The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-06-23
FOAMING SEAS OF LAGER MAY SWAMP DEMOCRACY
IN BILL OWS OF BOOZE NOTIFICATIONS AND DEFEAT
1t Seems More Than Possible That
Democrats Will Cast Discretion and
Common Sense to the Winds and Stage
"Wet and Dry" Fight at San Francisco

San Francisco, June 23.-Rumblings
of democratic discord over the prohibit
ton issue become hourly more omin-
GUS today, as delegates and party
chiefs arrived in increasing numbers
for the national convention.
Hope that the gathering storm
might spend itself behind the closed
doors of the platform committee. vir-
tually was abandoned by the leaders
and they prepared TO face an out
break of tempestuous debate on the
floor Of the convention itself.
Such n development, it was agreed
everywhere, would hold many dra-
matte possibilities, including 4 further
Of the uncertain outlook
as to the presidential nomination.
Already the overshadowing issue in
pre-convention conferences, the ques.
tion of a platform declaration against
the present bone dry law almost
took the whole stage for itself today
as the gathering delegates heard Of
Postmaster General Burlescn's an.
for a modification Of the
Volstcad act. BY many accustomed to
regard the postmaster general as a
spokesman for the White House, the
development was accepted as a warn
ing of which was the wind OF admin
istration influence would blow.
Others among the party leaders re-
fused to take that view, but mono
here assumed to know with certainty
how far the schemes of President Will
son might be in accord with those Of
Mr. Burleson.
What everyone here does know.
however is that both sides of the
controversy are cementing their lines
and bringing their heaviest artillery
for a finish fight. After many con-
terences in an effort to lay a basis
for harmony, Homer $. Cummings,
the national chairman, said today 1t
seemed to be a fair bet" that the
question would be taken to the con-
vendon floor for a settlement regard
less Of what decision was made in the
platform committee.
Closely intertwined with the prohi.
bition question is the problem Of Sc
Letting Il nominee in accord with the
platform as finally agreed on, and
among many of the practical politl-
clans there is q feeling that the two
decisions must be settled virtually at
one stroke. So the pleas of candi-
dates managers are falling on deaf
ears for the present, while the leaders
got their bearings on the more imme.
date question Of a bone-dry or
beer platform.
The league Of nations disagreement.
along with several other disputed
nlatform issues, has followed the ques-
ton Of candidates into temporary
eclipse. Among most of the leaders
it is agreed that whatever trouble
dcvelopes over the treaty will be only
drop in the bucket compared to the
prohibition fight.
Leaders of the bone dry forces were
confident today that they would COM
mand a good majority in the platform
committee. where each state has only
one member, and could keep out OF
the committee report any declaration
for a change in the present liquor
tieup. With this view most of the op-
posing managers privately agreed, out
they declared that when an appeal
was taken TO the convention itself.
the vote would tell a much different
story. The large states, it was point
ed out, while having only one apiece
in the committee. will have much
greater voice in the whole body OF
delegates who make up the final court
of appeals. And most of the largest
delegations are counted on FOR sup
port by the advocates Of beer plank.
A complicating feature of a conven'
ton floor fight would be the unit
rule. under which many state dele
cations are instructed to vote as
body. 1t was suggested today, however,
that there might be a general agree
ment to let each delegate be counted
according to his own convictions
when the prohibition issue came to its
final showdown. On that basis, both
sides were predicting victory and
many Of those in position to know
were declaring the outcome woulh
be close. Some Of the Oldest leaders
declared in fact that tie divisions
might be close enough to make argu.
ment and oratory on the convention
floor the deciding factor. In any case.
such an open fight would be likely,
It Is predicted. to furnish many thrill
ing ,urns.
William Jennings Bryan would be
expected to head the bone drys and
he probably would find pitted against
him strategists and orators Of the first
rank.
w. Bourke Cochran Of New York
was mentioned as one OF those VINO
CONTINUED on Page Two)