The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-06-24
BIG CHIEFS IN
FRISCO; STAGE
IS ALL SET UP
Everybody Waits for Bryan,
as >Commoner Delays Ent-
rance on Scene - Rumors
Fly Through Throng.
GLASS AND MURPHY IN
SBy Associated Press)


period Of hurry and scramble today
with the appearance here of one after
another OF the men who are to play
ieaolng parts in tie big quad-rennial
drama.
IN the whisperings behind the
scenes the question Of the party S
policy toward bone dry prohibition
continued the big theme of agitation
with prospects for a fight on the con.
Vention floor growing better and bet.
ter.
Arriving leaders and delegations
also added some impetus to the dis.
7 cussion of presidential candidates but
that subject still remained well in the
back ground
Two figures newly arrived on the
scene attracted particular attention.
one was Senator Glass. of Virginia,
fresh from Washington and generally
reported to have brought President
Wilson'S own draft Of the platform.
The other was Charles F. Murphy. of
New York, the leader of Tammany
Hail, who came direct from the widely
heralded conference of old line party
strategists at French Lick Ind
Busy, But Silent Workers.
Both OF them were as busy as beav-
ers, but as silent and eager as mice.
privately they took careful stock of
the situation and conferred earnestly
with other leaders from far and wide.
Publicly they refused to talk politics,
outline what they hoped to accomplish
or predict what the convention finally
would bring forth.
Mr.. Murphy was the new center Of
speculation on the subject of prohibi
Ia
YORK state convention for repeal Of the
18th amendment and widely circulated
reports OF the patching Of an anti-bone
dry plan at French Lick helped to
bolster the impression among many
delegates that Tammany would lead in
the EFFORT to write such a plank into
the platform.
NOT only the Tammany chief but
all OF his 1ieutenants steadfastly re-
fused to discuss that subject or to
say whether any anti-prohibition
movement had been launched at the
French Lick conference,
Taosart's Arrival Awaited.
Thomas Taggart, of Indiana another
principal in the conference, was ex-
pected to arrive here late today or
early tomorrow. but 1t generally was
predicted that the lines of division on
the prohibition issue would not be
clearly drawn until the convention
actually gets under way Monday.
One element which tended to keen
the problem in flux was the uncer-
tainty OF many of those here regarding
the position of President Wilson. The
Virginia state platform, which has
been given Mr.. Wilson's unqualified
approval and on which the national
nj fNt ie
is silent on the subject.
Some of Mr.. Wilson's closest polit-
ical friends in the administration
however, are known to have prepared
a liberalization plank for which they
are ready to make i fight in the con-
vention.
Says Everything and Nothing
This plank. said to have been draft
ed after conferences in Washington
among men high in the party's coun-
ellis, does not mention beer or wines
by name, but makes blanket decla-
ration fc~ more liberal interpretation
by congress of the prohibition amend
ment. 1t ts expected that a strong
effort will be made by the sponsors
of the proposal to throw the Influence
of the az Illustration behind IT,
Many Of the party leaders. including
Homer s. Cummings, the national
chairman, reiterated confidence that
no other platform plank would lead
to a fight on the convention floor.
The league of nations declarations
as framed by the administration sup
porters was declared by these leaders
to be certain of acceptance after only
nominal squabble IN the platform
commi Zee.
Senator Glass's first conference af-
ter his arrival here late yesterday. |
was with Chairman Cummings, They |
had dinner together in the chairman's |
hotel room and afterward spent most |
Of the evening in consultation,
Bryan Not There.
William Jennings Bryan. who is ex-
pected to lead the attack on such
treaty plank, as we'll as the fight |
against a prohibition liberalization |
declaration. was still missing today |
from the constellation of leaders here. |
He will arrive late in the week, and |
no one here pretended to know eX-
actly what plan OF campaign he may |
contemplate.
Word of Mr.. Bryan's announcement |
at Helena, Mont, last night that he
would support Senator Walsh of that |
state for permanent chairman of the |
convention came as surprise to most |
of the party's chiefs here and started !
speculation as to how far the Nebras-
kan might go in an effort to overturn |
the plans Of the administration forces.
Secretary Colby Of the State Depart
ment. Senator Robinson Of Arkansas, |
and Chairman Cummings have been .
mentioned by administration support
ers for the permanent craftsmanship, /
but 1t was said today there had been |
no decision.
The suggestion that Mr. Cummings,
who will be temporary chairman, be |
continued as presiding officer, was put |
forward today as a means of shorten
ing the convention proceedings by dis
pensing with the formalities of a sec
ond convention organization. Mr.
Cummings said. however, that person
ally he did not favor the plan and
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