Evening star., 1924-06-27
for Positions Continues Feveh Among Democratic Cheains
Scanned Joy at $3 ''Per Can''
DrO,uns Voice of DELEGATES
" Wkite Finds Paid " Orkers Actiue in Smith
DenlOnstratiOn-Pr for Roosevelt.
Bryar,'s Influence Felt in Platform.

eloquent in the proper place and
never demagogic-a clear. strong,
set off the big Smith demonstration.
After the demonstration. secondary
speeches and then speeches naming
the little fellows filled the dull after
noon.
Everybody Is Nominated.
The delegates began to vanish.
Empty benches began to shine out.
At o'clock the orators were talking
to the radio receivers and to such
oX-eyed delegates as sat gaping at
the speakers stand, not realizing that
nothing would happen. An interim
nable procession of nobodies followed.
nominating anybody they could think
Google. DR.. Copeland, Meredith,
Santa Claus. Ritchie. the Smith and
Brooks Brothers. Walsh, Ibid and
Anon were passed before the gaping.
upturned faces of the delegates as
cataract of oratory was damned.
The free and Embossed convention
was shouting it's battle cry of free
dom. which put into simple language
means. Isn't it grand to be bug
house,"
While this cataclysmic rain of flap
doodle was falling upon the emptying
benches of the convention four dozen
earnest, sweating ladies and gentle
Democratic national platform. They
have been at their loved employ"
since last Saturday. The chairman
of the committee on resolutions was
chosen weeks ago. He thought he
had a draft of the platform. Then
Mr.. Bryan came to town and the
draft disappeared.
Bryan Influence Felt.
1t is odd about Bryan. For three
nd Of
quadrennium Bryan holds a commits
sion as the national old dear; every
body loves him, pokes fun at him.
ignores him. pretends that he is dead
and laments the neglect of the under
taker. Then during the week of the
national Democratic convention Bryan
suddenly appears in shining armor,
a plumed knight Of the prevalent
righteousness. and becomes a force
in American politics. Then he goes
off the crystal slipper and puts on
the pumpkin for a headpiece But
this is his week to shine. He is dofni-
mating the platform committee: he is
beginning to make himself felt in
this convention and in the history of
his country for the next four years.
He drifts with apparent aimlessness
about the political hotels of New
York. shaking hands with everybody.
smiling amlably, perhaps little
fatuously. He certainly doesn't look
the plumed knight. Within the past
four years he has saunted down and
is almost thin. Since his wifes ILL
ness worried. weary look haunts
his once placid countenance. He ap-
peared in the convention the other
day wearing whacking big red
badge upon his abdomen. The busy.
buSinesSlike young men of the new
generation in the Democratic party,
nattily dressed. urbanites. form a
aSt fn hi n;
tleman of the old school who moves
like a specter from the past through
the convention throngs.
Longest Platform Known.
1t is probably the influence of
Bryan and the impress of Bryan upon
the Democratic party that make this
years platform threaten to cover
everything in the known world. AS
1t stands, it is the longest platform
ever presented to a convention. and
1t seems likely now that three or four
planks will be debated on the floor
of the convention. 1t will be impos-
sihle to work out a compromise upon
the ku Klux Klan. The best the
klansmen can hope for now is
plank that shall insult them with
nations also is a bone of contention.
The eastern Democrats seem to fear
the league and wish to avoid its in
dorsement. Possibly this is due to
llt ItlloNeT dTifnOSllN OF tUe lTlSn
and the Germans to the league four
years ago. The strength of the
league is in the west. Prohibition
may come into the convention for
final settlement but there can be no
hope for the vets of any satisfactory
expression. even from the floor of
the convention. AS it seems more
and more likely that a rather non
descript candidate may be selected
by the convention, the Importance
of the platform looms large. and it
is rather sad to contemplate the
rather obvious fact that the mind of
the convention is surrendering to
the passions. Much more time and
energy is being spent upon the Khan
plank than upon the economic issues
The brains Of the Democratic party
apparently are to have a rest, and
in this convention it is thinking with
it's spleen and producing most of its
intellectual processes through it's
liver.
Copyright, 1924)