Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-06-28
BRYAN CALLED
TOCHECK SPLIT
IN KLAN FIGHT
Cloud of This Issue So Dense
No Light Shows Through
Convention ConfereeS
OPEN TO STOP RUPTURE
Bryan Named to Select Party
Leaders to Keep Fight Off
Convention Floor

NEW YORK, June 2S (By The
Associated Press).-The cloud OF
the Ku Klux Klan hung SO heavily
over the Democratic national con-
vention today that the platform
committee after an all-night session
was unable to see a rift of light.
In last effort to prevent an open
rupture on the floor. of the conven-
ton over the issue. the COMMITTEES
authorized William Jennings Bryan
to select as many members as he
might deem necessary to enlist the
aid of party leaders and the various
candidates for the presidential nom-
ination to remove what was regard
ed as a serious threat of split in
the party.
Moreover, the members OF the
committee under instructions from
their delegations to support plank
specifically naming the Klan voiun-
teered to confer wfth their coll
leagues and urge that there be re-
consideration of the uqestion.
From midnight until dawn, the
Khan issue was a subject OF intense
debate. But as the first light of a
new day stole softly through the
multicolored windows where the
committee had labored for days and
nights, realization came that there
could be no immediate solution OF
the problem
Hopeless and. weary, the commit
tee members were summoned In
PRAYER on their departure by the
great commoner, who for hours had
waged an earnest fight against what
he repeatedly declared was an issue
that not only would rend the party
but would array man against man.
Before seeking rest the committee
directed Chairman Homer S. Cum
mings to notify the convention tnat
the resolutions committee had been
unable to complete the party declar-
alton for 1924 and to ask for an ad-
iournment of the convention from
$3.50 o'clock until 8 o'clock this af-
ternoon.
Meanwhile the committee Will
meet at 1880 P. M. to receive the re-
port of Mr.. Bryan, who was clothed
with full authority to bring about
settlement satisfactory to the com
mittee and it was hoped-to the
convention.
A number of leaders will give him
their support. They were parties
to conferences last night which
were designed to bring together the
contending factions on a plank ac-
ceptable to all.
Before coming to the Klan issue,
the committee approved plank
proposing a referendum on the
league of nations and pledging the
party to a policy of cooperation with
the other nations In the promotion
of world peace. This plank was the
subject of five hours of discussion
with Newton D. Baker, secretary OF
war under Woodrow Wilson. con-
tending to the last for repitition OF
1920 declaration calling for i'm
mediate American membership In
the league.
The former war secretary pre-
pared a rough draft of a minority
report, but when the committee ad-
Iourned he had not reached final
decision as to whether he would
take his fight to the convention.
The plank finally approved showed
several important changes from
draft submitted by sub-commit-
tee which had been entrusted with
the task of writing the declaration
on the basis of various proposals.
Three Klan plapks were taken
under consideration. One by Bryan
omitted, the name of the invisible
empire; a second, which was
composite draft of the suggestions
of several Of the anti-Klan leaders.
denounced the Klan by name, and
the third, which was presented by
the member from Alabama, refer
red to the know nothing party.
recalled that the Democrats had
denounced that organization in 1856
and declared that there was no rea-
son now why 1t should not specific
ally oppose the Ku Klux Klan.
The composite plank. which had
the support of majority In the the
platform complete says:
I'VE condemn political secret So
cieties of al kinds as opposed to the
exercise of free government and con-
trary to the spirit II not to the letter
OF the constitution. No member OF
such society can justly claim to be
disciple of Thomas Jefferson.
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