Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-06-27

PalmerIteS. SAID that the executive COM
mittee exercised the functions of the
state committee between conventions. He
claimed the executive committee was the
creation of the convention and its func-
tions were limited to those provided by
the body creating it. Mr.. Howell was
applauded when he humorously illustrated
the case of a poker game in which one
, set of players wanted to change the rules
of the game after the chips were on the
table.
This closed the Georgia case and the
committee Immediately proceeded to hear
the Reed case.
Opening Reed Hearing.
Francis NJ. Wilson, United States at
torney for the western district of Mis-
souri,. presented Senator Reeds case. He
said it was his understanding that there
was no contest in Missouri but that the
only question for solution by the nation
al committee was mot the man or the
measure" but rather whether the Fifth
Missouri district was to be permitted to
name, not only once but twice, delegate
of its own choosing.
He explained that. under Missouri
rules. the congressional districts are per-
mitted to select their own national dele
gates, who are passed upon by the state
convention. The state convention reject
ed Reeds selection and refererd it back
to hte Fifth district without any quail
fication or restriction.
The state convention adjourned and
subsequently the Fifth district delegates
replaced Senator Reed Mr.. Wilson as
serted that Senator Reeds title to
seat In the convention was as clear as
that of any other delegate.
Reed 0ueried on Decision.
Asked in the event Reed were seated
would the senator abide by the actinos OF
the national convention. Mr. Wilson said
he has known Reed for 30 years and that
his democracy had never been brought
into question.
This drew applause from different
parts of the committee room.
Joseph b. Shannon, the otheT Tdelegate
from the Fifth district, supported the
claim of Senator Reed.
"If I am entitled to my seat in the
convention, Reed is entitled TO his" said
Shannon. ''In fact, he is more entitltd
to his seat than l, because | sought the
place and he did not"
"If the national committee disfran-
chises the Fifth district" he declared
Democracy in the Fifth district would
be injured.
Colonel John Cosgrove. a delegate
from the Eighth Missouri district, de-
opposed the national administration in
the ratification of the league of ma
tons there would not have been
vote cast against him in the state con-
ventHp.
TKa question. Cosgrove said, is
whether the committee shall stand by
the president, who will go down in his
tory as a great president, or by his
traducers who will soon be forgotten.
Mrs. W. w. Martin, a Missouri dele
gate, also opposed the seating of Sen
ator Reed.
Senator Reeds claim for seat was
opposed by Edward F. Goltra, national
committeeman from Missouri.
Mr.. Goltra agreed with the prin-
cipal facts in the case. He said the
Fifth dittrict delegates were intrus-
ted with certain mission. They per-
formed that mission. the convention re
Jected part of their recommendation,
and when the convention adjourned,
Goltra said, the mission of the Fifth
district delegates ended and Reeds
subsequently selection was irregular.
The hearing was about to be de-
clared closed when District Attorney
Wilson asked for time 10 reply to at
tacks made upon Senator Reed for his
attitude on the league of nations III
view of the fact that he had confined
himself TO the records in the case. Time
was granted and Mr. Wilson reviewed
Senator Reeds record as Il Democrat,
which he said was unimpeachable.
After the hearing closed by motion
of f. II. Moore, Ohio, to reconsider
the vote by which ii was decided to con-
sider the contests in executive session
was lost ii yeas, to 33 nays. The
committee then went into executive
session =