Evening star., 1920-03-28
RANKS
SPLIT in VIRGINIA
"Anti" Organization Plans to
Have Candidates for
All Offices.

RICHMOND. Va, March 27 Especially.
When 1t became known that a
movement was afoot to displace State
Chairman Rorer "A. James Of Dan
Vile from the position Of head of
the democratic party in Virginia his
friends began to sit up and take no.
tice. Col. James. who will be the
nominee Of the convention in the fifth
district for Congress to succeed Rep
resentative Saunders. was willing to
surrender the reins, but he does not
intend to do SO, in the face of a fight
being waged by an ambitious minor
ity. He is prepared to make con-
test. and if it is fight that is want
ed it can be had on the floor of the
convention at Roanoke.
Election of delegates to the Roanoke
convention is under way in every part
of the state, and the chances are that
those favorable to him will have con-
troll of the situation. One of the signs
is that in Danville. where there had
been for long time opposition to
Chairman James, the delegates to the
convention were instructed to vote
for him.
VIII BE Along New Lines.
That there will be an anti" organ
ization in Virginia next year is now
understood and accepted. 1t will not
be made up along former lines, but
will be a new undertaking. 1t is this
element which is preparing to make
war on Chairman James. This anti"
plan is to have candidates for every
state Office to be filled in the primary
Of next year..
The present governor is to oppose
Senator Swanson. B. F. Buchanan
and H. st. G. Tucker are out for gov
ernor; the political corridors are say
ing that lawyer from Lancaster is
to be the man who is to make the
report has it that Col. LIE Roy 9.
Hodges of Petersburg. now aid to the
governor, is to make the race for
secretary of the commonwealth in op-
position to Il. Q. James. Treasurer,
superintendent of public instruction
and commissioner of agriculture are
still open to men who can command
strong support. 1t may be that A. B.
Thornhill of AppomattoX, in charge of
the food and dairy department of the
state. will make the race for commits
sioner of agriculture. which has been
for many years.
That the hackers of this new "anti''
organization have been and are at
work to make good showing at the
Roanoke convention is plain. 1t is
also reported that some of the "high-
ferent to the candidacy of Mr.. Tucker
for governor. and this is not caiculat-
ed to strengthen the new movement.
while there was harmony in every
way at the republican state conven-
tion at Roanoke last week the storm
appears to be gathering for the ma
tional convention at Chicago. The
cause of the storm will be the ear
nest protest of the colored voters OF
the state, who aver that they were
denied the right of participation in
the meetings and conventions which
elected the delegates to the Roanoke
convention. On the surface, there is
| much to support their contention.
Steps have been taken by the col
ored republicans of this city-and
they have LOO registered and quail
fed to vote-to hold a state conven-
ton here April II, at which time dele
gates are to be chosen to the. repub-
lican national convention. There was
a conference here in the last day or
two to work up interest in the mat
ter, there being five colored voters
from each congressional district pres
ent.
I The colored voters have not indi-
Gated whether they favor an instruct
ed delegation or whether they are in
favor of any of the recognized candi-
dates. The promoters of the move
ment are expecting several hundred
delegates here April 81, the date OF
the state convention.
HORACE A. HAWKINS.