Evening star., 1924-06-23
DEMOCRATS MISSING
CHANCE, SAYS White
Editor Holds Opportunity to Meet
G. 0. P. Issue Submerged in
Flood of Trivialities.
CONVENTION TO BE COL0RFUL
Regardless of Outcome, Sensations
Aplenty Are Promised.
BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.

NEW YORK. Sunday. June 22.-The
Republican national convention of
Cleveland frankly challenged the
Democratic national convention to
meet the issue, Shall the American
nation be made safe for plutocracy p
Tonight. forty-eight hours before the
convention assemblies, it looks as
though the national Democratic party
would yield to the temptation to
dodge the challenge. Side, currents,
minor issues, unimportant men and
matters are sweeping into what
should be the main stream of infiu-
ence in the Democratic convention.
making it a dirty. frothy. rather i'm
potent tide
These trivial and secondary causes
and contentious have to do with the
ku Klux Klan and prohibition. The
convention is liable to name its cam
didate and write its pla tform on
bias from the big economic issue so
olatanty laid down by the Republi-
can national convention, and this bias
slant will indicate the tremendous
influence of second-rate minds in the
Democratic party and in the country
at large
II the convention sits long enough
These minor iSsueS-religious bigotry
ana probationary sink to their
seoms as though these issues might
control the major deStinies of the
Democratic party.
klnn Poison.
Tho forces of liberalism and con-
staged. Smith and McAdoo, who are
tne leading minority contenders for
the Democratic nomination, seem to
be liberals But the forces behind
them are not divided along liberal or
conservative lines to any marked diff
ference Smith. who attracts the
liberals of the country, is supported
by, New York and New England and
by groups of delegates who are con-
hPicuously conservative to the point
or reaction. In his delegations are
factions which would fit well in the
Cleveland.
no desire to nominate a liberal,
though because of his religion these
delegates are eager to name Smith
McAdoo, similarly is supported by the
dominated by dyed d-in-the-wool con-
servat1ves. though McAdoo. himself,
unquestionably feels that he is domi-
mated by liberal impulses.
would be glad to name Underwood
as the second choice, and Underwood
Is merely, a well fed Coolidge who
oroadens his RS. He is as reaction
ary as Chairman Butler of the ma
tional Republican committee McAdoo
mas no second choice liberal to whom
ne might throw his strength, if he
tried Probably he does not control
ms delegates. Very likely when they
leave him they will find their natural
alignment in the convention, vet
surely McAdoo is the strongest single
force developed by the preliminary
contests in the states.
South Anti-Smith.
Because the south is shot through
with the ku klux Klan poison, it is
assumed that the south will be anti
Smith. and because most Of Smiths
supporters are adherents of the holy
faith 1t is highly probable that they
would never get to McAdoo on any
ballot in the convention. McAdoo is
supposed to have had much strength
among rnidwestern delegates who
are strong for prohibition. Smith, of
course, gets his strength in territory
where prohibition is still d by-word
and scoffing, and Smiths delegates
would never go to McAdoo, yet Smith
and McAdoo control o-thirds of the
convention if they ever could COM
bine. To nominate either, one-third
Of the convention must go en- masse
to Smith or McAdoo without either
Smith or McAdoo losing his present
strength. This eventuality seems gro
IcSdueiS doSoi u. anu 80, II one were
to propheSy, he would say that
neither Smith nor McAdoo had
chance, though each is a leading can
didate before the convention.
Mule Will Kick.
thus have the garbage boats of
dirty politics dumped fanaticism and
bigotry into the water. | chairman
Butler of the Republican national
committee could control the Demo-
cratic convention in the interests of
public success, wisdom would en-
courage him to handle it as it is now
going forward. A Democratic chal-
ienge of the Republican position
would bring the issue of plutocracy
against Democracy square up to the
American voter, and there is no doubt
how he would act.
America is not yet ready to embrace
the theory that only as big business
prospers can the country thrive. but the