Evening star., 1923-04-19
FRACTIONAL ROWS
|. BITTER AS D. A. R,
DELEGATES ELECT
Women Charge Underhand
Tactics as Polls Open for
Selection of Officers.
MRS. STORY QUITS RACE:
CAUSES BIG SENSATION
Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Hanger Groups
Confident of Result-1,s25 to
Cast Ballots.

Torn by the most bitter fight in the
history of the society, the thirty-sec-
ond Continental Congress of the D. A.
X. began this morning to ballot on
the selection of a new president gem
eral and an entire ticket of new ma
tional officers.
Although the contest had definitely
narrowed down to a finished struggle
between Mrs. Anthony Wayne Cook
of Pennsylvania and Mrs. G. Wallace
W. Hanger Of this city. it was an
nounced that the result of the cleo
tion probably could not be made
known until nearly midnight
Long before the incumbent presi-
dent general. Mrs. George Maynard
Minor. had declared the polls open. a
long line of modishly gowned women
stood along the corridor leading from
Memorial Continental Hall. where the
congress was in session, TO the adj
joining administration building
where the polls were located.
Vote on All Offices.
Besides the president general. the
delegates had to vote on the follow
ing new, Offices: Chaplain general, re-
cording secretary general. correspond
ing secretary general, organizing sec
retary general. registrar general.
treasurer general, historian general,
reporter general to the Smithsonian in
stitution, Librarian general curator
general, seven vice presidents general
and three honorary vice presidents
general.
Mrs. Livingston L. Hunter, chairman
of the credentials committee, reported
that at 1870 o'clock this morning
1925 delegates are officially regis
tered. Since the rules of the society
require the successful candidate to
poll at least one vote more than half
Of the registered delegates. Mrs. Han
ger or Mrs. Cook will be required to
have at least 913 votes unless more
delegates arrive later in the day and
are permitted to register.
One BALLET Expected.
When the polls opened it was i'm
possible to determine whether Mrs.
Hanger or Mrs. Cook would be suc-
cessful, but it seemed certain that
more than. one ballot would be un-
necessary with Mrs. Marion Cum
ming Story out of the fight. Each OF
the remaining candidates expressed
confidence through their campaign
managers. Friends of Mrs. Cook were
claiming that she would poll OF least
1,400 of the total registered votes on
the first ballot.
On the other hand, Mrs. Hangers
friends, many of whom are now na-
tional officers, and. therefore, in
position to keep their hand on the
pulse of the convention, declared
themselves confident, and expected
n wi, haI
say how many votes they expected
all were confident of her election,
even though 1t might be by small
majority.
Just what reaction the delegates
would show toward the sensational
withdrawal of Mrs. Story in favor of
Mrs. Cook during the nominating
session last night was a much moot
ed question this morning. Some de-
clared Mrs. Story had actually injured
Mrs. Cooks cause by throwing her
support to that candidate: few could
be found who would admit that ii
might help her.
Tactics Denounced.
The letter assailing the courage and
patriotism of Mrs. Cooks son, An
thony Wayne Cook, began it's circula-
ton last Monday. and had been mem
toned both publicly and privately.
ever since the convention convened.
None of the delegates paid 1t any
attention, except to denounce the In
PRODUCTION "of such scurrilous tactics
in so high an institution as the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton" The Pennsylvania delegation
had contented itself with quietly
denying the accusations, and had not
Mrs Story openly thrown her sup
port to Mrs. Cook as protest
against such acts. 1t probably would
never have received serious CONSIDER
alton.
The result of Mrs. Story's action.
however, has been to split the con-
gress wide open. and II is intlmated
that some of the delegates who in
tended voting for Mrs. Cook had now
lined up with the. so-called story
faction" This made the race appear
even closer than ever this morning
and although the results may snow
Mrs. Cooks friends to be correct In
their predictions of a land slide, at
least that feeling is not reflected else
where around Memorial Continental
Hall.
Voting Line Is Long.
The scenes Immediately preceding
the opening of the polls presented
most unusual spectacle. Unfortunate
ly. the voting booths were located In
the basement of the administration
building and the line of delegates eA-
tended almost a full block from Me-
mortal Continental Hall through
narrow hallway connecting 1t with
the administration building, down tho
corridor of that structure and down
the narrow, winding iron steps to the
polls.
1t had been Mrs. Minors intention
TO open the polls at 8 o'clock this
morning, and as a result several hun
dred prospective voters were in limo
a few minutes after s. When 1t be-
came nosed around that a number OF
the delegates intended contesting the
election If such an act were permit
ted. which they declared to be in Vio-
lation of the society's constitution, tho
president general withheld the order
to begin balloting until 1926 o'clock.
The result was that the early comers
presented rather worn and impa-
tient appearance despite their tailored
fineries when the command finally
was received.
Form Single Line.
Before noon, the line of voters had
overfiowed the limit of both the ad-
ministration building and Memorial
Continental Hall and was beginning to
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