation here tomorrow for the.
purpose of organization 1t is the
position of the Smith men that the
convention did not declare against
the administration. and that the ad-
ministration was not endorsed out
right because of a piece of trickery
on the part of Palmer leaders, res
olution of endorsement having been
prepared by Smith leaders and pre-
vented from presentation to the con-
vention by Palmer men. The con-
vention having taken no stand against
the administration in its platform
they feel free to vote to support the
administration at San Francisco.
Resolution Change Slight.
AS to the League of Nations, it
is charged that the resolutions as
prepared by the resolution commit
tee was tampered with, but this is
taken not to make much real differ
ence. The resolution as passed set
forth that the convention opposed
the League of Nations brought back
from Versailles 1t is alleged that
the word "as" appeared before the
brought in the approved text. How
ever the elimination of the
word is not interpreted as placing
the convention on record against the
League with reservations any more
than had the word not been remOv-
ed, as the reservations advocated by !
Senator Smith would modify it so as
to make it in reality not the League
brought back from Versailles" They
are willing to let Watson make his
own Interpretation of the resolu-
tions as passed and reserve to them
selves the right to make their own
Interpretation. They insist that the
Palmer men themselves are respon-I
sible for the failure of the convention
to declare itself as standing behind
the party and administration.
mo Apology to Make.
Arthur Lucas, Of Atlanta, one of
Senator Smiths campaign managers,
and delegate at-large was a mem
ber of the resolutions committee in
the convention. Although the Smith
men have been somewhat harshly
criticized following the convention
! he today declared that he had no
apology to make.
Il charge that the Palmer peo-
ple," said he, "purposely confused
the two resolutions, endorsing the
administration and declaring for the
/ League of Nations without reserva-
tions, so as to have it appear that
the convention would not endorse
the administration. We played fair
/ ly with the Palmer people, even aft
er they resorted to every known po-
litical trickery and knavery. Even
after they had proposed to trade with
the Watson forces we agreed to give
them one-third of the delegates
which, as is we'll known, they de-
clined.
Il as a member of the resolutions
committee voted for the resolution
rejecting the treaty or the League of
Nations as brought back from Yer
sailles and qualified my vote with
the statement that | favored the
/ League with reservations. The Ian.
7 guage of that resolution was after
ward changed by someone to read
brought back from Versailles" in
stead of ''as brought back from Yer
sallles.'
The Loudest Howlers.
"The day after the primary elec-
/ ton the Constitution published an
editorial in effect eulogizing Mr.
! Watson. | have always been unal-
terably opposed to Mr.. Watson, still
am and always will be. l have in
no manner been party to any
trade with the gentleman in question
but it is amusing to find that those
who are bowling the loudest now are
those who have played with him po-|
litically off and on for years.
personally l feel as though I had
been honorably elected by a SOW
reign body and that my credentials
as a delegate at large from Georgia.
cannot be questioned. Furthermore, l
think that my record for democracy
and loyalty has been one hundred
per cent at all times; therefore /
refuse to be stampeded by political
friends or foes. Neither will [ per-
NIT myself to be placed on the de-
fensive or misrepresented; the rec