The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-20
DEMOCRATS IN
PLATFORM
BATTLE
League Of Nations and Ku
KIux Divide Delegates,
Agree on Other PIanks
By WILLIAM x. HUTCHINSON,

international News Service.
NEW YORK, June 2O.-The
Democratic platform for 1924 un-
der unofficial construction hare by
q group Of Democratic national
leaders, has developed two bitter
factional fights over party issues,
it was learned today.
The biggest row grew out Of
an effort Of Eastern leaders to in
sert a strong pro-League Of Ma
tons plank, while the second clash
developed over a proposal to in
clude a plank directly condemning
the Ku' Klux Khan.
Protest League Issue.
Western party leaders, sharing
in the pre-convention conferences
here violently protested against the
renewal Of the league issue, pro-
testing that it would be q losing
issue.
With the fasteners adananant
there was every indication that the
row would be carried into the CON
vention itself for final determine.
ton. The league issue was sup.
ported by a delegation Of Demo.
cratic women who had sounded out
the women of the party.
The proposed anti-klan plant like.
wise provoked sectional differences.
It was said to have been cham.
Norman q. Mack, Of Buffalo, and
other eastern leaders.
Western spokesman condemned It
on the ground that It would alienate
q number of Western States which
might otherwise be won to the DEM
ocrats.
Court Plank Endorsed.
One Of the few planks, upon which
a unanimous agreement was reached
was one indorsing American partlci-
patton in the permanent Court of
International Justice.
This plank, it was said, will mere
ly state that the Democratic party
''favors the United States joining
the court without reference to the
Harding-Hughes-C Coolidge or other
plans.
The unofficial platform drafters
were led by Homer s. Cummings,
Of Connecticut, who will head the
Democratic committee on resolutions.
Other conferees included Senator
Carter Glass Of Virginia; Finis j.
Garrett, Democratic leader of the
House; Cordell Hull, Democratic
national chairman: Senator Key
Pftman Of Nevada and Norman
e. Mack, Of Buffalo.
A number of other planks, vir.
tually agreed upon, settled the
agriculture, railroad, tariff, public
scandal, taxation and government
economy issues.
The agriculture plank will be one
OF the strongest in the whole plat.
form, 1t was said.
Attitude on Scandals.
The Democratic chieftains decided
to lay the blame for existing farm
depression upon the Republican Ad-
ministration. They charge the
Harding Coolidge rule with falling
to help the farmer and propose q
program Of relief, to include q
promise Of lower freight rates. The
latter pledge was combined in the
railroad plank which also con-
demned the Esch-C ummins law.
The party chieftains also unani-
mously decided upon the anti
scandals plank. All present were
agreed this issue should dominate
the coming campaign and that
Democratic spokesman everywhere
should denounce alleged reparation
misrule.
Tariff Revision Favored.
A plank, proposing tariff revision
was also inserted in the unofficial"
platform.
Another revision Of taxation
downward was pledged in the tax
plank, in which the Democrats
took all credit for the recently en-
acted tariff law. Stronger steps
for Government economy.
Throughout the sessions Of the
party leaders, harmony prevailed
except when either the League or
Khan issues became involved.
While heated discussions were
the rule, no effort was made by
the leaders to draft a final plank
on either subject.
AS 4 result 1t was likely both
planks would be written ultimately
in the formal gatherings Of the
~.