Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-05
SLEMP COMMITTEE
HEARS GEORGIA COP.
LEADERS AIR VIEWS
(The Atlanta JournalsNews Bureau.)
623 Riggs Building.
nv nrrNn0Dr rTT,Y,ER

WASHINGTON, March 3.-Prelim-
mary views of the Slemp subcom-
mittee of the Republican national
committee regarding reduction of
the representation of southern states
in the G.. o. P. national conventions
were scheduled for presentation to-
day at a meeting Of the full COM
mittee. There was every indication
t!~at a different basis Of representa-
tioA, and a publication of the party
in the south will be recommended,
although the Slemp committee will
not make its final report for some
weeks.
Georgians occupied most of the
time of the Slemp subcommittee at
the hearing late Wednesday after
noon. Tits between the white Geor-
gia Republicans and Henry Lincoln
] ohnson and Ben Davis, of the col
ored delegation, were rather frequent,
and Chairman Slemp repeatedly ask
ed the Georgians not to go into fac
tionaI and local politics.
At least three factions Of the Re-
publican party in Georgia were rep
resented. C. W. Mcclure. of the Har-
ding club of Georgia, reached Wash
ington for the late afternoon session
and made an address protesting
against such scenes as are witnessed
at the Republican conventions while
the southern delegates are being
traded" The Atlanta merchant
urged a rejuvenation of the Repub-
lican party in the south and the
elimination of the ''purchasable ele-
ment" in party politics.
Hearings were held in executive
session, but it is learned that there
was thorough airing of Republl-
can grievances.
Delegations were present from
Mississippi. Louisiana, Florida, Geor-
gia, South Carolina and other south
ern states.
johnson Opposes "cut"
Henry Lincoln Johnson made an
imprisoned address protesting
against reduced representation and
insisting that the Republican party
should see that the negro in the
southern states had his rights at
the ballot box instead of talking
about reduced representation.
C. P Goree, representing one or
the Georgia factions, made the con-
crete suggestion that basis of rep
resentation be on the number OF Re-
publican votes cast in the congress
sional districts. In this he support
ed the argument of the so-called Ad-
amson faction, although the two rae
lions are not together on other local
issues.
Goree, Charles Adamson of Cedar
town; A. 7. Spence, of Camilla; Har-
ry S. Edwards. of Macon: Clark
Grier. of Augusta; c. W. Mcclure,
Atlanta; DIV. c. Cole, of Marietta,
and W. J. Tilson, of Atlanta.
Mr.. Tilson is chairman and Mr..
Grier secretary of the State Republi-
can league. Henry Lincoln john
ston endeavored to bring out that
this league had "knifed' the Republi-
can candidates for congress in the
Atlanta district, a candidate support
ed by the Johnson faction. The ar
gument was stopped by Chairman
Slemp, who urged that local politics
be sidetracked for the broader ques-
ton of how to build up the party in
the south and what to do about a
just representation as between
states that furnish large Republican
ajorities and states that cast but
few Republican votes.
Mr. Goree suggested that not only
should the national committee base
on the number of
votes cast but it should also regu-
late representation in state and dis
trict conventions. He said it was
outrageous that some Georgia coun-
ties which cast less than a hundred
votes had as many dele
gates in the local conventions as
counties giving large Republican
votes, such as counties in the Sew
enth and Ninth congressional dis
trict.