Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-24
AUTOCRACY IN
PARTY MUST GO,
SAYS M'COMBS

CHICAGO, June 22.-William F.
McCombs, chairman of the Demo-
cratic national committee from 1912
to 1916, and manager of President
Wilson's 1912 campaign, issued a
statement here before leaving for
San Francisco attacking what he
characterized as the presidents auto
cratic assumption of authority.
President Wilson, he said, has no
more right to call himself leader of
the Democratic party, ga conception
heretofore never entertained by any
American" than has Chief Justice
White, former Speaker Champ Clark
or Vice President Thomas r. Mar
shall.
Mr.. McCombs announced that ar
rangements had been made to obtain
for him a seat in the New York dele
floor at San Francisco. The New
York delegation, he predicted. will
throw it's support to Governor James
M. Cox, of Ohio, after casting a COM
plimentary vote for Governor Smith.
He added that he believed a west
will be nominated for vice president.
His statement in part follows:
"They tell me that America has
pledged it's word to Europe and that
this word must be redeemed in the
process Of a national campaign. In
my belief America has pledged itself
to nothing. One individual, speak
ing as such, permitted Europe to be-
lieve that he spoke for nation, for
in the last analysis he was nothing
more than a self-appointed emissary.
Nevertheless America is asked to
a signature which apparently was
accepted in good faith by all the
European peoples as absolute.
1.-The president negotiates treaty,
but the senate may or may not con-
cur by two-thirds majority. In this
particular instance there has been
no concurrence.
"Other nations may want League
of Nations and it may be that we
do, but we do not want to commit
ourselves to the League of Nations
as 1t was brought back from Paris.
is highly debatable question as to
what Importance it should have in
national campaign. Ultimately, 1t
is a question for the president and
the senate to settle.
The statement then declares for
reconstruction at home, rehabilitation
Of railway and internal waterway
transportation, and for solution of
the high cost Of living, wholly apart
from any International affiliations"
The statement continues:
when the great war broke out in
1914, naturally America was more
or less daZed. and was Swilling to ac-
cept any kind of leadership which
might draw 1t through a possible
difficulty. In this moment the chief
executive again reported that he was
the leader Of his party, a conception
heretofore never entertained by an
American. AS well might the chief
justice of the United States, Mr..
White, a Democrat, have made the
same proclamation. So might the
speaker of the house of representa-
tives, Champ Clark. So might the
vice president, Mr. Marshall, consti-
tutional PRESIDENT of the senate. But
America. was concerned with great
issues, and paid no attention to what
appeared to be a detail.
"It was in such manner that for
the first time in the history of this
country autocracy came into being.
1t was an autocracy which was ques-
toned, but which was accepted by
virtue of necessity. But this I'M
happy hour has passed and at San
Francisco we again return to true
Democracy regardless Of place hold
ers and pot hunters. We have fin
ished with the fine phrases. This
country is determined to act in &C
cordance with it's unfailing sense of
justice. The indignities of autocracy
will never again be accepted by this
nation. This is fundamental and no
confusion will be brought about by
diplomatic or financial machina-
tons"