The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-30
Democrats Are Worried By
 Bryan's Threats or Trouble
Differences in Republican Party Are Not Fundamental But Serious Divergence of Opinion Is Found
 Among Leaders of Democratic Party
By HUGH ". ROBERTS

I There is nothing in republican politics
 serious enough to disrupt permanently.
 And no such grave danger would be con
 ironing the democratic party but for the
 fact that William J Bryan still pos
 sesses kick in his power of declama-
 tion.
 1 Since MT. Bryan weathered the opposi-
 ton in Nebraska it is reported to Wash
 ipgton that he is convinced that national ! " he Is as strong as ever; that while he 1 Is not candidate and does not expect | to be, he believes he stands a better chance than any other democrat to win
 the race; this despite his repeated ven lures of other days. Because Bryan is
 so 'puffed up' with his illusion of gran deur. democratic leaders are fearful that he will take such an uncompromising stand in the convention that democratic harmony cannot exist.
 MT. Bryan plans deliberately to run counter to the fundamental principles of the party. He will declare, in his terrt a. tive platform, for prohibition by federal amendment, and woman suffrage by fed eral amendment, thus discarding state rights and favoring centraIizing govern ment in Washington. By such declara- tion, MT. Bryan would please the prohl- bitionists of the country, and the women of the country. or rather the women who desire the right of suffrage. And MT. Bryan has an ointment to catch the rad teal labor fly He believes in government ownership of railroads, and will urge the democrats to write plank to such
 effect in the platform. It is not MT. Bryan's intention to offend the liberal element of the United States so palpably as to drive that element to the republican party To prevent the repub- lican party benefiting from his programme he would have the republican party like wise ignore the liberal element. And 1t
 is his estimate that with the liberal ele- ment possessed of nowhere to go and supported by the prohibitionists and the woman suffragists, he could easily hold off the business of the United States. It formed his friends that business can not succeed at the polls following his campaign of speech making in which he would revamp the old stories of Big Business Wall Street. Predatory 1n- terests" and ''The Unearned Increment"
 The leaders of the party fear Mir Bryan Is bent on forcing the convention to adopt the above programme. They do not fear Mir Bryan's ability to put his scheme through But they do fear that MT. Bryan, even while failing, will drive from the fold the business and liberal element the support of whfcn is judged necessary. And they do fear that MT. Bryan, if thwarted in his scheme, will jump" the party, or give it only that half-hearted, damning- -with-fent-praise support he ac- corded Judge Parker in 1904.
 Mir. Bryan's plan to involve the League of Nations in the debate of the conven- ton is said to have been definitely set tied He will advocate the inclusion in the platform of a plank providing for an amendment to the end that a treaty of peace might be ratified by a majoHity vote He contends that this country should be enabled to end war as easily as it can begin war. In course of his argu- n1ent he will have the opportunity which it is claimed that he craves, of speaking his mind very freely, perhaps by indirec- ton, of the President of the United States.
 It is his purpose, It is believed, to vie with Wilson for the leadership of the party In his struggle to come back leaders are admittedly fearful that. in furthering his own ambition, he will for get the necessities of the party and the people.