New-York tribune., 1920-01-07
Mullen Begs Senator to
Oppose Nebraskan as
Delegate to Convention,
but Wit h out Success
Leader Much Distressed
Upper House Minority Chief
Besieged by Democrats
Trying to Save Party
BY Carter Field
Neu' York Tribune
W~ shSA.u<o~ Rs,~so,,


Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-Frightened
by the Bryan specter. Democrats of
all degrees and persuasions. save the
Bryan men themselves, of whom there
are few IN Washington, besieged Sena
tor Hitchcock to-day, urging him for
the sake of the party to reconsider
his determination not to oppose Bryan
being sent to the national convention
as q delegate.
National Committeeman Arthur f..
Mullen, Of Nebraska, Hitchcock's lieu
tenant in the score Of fights. including
all Of the battles against Bryan, rushed
up to the Capitol to-day and served
notice Chat he would not stand by Mr..
Hitchcock in any plan of permitting
Bryan to go as delegate. For hours
Mr.. Mullen pleaded with the Senator
to get into the Presidential race him.
to go on the preferential primary
ballot, so that the Nebraska delegation
would be tied to him, and to lead the
fight to send Hitchcock men as dele
Rates-men who under no circum
stances would ever go to Bryan.
Hitchcock Distressed
Mullen has been a Hitchcock-for-
President man for months. But until
last night he had not thought Mr..
Hitchcock would, in the last analysis.
refuse to fight against Bryan going as
a delegate. He found the Senator in
a distressed state of mind. Mr.. Hitch
cock had been buttonholed by scores
Of Democratic Senator'S, by many ma
tional committeeman in town for the
meeting on Thursday and the Jackson
Day dinner and by members of the
House from all over the country. They
The Tribune this morning that Mr..
Hitchcock would not interfere with
Bryan being delegate. Every one,
it seemed, had counted on his sup
pressing the Bryan menace, so far as
Mr.. Bryan having the floor privilege
of the convention was concerned.
They remembered that. four years
ago the Hitchcock men went out and
beat the life out of Bryan as candi-
date for delegate to the convention.
Out Of seven candidates for the Big
Of the efficient work done under the
direction of Arthur Mullen. At that
time Mr.. Hitchcock took no active part
in it, but he did not oppose the fight.
But Mr.. Mullen was not even able
to obtain this much of a concession
from the Senator. Tonight the sit
uation is this: Senator Hitchcock will
not oppose Bryan being a delegate. On
that he is obdurate He will not per-
nit "The Omaha World Herald" and
Evening World-Herald," probably the
most influential Democratic newspa-
pers in the state, to oppose Bryan as
a delegate. On the other hand, he
reserves the right to fight any Bryan
followers as delegates, and he will be
opposed to delegation dominated by
Bryan, which Bryan could deliver to
any candidate. On the question of
who the delegation shall be instruct
ed for in the preferential primary, he
reserves judgment. He indicated that
he would support some other candi-
date for the Presidential Endorsement
Mr.. Hitchcock may even decide to let
ais own name 60 on the ballot.
Mullen left his old chief with nc
would oppose Bryan as a. delegate
which means that there Will be rea
fight.
Without "The World-Herald's" activ,
support, however. and without Senate
Hitchcock's Endorsement of the figh
on Bryan as delegate, Democrats her,
fear that Bryan may pull through
They are not at all satisfied with Nj
Hitchcock's Willingness to fight agains
| Bryan getting the delegation pledge,
to him. They want Bryan beaten as
delegate, 80 that he will have no op
| portunity to repeat his performance a
| Baltimore.
Bryan will arrive in Washington to
| morrow, according to Ex-Governor 10
seph W. Folk, who seems to be man