Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-06-27
PRESIDENTIAL. RACE
AT SAN FRANCISCO
IS FREE-F0R-ALl
756 Uninstructedi Delegates
Control Situation Similar
to Chicago Convention.
CUMMINGS WILL DELIVER
KEYNOTE SPEECH MONDAY
Resolutions Committee Make.
Up Will Force Contest Be-
tween Bryan and Wilson.
PALMER MEN WORK HARD
Attempt to Insert Wet Plank VIII
Start Fight on Floor of the re
Convention. -
CUMMINGS WILL DELIVER
KEYNOTE SPEECH MONDAY
PALMER MEN WORK HARD
Attempt to Insert Wet Plank VIII
Start Fight on Floor of the fJ
Convention. -
tBy Associated Press. 4

SAN FRANCISCO. June 2G-As the
rival forces ut the Democratic Ma
tional Convention move into posi-
ton for the opening Monday, thera
Is apparent no more deNnite align.
ment of strength for various candI.
dates than there has been since the
delegates began to assemble. Will
liam jennings Bryan, epitomized the
situation today in the language with
which most observers seemed C.,
agree.
There will be a lot OF tickets put
up and put down before this con-
vention nominates one" he said.
The closing hours of the precon-
vention period are much the same
as characterized the lnst-minute pro.
ceedlngs OF the Republican conven.
ton at Chicago. There lis marked
similarity in many respects.
Seven hundred and ffty-six of the
ten hundred and ninety-two delegates
are uninstructed. Their personal
preferences cannot be assumed IN
composite review. There are ten
candidates. avowed, unwilling or re.
ceptivc. 1t seems certain that some
balioting on the convention floor will
be IN order to disclose the lines OF
strength or weakness. clear the
ground OF favorite sons and compli-
mentary votes. and narrow the STU.
alton down to the real contenders
out in the open.
No Democratic candidate comes Tn
San Francisco with any such show.
ing OF pledged strength as wa.
brought to Chicago by Wood Low.
den or johnson. But, as at Chica.
go. the situation at the opening re.
wolves about rivalry on issues
rather than for the moment on can.
didates. How much influence VIII.
liam Jennings Bryan will have in the
| making OF the party's platform and
It's choice OF Il candidate, Will be
shown soon after the openinr ses.
sion of the convention Monday.
VIII Test Dryan's Strength.
The first evidence of how much Of
force Mr.. Bryan will be. will come
in the makeup OF the resolutions
committee. which will draft the plat.
form. and In the choice of the per.
manent organization OF the conven.
ton. These issues will bring about
direct contest between the admin
istration forces and Mr. Bryan's
forces. If Mr.. Bryan finds upon tho
resolutions committee majority Of
men sympathetic with his views ON
prohibition, the league OF nations
and other questions. the chances Of
night at the outset will be mini
mized. IL the administration men
control and insist on a declaration in
support of the league covenant rs
brought from Versailles by Presidenr
wilson, Mr. Bryan may oppose
bringing the issue into the platform
at all.
or course, IL the "wets" attcmpt
to put in plank which runs counter
to Mr.. Bryan's declared views on
prohibition, Mr.. Bryan certainly will
carry the fight to the floor OF the
convention. In such an event, Mr..
Bryan will not be unanswered, ana
there are prospects of fireworks.
which might even eclipse the display
which accompanied Mr.. Bryan's light
at Baltimore, which eliminated ia
the nomination of Woodrow Wilson.
Mondays session will! be a mere
preliminary, in which Chairman Cmni4
mings will deliver his Keynote speech.
the caucus designations for various
committees. including resolutions and
credentials. will be ratified and tho
convention will then adjourn so that
the committees may work.
Order OF Procedure Unde cfdcd.
If fight within the committees
delay the completion Of their work
beyond Tuesday noon. tho session
that day may be another routine az.
fair. 1t is undecided whether the
nominating speeches for the nine or
ten men who will be presented to
the convention will be delivered be-
fore the platform Is brought In. At
the Baltimore convention Of 1919 the
nominations were made before the
platform was adopted. but the usual
custom Is just the reverse.
Nobody processes to know what
candidate Mr.. Bryan favors, No one
processes to know With any greater
degree of certainty what candIdats /
President Wilson and tho sdmisiasras (
ton forces may favor, But ~ SyeryS