Evening star., 1924-06-12
Puzzled by West.


tempt, but with a puzzled disbelief in
its reality. What he has just done to
the old guard, who ignored his lead
ershiH and spurned his recommended
tions in the Congress, is much more
deadly than anything he has done
to the westerners. He is on terms of
soOe intimacy, socially and politi-
calIy. with Capper of the farm bloc
and Borah, who has his own bloc. He
could ind no other senator whom he
iiked peter than Capper Tuesday TO
SIT with him and lunch and listen to
the radio proceedings of the coaven-
ton. But Lodge, titular leader of ,he
Senate and from Massachusetts,
and Curtis, the Republican whip,
who forced anti-Coolidge measures
through the Senate as the regular
Republican program, get no pleasant
social invitations to the White House
these days. In the convention Cap
per and his kind are sad outsiders.
has dominated the Republican organ
ization for twenty years. the crowd
that fought Roosevelt ant: that nomi-
nat Harding. are 'nsiierS in name
or go out as soreheads. The old
guar never les 60. They will come
eaCk after Coolidge is gone, as they
came lack after Roosevelt want.
Fighting Spirit Lacking.
But the lack of the fighting spirit,
which departed from the party when
Roosevelt left it. is reflected in this
eventless convention. 1t is heavy
with monotony Yet it is destined to
grind on for another day.
The nominating speech of Presi-
dent Burton of Michigan State Uni
haI. .l,v
1t may, in that hour. reveal a vice
presidential possibility. But it would
be miraculous if. under the circum-
stances, the Republicans would do
after the one whom they delighted to
dishonor had passed. Still. millions
of Americans will hang around the
radio tomorrow, hoping against hope
for good show.
1t may be Of interest to the millions
of the convention to have some pic
ture of ito visualize the vocal i'm
preston from the radio. First, to re-
move preconceived impressions of
other conventions in other halls. the
radio listener should strip out of his
imagination the bower of flags that
usually decorate great convention
halls. There are no flags. One great
red, white and blue picture, too large
for flag, perhaps 40 by IS feet,
at the back of the stage. On this red,
white and blue background hang por-
traits of Lincoln, Mckinley and
Roosevelt. done in large design by
some local automobile painter.
Decorations Are Different.
Having stripped out Of the imagin-
alton the flags, let readers now move
from his pre-conception. the bare
steel ribs of the arched ceiling.
Usually these bare steel ribs are
wrapped in bunting that almost in
variably decorates the great Ameri-
can halls and furnishes a festal air
for the occasion-a festal air of un-
reality. In the place of these stark
steel ribs and girders, put in for the
Cleveland convention hall soft,
wide, beautiful arched dome, sky
hall. Then over the arched dome.
through which filters gray light
through glass, put gray. sand,
colored, rough finished plastered
ceiling. The effect is beautiful, and
considering the inside Of most Amer
striking. This gray. rough-f1nished
plaster gives tone to the hall. A sub
dued monotone. into which any splash
of gay color-as for instance, the
great red. white and blue hanging
comes with agreeable emphasis. 1t
is beautifully done, this vast muni-
cipal hall that seats fifteen thousand.
The galleries rise from the floor
around the oval, except where a deep
impression proscenium arch of the
same soft sand color, but splashed
with long panels in subdued blue and
dull gold, is thrown across the mar
row end of the hall. On the pros
cenium arch, at the head of each
paneled pilaster, are thin bands of
dull scarlet. The whole effect is that
of decent repression of color to serve
by suggestion rather than by direct
appeal.
Carnival Spirit Gone.
The great gray room, solid in ce-
ment, in plaster, permanent and real,
takes away the foolish spirit of car
nival that pervades SO many conven-
ton halls. Perhaps the sense of
reality which pervades the conven-
tion as a result of these solid gray
walls, may in some way by contrast
with the atmosphere of other con-
ventions give the impression Of dull
ness which surely comes out of this
convention. But this convention,
with it's entire lack of spontaniety,
interest save in a few minor contests,
would seem soggy in crystal palace
or in a fairy grotto.
Yet, in this great, sand-colored hall,
fifteen hundred delegates, sitting un-
der the eyes of fourteen thousand of
their fellow-Americans, are going
through the outward form of some
is all very real, and in the great
Sfarv ~ Apsrfca unfolding for this