Evening star., 1921-02-17
DEMOCRATkEADER
OPPOSEDTOC CHANGE
IN GUARDIANSHIP
National Committeeman Here
Would First Put All Facts
Before Absent Members.
DISCUSS WAYS TO WIPE
OUT CAMPAIGN DEFICIT
Session Behind Closed Doors.
White Reads Letter From
William ]. Bryan.

William ]. Bryan.
Before the executive committee of
the democratic national committee as
sembled at the Shoreham at noon to-
day the views expressed by members
indicated disposition not to take sum-
mary action foreboding change In
the chairmanship in the immediate
future.
The plan which appeared to attract
most favor at the outset was to oraW
up a statement of conditions in the
affairs of the national organization
which would be embodied in the re-
port Of today's meeting and sent to
all members of the national commit
tee. Later, if majority of the com :
mittee. it was explained. should. IN
consideration of the report, be or the
mind for a meeting of the full COM
mittee, it would be called.
Meeting Held Unnecessary.
Members of the executive committee
were aware of considerable misun-
derstanding over the petition orig
Thomas B. Love, calling for meet
ing of the full committee, and were
cognizant of the claims made By
others that there is no present occa-
sion for such an assembly.
The members Of the executive COM
mittee and proxies present were:.
Members Present and Proxies.
Alabama, W. T. Sanders: Colorado.
Miles G. Saunders: Connecticut. Homer
8. Cummings; Indiana, Miss Julia E.
Landers: Kentucky. Mrs. Campbell
Cantril: Maryland. Mrs. Julia Hamil-
ton Briscoe; Michigan, William F.
mings. proxy; North Carloina. Angus
W. Mclean; New York. Miss Elisabeth
Marbury, proxy; Ohio, Mrs. Bernice
S. Pyke; Oklahoma, Mrs. b. McDougal;
Oregon, Mrs. Rose G.. Schiefilin: Penn
sylvania, Joseph F. Guffey; Tennessee.
Ex-Officio Chairman George White.
Treasurer w. w. Marsh and Secretary
E. G. Hoffman.
The meeting vas held behind closed
doors the first business being report
from Treasurer Wilton w. Marsh. aft
object Of the meeting to be to discuss
the raising of fund to wipe out the
campaign deficit and to report progress
thus far made.
National Committeeman Thomas B.
Love of Texas and Robert WooIley were
a meeting OF the full committee.
White Reads Letter From Bryan.
Chairman White announced receipt
of a letter from r. c. Roper, David
City, Neb., political manager for w.
]. Bryan. which read:
who has authority TO say how or
when a committee shall reorganize
until the people have spoken? The
voters first speak their wishes through
their township, county, state and ma
tional conventions or primaries.
Those who would reorganize the
party should go down to the bottom
the source of authority-and begin
there. There are two fundamental
democratic advantages to this method
1T recognizes the supreme authority
of the voters. and the educational ad-
vantages of popular discussion is es-
pecially important.
I'VE need no West Point or Annapo-
lis to train commanders for our party
Let the national committee set in ac-
ton the machinery for the organiza-
tion of clubs. for the discussion OF
public questions; public forums, where
voters may get together and consider
public questions vital to their every
day lives. The New England town
meeting and the western literary So
ciety-those were institutions where
fundamental democracy thrived best
BY this method the committee will de-
velop real issues-not sham ones-for
the next campaign"
At the outset of his letter Mr. Roper
in effect. protested against any faction
of the party attempting to reorganize
the national committee. He maintain.
ed that the rank and file of the party
alone has this right.
CanpaiEa Debt, 4l3O.OOO.
Treasurer Marsh reported to the
executive committee that the cost OF
the 1920 campaign was 1850, 900. Col
net indebtedness is approximately
$15ee00. This. it is confidently ex-
pected. will be covered by outstand-
ing pledges and solicitation. The an
pointment of a budget committee was
proposed to handle the raising of the
funds covering this indebtedness and
TO provide money for the ordinary ex-
penses of the committee for the
future.
Love Pleads for Meeting.
Committeeman Love of Texas was
then recognized to present his petit
tion for a meeting of the full com
mittee and addressed the assembly
sion. briefly in support OF ii.
He was supplemented by Samuel B.
Amidon of Kansas and Miss Archer OF
Pennsylvania all in favor of calling the
meeting OF the full committee.
There was some sharp cross ques-
tioning of Mr.. Love by other members
of the committee. especially when he
raised the doubt of the chairman's au.
tbority to appoint the executive com
mittee.
At this point. and before taking a
vote on granting the petition. the
committee took a recess until 2:30 foI
luncheon.