Milford chronicle., 1920-07-02
DEFEAT DRYS IN
FIRST SKIRMISH
Bryan Foes Of Alcohol Forced
to Speak First.
Irish ISSUE ALSO ARGUED
Frank Walsh Pleads For Recooni.
, tion and Lloyd Leads the opposi.
tion Element.

tion Element.
San Francisco. - Open warfanp
over prohibition. the Irish ques
ton and other troublesome issues ot
the Democratic platform began in a
storm-swept committee hearing. while
in private leaders continued their ne.
gotiations for a settlement to keep the
hostilities from spreading later to the
floor Of the convention itself.
The platform subcommittee had not
tyet begun actual preparation of the
lparty's declaration of principles, and
there were no surface indications that
their task had been made any sim
Epler by the public arguments or pri-
Ivate consultations
A momentary defeat was admins
tered the Bryan dry legions in full
platform committee, when a parlia-
lmentary battle for position on the
speakers list was decided in favor
Iof the vets by a vote of 81 to %. The
general inclination, however, was to
discount the significance Of the vote,
(which was taken to decide which side
lshould speak first.
In the skirmish both vets and drys
iargued that their opponents were
trying to reopen the prohibition issue
land therefore should present their
lease first When the drys were fore
ed to go ahead Bryan took charge of
the time allotted to that side, but di-
vided all of it among other speakers
representing the Anti-Saloon League,
church associations and other prohi-
lbition organizations.
/, For the vets, W. Bourke Cochran,
Of New York, was the chief spokes-
imam during a debate in which Bryan
was called upon to explain his connec-
itions with the Anti-Saloon League. He
idenied that he ever had received COM
ipensatiOn from the league, except for
-four months of last year, for certain
public speeches."
The Irish issue was argued in such
militant fashion that the crowded
lcommittee room was in almost con-
Istant uproar Opponents of the pro-
lposal for recognition of the Irish re-
public were kept under a hail of heck
ling and derision from Irish sympa-
thizers, and once or twice were call /
ed short and ugly words, while the
chairman pounded unheed- |
ed with his gavel and sergeants-at- |
arms tussled with the crowd in an in
effectual effort to keep order.
The argument for the Irish recogni- /
tion plank was led by Frank p |
Walsh, and the opposition was handl- /
ed by Damarest Lloyd, of Boston,
president of the Loyal Coalition. La
boris platform was presented to the |
committee by Samuel GOmpers, who /
the Republican party had
written reaction on its banners and
that the labor vote must find some
avenue elsewhere for expression of
Its desires.
The league of nations, another sub
ject threatening a convention floor
fight, was not mentioned during the
days hearings, but there were many
on almost every other pO-
itical subject, prolonging the commit
-ee's deliberations into the evening.
The first clash came as soon as the
committee ook up the prohibition is
sue. Bryan and Cochran wrangled
or a hslf-hOur on the point Chair
nan Glass finally interrupted to say
hat it appeared that no one wanted
o talk" so the question would be
passed over.
"This is not a time for Joking"
hOuted Bryan.
"The chair is not Joking" retorted
Senator Glass, pounding the table,
and resentS the suggestion"