Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-29
ADMINISTRATION FORCES APPEAR
NC0NTR0L ATOPENlVC OF THE 4
SECONDDAY0F DEM CONVENTION.
Convention Marks Time
While Outside Committee
Work Progresses; Contest
Over Senator Reed May
Mean Lively Scrap On The
Floor; Today Is Last Play
Day, As The Nominating
Speeches Begin Tomor-
row.

Speeches Begin Tomor-
row.
Auditorium, San Francisco. June %.
Assembling an hour later than usual
today, the dem mocratic national conven-
ton had before it only routine ses-
sion-a necessary time killer-to give
opportunity for committee work on
the outside and the final perfection of
its organization machinery.
A second keynote speech by Sena-
tor Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas.
the successful administration candi-
date for permanent chairman, was the
principal event on the program.
Spectacular Fight.
Prospects for a spectacular fight on
the floor over the action of the Gre
dentials committee which sustained
the democratic national committee in
it's refusal to seat Senator Reed Of
about with uncertainty. There were
predictions that the contest would not
be carried further unless Reed deter
mined to attempt to force himself into
a place with the Missouri delegation
by proxy. The Georgia case also. in
which the credentials committee sus-
tanned the national committee and
seated Palmer delegates to the exclu-
sion of the Smith Watson faction also
seemed to have been settled with
finality. although there was always
the chance of a last minute outburst.
Todavs session. however. was the
last play day for the delegates. for
under the rules as adopted the con-
vention may go ahead hearing candi-
dates placed in nomination while the
platform committee is working.
Although it may not proceed to the
balloting for nominee until the dec
laration of party principles has been
accepted.
Subcommittee Idle.
While the full membership of the
platform committee continued to grind
away hearing persons who had plank1
to suggest, the subcommittee of nine
which actually will whip the planks
lam J. Bryan is to have bone dry
plank or whether the party shall ac-
cept some sort of compromise such as
that suggested by Postmaster General
Burleson. was laying back waiting for
the hearings to end before it takes up
it's task of actually building the plat
form. In the meantime the sub-com
mittee members were not losing the
opportunity to get preliminaries out
of the way.
The McAdoo people came onto the
convention floor today for the first
time with working organization in
cluding floor leader and a repre-
sentative on practically every state
delegation. Their problem was to find
enough supporters to round up two
thirds vote. Cox and Palmer forces
were active rounding up showing
for the opening ballots.
Administration In Control
Administration forces were in full
control of the convention machinery
and there seemed little doubt of their
power to guide the adoption of plat
form entirely satisfactory to them.
They were also apparently in a posi-
tion to exercise a veto power over any
candidate unsatisfactory to them
There was still today no indication of
whether any word might be expected
from the White House as to admins
tration preference on candidates.
Inevitably this situation led to dis
cussion Of dark horses because no ono
know if the White House would favor
any particular candidate. Leaders in
lAc udIh hOISt pduuoSh DIRE V lCS
President Marshall Chairman Cum
mings and John w. Davis, ambassa dor
to Great Britain.
San Francisco. June 29.-After a
night of successes in the formation Of
committees administration forces in
control of the democratic national
convention pressed home their vic
tories today when the delegates gath
cred for the second session.
Whether a combination Of the op-
position forces can be accomplished
to stem the tide Of the success of the
administration was not revealed. With
the situation apparently well in hand,
close observers of convention develop
ments would not be surprised to see
the next move to be a definite trend
toward some particular candidate for
the presidential nomination.
While administration forces have
worked in concert to control the ma
chinery OF the convention. there is no
assurance that the community OF in
terest among them will continue when
the balloting has reached the end of
the preliminary stage of compliment
ary voting. There are many who be-
lieve there will be no definite drift of
presidential sentiment until after the
platform has been adopted and the
candidates definitely knew upon what
character Of party principles they are
expected to stand. There was no sur
face indication when the convention
met today that there was any material
change in the relative standing of the
presidential candidates.
The full committee on platform oc-
cupied the hours before the opening
Of the convention which was set for
p. M. in giving hearings to various
interests that had planks to offer for
the platform The subcommittee,
meanwhile, remained inactive.
Rules Committee Meets n
The committee on rules also met
early and threshed out the unit rule
question, an effort being made to adopt
some regulation that would not come
in conflict with state primary laws
Delegates were expectant as to
whether nominating speeches would be
reached today or tonight. The COM
mittee on rules decided that nomfnat-
ing speeches may be delivered in adj
vance OF the adoption OF the Platform
but that balloting should not begin
until the declaration OF principles had
been decided upon. II there Is no ex-
tended discussion OF the credential and
rules COMMITTEES reports. the conven-
ton will reach that stage Ia the pro-
ceedings where nominating speeches
would be in order. } ,,s Sf55ss
was that OF Senator Robinson when
he relieved temporary Chairman Cum
nlinEs and took permanent charge Of
the proceedings. n 4