Evening star., 1920-01-07
DEMOCRATS STAND
BEHIND LEADERS,
LEAGUE EFFORTS
Chairman Cummings States
Committee Will lndorse
Administration.
CHARGES DELIBERATE
SLANDER CAMPAIGN
Republican Platform Proceedings
MISUNDERSTANDING Rule
Change Not Expected.
BY \. o. MESSENGER.

Change Not Expected.
BY \. o. MESSENGER.
Chairman Homer S. Cummings OF
the democratic national committee
stated today that the committee a.
its meeting tomorrow undoubtedly
VIII adopt a resolution commendin-
the democratic national administra-
zion and indorsing President Wilson's
short to establish league of
tions to bring peace to the world
We are behind the President"
! Chairman Cummings said emphati-
cally.
Does that mean that the commit
tee Will support the Presidents con-
tention for unqualified ratification OF
I the treaty and Endorsement OF the
league of nations. without reserva-
tions?" Chairman CUMMINGS was
ask ed.
Il do not undertake to analvze tn.
Presidents position" he replied The
} President has made tour Of tn.
country and set forth his attitude He
has been subjected to misinterpreta-
tlon and deliberate campaign of
SANDER. which / think is one of TN.
most disgraceful incidents in the his
i tory of American politics If we liy.
another decade. those who have on
posed his efforts for world peace will
/ De ashamed.
Question of Platform
Chairman Cummings was asked
wnether the national committee will
take any action looking to prelim-
| mary work on platform as was done
| by the republican national commit
tee in appointing committee on
| policies and platform for ante-con-
vention work
! One of the most amusing episodes
{ OF the camnaipD ha ;al
! the effort of the republican national
| committee to gather material for its
! platform. / was especially interested
in the offer of the committee of
preferably under twenty-five years of
age. who will write a winning plat
! form for the republicans.
! 1t is an insuperable task. Only ex-
treme youth would undertake it, he
Going on to discuss the probable
work of the national committee.
Chairman Cummings said that il the
proposition to abolish the rule of the
convention requiring two-thirds vote
| to nominate is brought in. as is to
be done by National Committeeman
Mullen of Nebraska. the committee
will no doubt consider and discuss
proposed suggestions to the conven-
ton. He declared his personal opin-
! ion to be, however, that no change
| in the nominating rule either will
! De recommended Dy lne committee
or is likely to be adopted by the
convention until there is a departure
from the present practice in vogue
| in the party. by which many delega-
as a state unit. according to the will OF
a majority of the delegation.
AS long the unit rule is generally
| in vogue. he explained, it will be nee
/ essary to retain the two-thirds rule.
| else it might be possible to make IA
/ hy- xnf TO L..
/ pointed out that while the unit rule is
| shot to pieces in some states, through
| the selection of delegates by pri-
maries, it is still retained by most OF
/ the larger states having big delega
tions in the convention.
"Key Note" Speeches.
t Chairman Cummings deprecated the
/ idea that there is to be anything like
key note" speeches at the Jackson
| dinner tomorrow night. He said that
| every speaker will speak for himself
and will only bind himself by his re
marks, land maybe not be bound him
| self" he added whimsically.
The committee will meet at 10
! o'clock at the Shoreham and push the
business in hand to a conclusion as
speedily as possible. selecting the
time and place for holding the ma
tional convention. All speeches Will
be brief and the meeting Will be open
up to the point of an executive ses-
sion to discuss the money offers of
the contending cities. Mr.. Cummings
said he had requested committeeman
to refrain from pledging themselves
| in advance for any city. so that final
consideration could be untrammeled
| and the most advantageous offer ac-
cepted.
Kansas City, Chicago and San Fran
cisco are the leading cities. Mr.. Cum
mings said he had been advised that
ST. Louis might re-enter the contest.
but had received no particulars
The selection of the city will depend,
il was said by many committeeman
today. upon the financial showing
made. Kansas City is here with a
check for $4,000. and willingness to
try to raise enough money in addition
to meet the expenses of the conVen-
ton.
Chicago. it was said. can raise $4,000.
but the impression was gaining ground
TODAY that Chicago is not so anxious for
the convention. 1t was said that the
hotels and restaurants have not been
across with convention subscriptions.
San Francisco is still a formidable can
didate. and said to be ready to meet
all comers with regard to the money
to be handed over
Cost to Set Record Figure.
The convention this year will cost
more than ever before and the propet
financial consideration is declared to be
an absolute essential, unless the na-
tional committee cares to dig into its
own war bags to pay the expenses, to
which il is said to be very much averse.
The Jackson day dinner and what
NAV "come off, upon that occasion CON
tinued to be the absorbing topic among
committeeman and assembled layman
democrats today William J. Bryans
threatened Comeback engrossed at
tention The general belief was that
the "silver-tongued orator of the
Platte" has donned his war paint and
has hit the trail leading either to his
own nomination or the domination of
the convention both as to candidates
and policies.s
Mr.. Cummings has announced the
order in which the speakers who are
to be heard at the dinners will be pre-
sented 1t is as follows:
The New Willard-Homer s. Cum
mings of Connecticut, chairman.
democratic national committee. pre-
siding: Presentation of letter of
President Wilson. Addresses: Sena-
tor Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock. Gov. John j.
Cornwell, Gov James NJ Cox, James
w Gerard Senator Oscar w. Under
wood, Secretary Josephus Daniels.
Champ Clark. A. Mitchell Palmer Mrs.