The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-23
BOARDS MAP
OUT DEEPEST
STRATEGY
Expert Bares Inner Workings
Of Great Conventions.
Dope on Conferences

4
''Is that So" says the leader from
Massasouri. perhaps you're right"
They smoke.
Then the leader from Massasouri
says:
Which Davis, He Asks?
(which Davis do you mean7
West Virginia or Kansas?"
West Virginia." Gays the leader
from New Texshire. Hes the
man. His fellows have got 'em
ell lined up for him for second
choice. As soon as the big fel-
lows break. he'll come through"
"who tipped you Off"
1.-THE fellow that corresponds for
the st. Siousy SUM-"
THAT so? What time Is it?'
Quarter past nine. Let's cal"
That's q conference.
That's what usually happens
when 1t IL reported by us vigilant
sentinels Of a convention that two
statesmen have gone into ICON.
ference"
Yet a conference" after all, is
only the beginning Of the deep
stuff. The real final ultimate deep
and deeper and deepest stuff is
the board Of strategy"
Congressman Verbatim, Of North
Coocoola, arrived today and at once
took his place in the board Of
strategy in charge Of the boom Of
James NJ. Cox"
Wonder BY Everybody.
Readers are said to wonder Just
what board Of strategy" is and
just what 1t does. They may be
relieved to learn that we who re-
port conventions and who think
up these boards Of strategy" won.
der even more.
We see seven statesmen on two
successive days go into the same
room at the same time. They must
be a board Of strategy" Just
what they do. however, when they
start off to be strategists is more
than any Of us really have ever
found out.
Or. to put It more candidly, we
know very we'll that all that they
do is something like this:
Congressman Verbatim: II knew
three delegates who are for Cox az
soon as Smith is out Of 1t. Will I
hold them back then, or throw
them right INF"
Senator Verbose: Hold them back
for three ballots. Then throw them
In. 1t is much more impressive"
Ward Leader Lowdown: "weIl,
why don't we 90 and find out?''
Senator Verbose: well, it sort of
interrupts being board Of strategy.
but let's co."
Some Strategic Results.
Thereupon the board of strategy
adjourns and goes out to talk with
delegates in hotel corridors and in
clubs and In other places If the
delegates In clubs and in other
places can be found.
When found, these delegates, par.
ticularly IL found in clubs and other
places, profess an undying adnira.
ton for Cox.
Thereupon the various boards Of
strategy produce the following re-
suits:
Delegates for Cox on second
choice-832.
Delegates for Ralston on second
choice-917.
Delegates for Davis on second
choice--1 ,09S.
Delegates for Glass on second
choice-872.
Delegates for others on second
| choice-7,967.
The total number of delegates IN
the convention thereupon appears to
be 1856.
Inc arrangements committee un.
fortunately has provided accomn1o-
cations in the convention hall for
only 1,09S delegates or votes.
Inc Davis board of strategy on
second choices claims no more.
Seek Delegates Thoughts.
A conference" as the reader can
now see. Is a gathering of states.
men to find out what other states
men are thinking. A board of
strategy" is a gathering of states.
men to find out what the delegates
are thinking and will do.
Unfortunately in this convention.
as In most other conventions, the
| delegates in fact are not the cattle
that the conventional idea Of con.
Ventions supposes them to be.
The best bosses here, as in most
| other conventions, are those who
genuinely try to find out what the
delegates will stand for and what
they will refuse to stand for.
George Brennan here, as the
leader OF the AL Smith forces, is, in
fact, spending his time not yet on
strategy, but on what the delegates
actually think and actually want.
Best Students Are Bosses.
On the McAdoo side Judge David
Ladd Rockwell and Publicity Man.
ager George Milton, jr., are spend.
Ing their time not on any intrigucs
but on laborious studies of the
lnclinations and preferences Of dele
gates.
This is the delegate stage IF the
convention. Who will be ultimately
the bosses is a question which de-
ponds precisely on who are the per.
sons who make the best studies Of
the delegates now.
Who they are-who are making
these best studies and who will
TURF out, therefore, to be the best
bosses-is not yet known and can
not yet be known.
Copyright. Current News Features)
AMERICANS IN CALCUTTA
IA VAIes1 AAAa= 1ERO