The Cordova daily times., 1921-02-21
PLAY POLITICS IN WASHINGTON
 WITH ENERGY
BY COL. WINFIELD JONES


 nearly half a million people, is com pletely disfranchised, and is the only capital city of any nation in the world without representative govern ment of some kind, politics in Wash ington is played with an energy, and a fierce bitterness hardly known in all the remainder of the United States. This refers not to con- gressional politics. or the intrigues that are carried on in the govern ment departments or the diplomatic corps for advantages of various kinds, but to the local people of the district.
 Only one political privilege, if privi- lege it can be called, is allowed the disfranchised people of the district. They are allowed to have delegates at the national conventions, which nominate the candidates for presi- dent and vice president. The district Democrats have four delegates to their national conventions, and the Republicans two delegates, One of the Republican delegates is always a colored man. The Democrats rarely, if ever, have negro in their dele gation to the national conventions The Socialists always send a few delegates to their national conven- tions, and so did the Bull Moose when that party was alive.
 Though delegates from the Dis trict of Columbia are allowed seats in the national conventions that nom mate presidential and vice-presiden- tial candidates, there is no law gov erning the election or selection of these delegates, and therefore the delegates to the conventions are select ed under rules which the district party organizations themselves prom ulgate. This arrangement has let to the most bitter feeling among both Republican and Democratic people in Washington.
 Republican delegates to the Chi cago convention were selected by a convention which was organized and controlled by one faction of the local Republicans. These delegates were for Woods nomination and were seat ed at the Chicago convention. Other Republicans who were for Harding held primary and sent delegates to Chicago pledged for Harding They were not seated as the Wood ma chinery seemed to be in control of the credentials committee.
 The district Democrats held a pri- mary for delegates to the San Fran cisco convention, but the seats of the delegates elected were contested at San Francisco by another Democratic faction-unsuccessfu however. AS the district is allowed delegates in the national conventions, though it is completely disfranchised in every other way, there are national committeeman of both parties resi- dent in Washington, who represent the district Republicans or Democrats on the respective national committees of the two great parties. These com mitteemen are elected by the dele gates to the national conventions. AS congressional, governing a primary convention or other method of select ing delegates to the national conven- tions, and despite the fact that the district delegates are always seated in the national conventions of the great parties, there is some doubt district Republican and Democratic national committeeman are legally entitled to serve as national commit teemen for the district, and also doubt whether delegates from the dis trict are legally entitled to sit in the national conventions.
 For many years whenever delegates have been elected to the national Re publican and Democratic conventions there have nearly always been sev- eral Republican and Democratic sfac- tions contesting for the convention seats, and these contests have al ways been accompanied by great bit | terness.
 In fact, in no state or city of the size of the national capital is politics taken more seriously, and nowhere in the United States are the Repub, licans and Democrats more divided in factions of various kinds, all hat ing each other vigorously and all fighting among themselves whenever the opportunity offers. If no oppor. tunity is handy the contestants make one, so that from year to year there is continual pickering and bitter feel. ing among the Republicans and