Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-08
Fair Play, Not Foolish Talk,
Is Needed for the ConUention

II FEEUEU. jOT LHE oUNOcHI EOH
TN the State Democratic Convention which
meets in Atlanta on May the 18th next
to name delegates to San Francisco the
will of the majority will be the seat of de-
cision and control.
This is so obviously, so necessarily true of
convention resting in democratic principles
and representing a, democratic people that
statement of the fact ordinarily would be
quite superfuous. Curiously enough, how
ever, this axiom has been challenged In GER
tain quarters the claim is made that
minority of the forthcoming convention will
have a right to select all the delegates to
San Francisco; regardless of the preferences
of the majority. And unless this minority
can have it's way, the rumor runs, some of
it's constituents will be for boiling the con-
vention and setting up isolated order of
their own. The Journal cannot believe that
thoughtful men will lend a moments en-
couragement to such counsels of rashness and
danger Boiling has never found favor
among Georgia Democrats; and if adventured
in this critical year, upon no ground of rea-
son or equity, it would be certain to find en-
phatic condemnation.
The sole pretext which it is argued that
minority of the convention will be author
lied to name the entire delegation to San
Francisco is rule adopted by subsection
of the State Democratic Executive Commit
tee-"Rule Ten as it is called This arbi-
trary regulation is construed by some of the
Palmer contingent as emitting the support
ers of the candidate who has the highest
county unit vote to exclusive control OF the
convention, despite the fact that those sup
porters represent hardly more than one-third
of the counties, less than One-third of the
popular vote and only about thirty-four per
cent of the county unit vote constituting the
convention. That is to say, under Rule Ten,
as thus construed, the delegates representing
two-thirds of the counties, two-thirds of the
popular vote and some sixty-six per cent of
the county unit vote, should have no more
potent or respectable part than ito sit as so
many sawdust dummies or rag dolls while
the minority took charge, named every dele
gate to San Francisco and summarily decided,
according to it's own special opinion and in
terest, the most momentous matters with
which the Democracy of Georgia and of the
nation is concerned
Now, if subsection of the State Demo-
cratic Executive Committee is so minded it
can write down whatsoever notions may enter
it's head, and call them rule" 1t can de-
clare that three is less than one, that democ-
racy means lording it over the many by
few and that minority vote shall control
in the State convention. But the rank and
file of Georgia Democrats and of their rep
resentatives who are to foregather in Atlanta
on Nav the Sth will no more submit to such
q rule than they would bow down to totem
post or run their business by oulJa board
They would consider it not only servlle, but
silly to renounce their plainest rights simply
because a few sub-committeemen armed
with little brief authority" happened to
put forth "rule" that is utterly preposter-
GUS This same subcommittee, it has been
intimated, may presume to dictate the per-
manent roll of the Convention, notwlthstand-
ing that in the case of certain county dele
cations there are contests which only the
Convention itself can decide. Indeed, If the
subcommittee is to be judged by it's attitude
(and we say this with only Che -fr1endl1est
regard for it's personneD, it has lost sight of
the fact that there are such things as con-
vention powers and popular rule. 1t began
by denying Georgia Democrats the right to
vote on Herbert Hoover; it ends by denying
that the great majority of them have any
rights at all.
1t is hardly to be imagined, however,
that this strange doctrine will prevail with
a convention fresh from the people and
morally accountable to the people for a
just disposal of the important matters be-
fore. it. 1t is hardly conceivable that a
sovereign body will play slave to commit
tee which it can make and unmake, or will
wear the yoke of rule which runs coun-
ter to every instinct Of democracy This
convention, it is to be assumed, will choose
it's own officials, settle its own contests,
adopt it's own rules, and refuse to surren-
der the rights of it's majority to a small
minority. On what basis the delegation to
San Francisco will be made up, The Journal
does not essay to forecast To our own way
of thinking, as have said before, fair
procedure would be to give each candidate
such a proportion of the delegation as he
has county unit votes in the convention.
This would seem to be the one broadly
equitable plan where the difference be-
tween the votes of the three contestants is
so remarkably small.
However the matter may be adjusted,
there is no excuse for any factions threat
ening to bolt because it cannot dominate