The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-29
WHEN SENATOR LODGE COULD
 NOT KEEP A SECRET


 personal recollections of Presidents for the Saturday Evening Post. Incidentally he throws light on the characters of Mark Hanna and Senator Lodge of Massachusetts while describ- Ing how the gold plank in William McKinley's platform was adopted when Mckinley was . candidate for the republican nomination for President, in 1896.
 After the plank had been agreed to by Mo Kinley in Canton, O., ten days before the na- tional convention, 1t was taken to St. Louis by MT. Hanna.
 MT. Kohlsaat writes:
 Monday, June I5 I was in Mir Hanna,s room in the Southern hotel when Senator Lodge, who had arrived in St. Louis Sunday afternoon. in and walked to the table where Mr Hanna reading the speech of the temporary chairman of tho vention. Charles ". Fairbanks.
 Without preliminary greeting, Mir. Lodge said; "Mr. Hanna. insist A positive declaraton for gold standard plank in the platform"
 Hanna looked up and said: "Who in the hell are you7"
 Lodge answered. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts.~
 Well. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachu-
 
 to gay about it, replied MT. Hanna
 Lodge saidi "An right sir; will make my fight the floor of the convention"
 T don't a damn where you make your fight" replied Hanna
 After Lodge left tho room said, Mark, you made a mistake. We do not want a fight on our hands. Let show Lodge the plank agreed last Friday"
 Hanna replied: .You can't trust that blankety- blank he will give the plank to the press." again said: Let show 1t to him and tell him how important it Is to keep 1t quiet. to have a silver bolt in the convention"
 Hanna said: "All right but you do 1t your responsibility"
 I went to the Massachusetts headquarters which in the same hotel; found Lodge introduced my self and told him that he must resent MT. Hannas attitude. he had had but little sleep for . week; and then told him of the Friday meeting and showed him the plank agreed upon by the Me- Kiney managers. and of pledge of publicity. He read it and said: Why that plank is all right; the only change would make is to knock out the words and unlimited in the sentence. We opposed to the free and unlimited coinage of silver Tho two words unnecessary"
 T made the change and have the paper framed. The only words that have not faded of the mim- eogrsph copy arc the words "gold" and Tout sug- eestion of Lodge'-both written in pencil
 Lodge asked for a copy.
 said: T cannot give 1t to you"
 He replied: T to show it especially to ono man who is going to make fight the floor. will keep it confidential"
 weak enough to consent. and his ste nosrapher copied it. This happened Monday morn- ing about II o'clock. The evening papers of Tues day, in St. Louis. printed dispatch from Boston giving the contents of the plank had handed Lodge. About o'clock that evening I met MT. Hanna in the hall
 He very angry and said: Have you seen the evening papers? told you that could not trust him. and If the premature publication n break in the Mckinley ranks you responsible"
 Fortunately but few the dispatch as the papers did not put display head it; they too full of local happenings to play up outside news.
 Afterward of the Boston correspondents told me Lodge gave him the plank and said
 That is what stand fori'
 He did claim he wrote it. but a week later he introduced at the Harvard commence ment exercises the author of the gold plank. and the papers reported. received great ovationl" MT. Kohlsaat charges Senator Lodge witt about as fragrant violation of confidence a, any man could commit. An alleged statesman whose wealth, ancestry and culture have made him unique in Washington, much more SC than any of his achievements in the Unitee States Senate, is here revealed in a role tha will delight MT. Wilson and other democrats who have no love for Lodge.
 However, the mills of the gods seem at las to be doing their work for the Massachusett: senator. The people in Massachusetts are be ginning to ask why Lodge has been kept SC long in position which he has never conspic uously adorned. and he is having the fight ol his life to retain his seat. Should he be de feated no tears would be shed by democrats and even the republicans might console them selves for his absence.