Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-08
NEW RECORD SET
BY DEMOCRATS IN
CONVENTION T|E-UP
BY ROBERT L. SMALL
Copyright, 1924, by the Consolidated Press
ssociation-Special Leased Wire
tn The Atlanta IOurnal.l

to The Atlanta Journal)
NEW YORK, July 5.-The un-
precedented deadlock of the Demo
cratic national convention, marked
by all the bitterness and intolerance
of a crusade, has left the party in
a dazed condition. Leaders Of the
party have been trying OF argue
that out of all the travail and hard
labor would come new days of glory
for the democracy, but at heart they
feared the effect of the quarreling
and wrangling upon the electorate
of the country, particularly the
young voters who are about to cast
their first ballot, and who have seen
the national convention plunging
along in confusion.
Many minds have found many ex-
cuses for the deadlock. The political
psychologists have analysed the sit
uation from many points of view, and
have given what seemed to them
logical reasons for the state Of af-
fairs. But to the lay observer, the
outstanding lack of the conven-
ton of 1924 has been the absence
from the floor of any one attaining
to the rank of former leadership.
Lack of Coordination
The Smith forces lost their mas
ter mind when Charles F. Murphy,
leader of Tammany hall, passed
away. There was a lack of co-ordl-
nation if not downright differences
of opinion, between the eastern ad-
visers of the former secretary OF
the treasury and his friends and
followers from his new home in
California.
The dark horse" candidacy of
Senator Samuel M. Ralston was sup
posed to be in astute hands-those
of Tom Taggart, of Indiana-but,
detached from, his friend, Brennan,
of Illinois, and missing the COM
partnership and guidance of Murphy,
Mr.. Taggart seemed to founder
about and not know just what d.
rection to take.
George Brennan, Of Illinois, the
other supposedly strong man of
democracy, appeared from the first
to have no control over his own dele
gates, who split on every question
and on every candidacy. Being I'M
able to control the votes of his own
delegations, Mr.. Brennan naturally
became negligible factor in the
convention at large.
Leader Sought in Vain
Often the Democrats in the past
have castigated the Republicans as
being "bossed and ruled by the from
hand" This Democratic convention
of 1924 began crying in the wilder
ness for a, boss for a. wise leader,
two hours after it convened, but
the leadership did not come. There
was no magic in the lamp. 1t was
rubbed in vain.
The various coups, the various
smart moves made in the convention
during the earlier and the middle
stages of the balloting, proved awk-
ward and abortive. They possessed
neither cleverness nor direction, but
were clumsy and generally reacted
against the movers.
Over the convention has hung the
pail of the khan and the anti-klan
fight, the ranging of Protestant
against Protestant.
Protestations that the fight was
being waged without religious preju-
dice and as a purely political issue,
did not assay under the acid test
of performance in voting. Religion
was injected into the convention dur
ing the very first days, and the
blight of the bootless discussion could
not be swept away.
Every move made in behalf of Ell
Their one of the leading candidates
after this issue became acute W 5
searched for it's possible religious
significance, and the work Of the
convention seriously was hampered
at every step and turn.
Religious Issue Clear
There is no need to try to disguise
the fact that Mr.. William Gibbs Nc
Adoo came to be regarded by the dele
gates as the apostle of the Ku KluX
Khan, and it was openly charged that
some of the delegations instructed for
him and standing by him were close
to the khan.
Governor Smith, on the other hand,
came to be regarded as the candi-
date of the church Of Rome.
1t is of little avail to say that in
justice rode on both allegations. The
friends of the two aspirants either
Willingly Or unwittingly Unanswered
them into those Numerically oppo
site positions, and, from that time
fon, the convention became tainted
with prejudice which has been
handed down through the ages, and
which is but little nearer solution
today than it was a thousand years
ago.
Every move of the Smith forces
was blocked by the McAdoo follow
ers seemingly as a matter Of sacred
duty. Every drive made for McAdoo
was stemmed by the Smith follow
ers with a fervor akin to religious
zeal.
These plain, if regrettable facts,
must be stated in order that the
deadlock may be understood.
1t has been argued, with a good
bit of psychological reason, that the
super-abundance of women delegates
in the convention also shared respon-
sibility for the inability speedily to
agree upon a candidate. The women
refused to listen to offers of compro-
mise.
24-Ho,r Clock Plan