The Washington times., 1924-06-27
OVER
PLANK IS
FIERCE
Agreement on League Near
in Committee, But Issue
Also May Go to Floor
By KENNETH CLARK.
international News Service.


| MADISON SQUARE HOTEL,
NEW YORK, June 27.-The
heavy dark clouds which have
hung ominously over the platform
drafting subcommittee Of the
Democratic national convention
lifted somewhat today when it
was learned that the platform
builders have virtually agreed
upon a League Of Nations plank,
one Of the most troublesome
problems before the committee.
An unofficial poll taken just
before the committee resumed
its session behind locked doors
to complete the platform indi-
Gated that the committee will,
oppose immediate entrance into
the league, favoring instead q
strong statement pledging the
Democratic party to extend full
est cooperation to Europ e
through agencies which can be
determined upon by the will Of
the people. At the same time
the tentative plank expressed
sympathy with the league as an
international organization to pro-
mote peace, it was learned.
Khan Split Grows.
But while there was apparently
a slackening Of the fight upon the
League plank, although the agree
ment was not unanimous by any
means, the khan question threat
ened to split the committee wide
open, with indications pointing to
a session lasting far into the night
before the difficulties could be
ironed out and a report prepared
to submit to the convention. It
had been planned to get the report
| to the convention early this after
noon for adoption.
A group, headed by Newton d.
Baker, formerly Secretary of War,
was making a bitter fight against
the proposed Leag~e plank. Baker
wanted to accept the challenge of
the Republican party, as laid down
IN the platform adopted at Cleve.
land, and go before the people this
| fall with the League a paramount
issue of the campaign,
Baker would pledge the Democrat.
ic party to join the league, with
reservations declaring American q
independence of action, particularly
upon such question as war.
Majority Against Him.
Despite his efforts, which were al
! most frantic in their nature IL was
learned that Baker was in a minori.
ty in the committee. The majority
favored the plank which would sub
merge the league as an issue, and
yet at the same time would declare
that the party looked with synnpa.
thy upon the. league. In other
words, this group thought it would
not be politically "expedient'' to
come out strongly for the League
but 1t would be wise to pacify the
Wilsonites in the party to offer
Americas full cooperation to Eu-
rope and the world to promote peace
anu assist I0SIOTlnR troubled
economic financial conditions.
First stating that this Govern
ment desired to help Europe, this
group felt that the question of how
the aid could be extended might we'll
be left for later tonight. The idea
was presented to the committee by
Owen D. Young, member of tha
Dawes PREPARATIONS committee.
The majority's leaders plank also
savagely assails the Republican
party's failure to formulate. any
foreign policy whatever"
May Take Fight to Floor.
So deep-rooted were Bakers con.
victions in favor Of the League that
he threatened to carry his fight TO
the floor of the convention itself.
With the khan question admittedly
the sharpest thorn in the sldss OF
the platform builders, efforts were
being made in the committee today
to agree upon some plank regarding
| the hooded order which would have
the least opportunity of igniting a
nasty, and what some leaders
| Continued on Page 3, Column A.
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