Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-17
|OKLAHOMANL LIKELY
| To LEAD DEMOCRATS
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
DOWNRIGHT 1921

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15.-Scott
Ferris, former member Of congress
from Oklahoma, may be the next
chairman Of the Democratic national
committee. George White, the pres
ent chairman. intends to resign If all
the factions can agree on a new
chairman who shall not have been
identified with the quarrels apast.
The name of Mr.. Ferris is being
urged by his friends for that very
reason. He was not present at the
San Francisco convention where the
rift between the McAdoo and Cox
forces developed and he has not taken
part in the controversies that have
developed since that convention.
The public may not know it, but
inside the Democratic party the con-
test over the selection Of a chair
man has been going on with the same
intensity as might occur on the eve
Of a national convention. The 'strug-
gle for control of the party ma
chinery so as to influence the con-
vention Of 1924 in its choice of a
Democratic nominee for the presi-
dency has been at bottom response
BILE for the impotence Of the Demo-
Gratis since their overwhelming de-
feat last autumn. Although every
consideration of strategy would seem
to dictate that the party forces
should be harmonized for the good
Of the party instead Of the interests
of any individual. the fact is the fac
tions are as far apart as ever and
pulling in all directions.
White Holds whip Hand
Mr.. White holds the whip hand. He
announced some time ago that he
was eager to retire. He has done a
creditable Job as national chairman
as the party will discover when the
record Of his work is disclosed, but
he doesn't want to continue in the
management Of the party's interests.
The job was originally forced upon
him. But George White can continue
If he likes until after the next ma
tional convention in 1924.
1t is not customary for the ma
t;onal committee to pick new chair
man between presidential elections
unless one resigns and although the
McAdoo forces probably have a ma
iority on the national committee, it
is unlikely that they would COM
pei White to resign. Considerations
Of harmony would prevent such a
tactless move.
So Mr.. White, while willing to re-
sign, insists that he will not do
so until all factions have agreed upon
man who can be trusted to man
age the party's affairs, not in the
interest of Mr.. McAdoo or Mr.. Cox
or any other potential candidate. The
McAdoo people would like to see
Daniel c. Roper named. He Is
capable executive and would make
splendid chairman, but his selec-
ton would be opposed by the Cox
wing Of the party because Mr.: Roper
was pre-conVention manager for Nc
Adoo and would not have the conf
dence of all factions. Others have
been mentioned who, at one time or
another, have taken sides on the
matter of presidential candidates.
What Mr.. White wants is some one
who hasn't Deen a partisan OIL any
body and who is at the same time
representative of the progressive ele-
ments in the Democratic party.
Harmony Needed
There is no certainty that the Cox
forces would give their approval to
the selection of Scott Ferris, for they
have had their minds set on get
ting somebody affiliated more close
ly with the party machinery in the
larger states. But in behalf of Mr..
Ferris, it is being urged that he man
aged the congressional campaign
committee of the Democratic party
when he was in congress and that
he had at the time the full support
of Woodrow Wilson.
Mr.. Ferris ran for United States
senator against Senator Gore in the
Democratic primaries and defeated
him. Except for the Republican
landslide last fall he would have been
elected senator from Oklahoma. He
was so busy in the senatorial fight
that he did not attend the San Fran
cisco convention as a delegate. The
Oklahoma delegation, moreover, stood
throughout for the candidacy of Sen
sttor Owen.
Former President Wilson has had
hl1t