The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-06-24
SEE FIGHT OF SECOND
CHOICE FORDEMOCRATS
NOT BELIEVED THAT EITHER
OF LEADING CANDIDATES
WILL GET NOMINATION.
CONVENTION TO MEET TODAY
Delegates Expect a Deadlock and
Long Drawn Out Battle. Efforts
By McAdoo Followers to Over
throw Party Custom.

| Long Drawn Gut Ddtlle. EHoItS
By McAdoo Followers to Over
throw Party Custom.
NEW YORK, N. Y.-The Demo
cratic National Convention tn a t
meets in Madison Square Garden to-
day will be battle of the second
choices" if the talk among the lead
ers here now can be accepted as an
accurate indication of what the aver
age democratic mind is thinking.
Also, from the campaign and
Unconditional political reporters gath
cred in little groups of skilltul news
hunters at the various headquarters it
is learned that Smith has an outside
chance, and that if there are any dark
horses with an inside chance nobody
knows where they are stabbed.
While public discussion of candi-
dates and their chances naturally re-
wolves about the trio presented by
McAdoo- Smith Underwood, it is of
second choices that the leaders speak
when the discussion gets down to the
private stage
The plain and unvarnished reason
therefor is that comparatively few of
the leaders believe that either Nc
Adoo, Smith or Underwood can be
nominated.
Almost Evenly Matched.
There are approximately $50 dele
-,
is uncertain after the complimentary
balloting is out of the way and it is
toward these delegates that both the
McAdoo and Smith camps are casting
covetous eyes.
AS a result of missionary work al
ready accomplished the Smith forces
raised their estimate of the strength
the governor will poll within the first
half-dozen ballots They now figure
in excess Of 400 delegates will be in
the Smith column. Where to get the
1872 more necessary to make twothirds
! is tough problem.
The Smith problem, however, is
but little harder than that confronting
the McAdoo managers. Assured of
approximately $50 votes on the early
ballots the anti McAdoo forces are in
clined to ask where Mr. McAdoo is
going from there. They answer their
own question by asserting mo where.
Virtually all of the various leaders
outside the McAdoo tens are frankly
looking to see the "A ballots at San
Francisco and the 40 at Baltimore out
stripped in the Garden this week.
Long Battle Seen.
They envision long-drawn-out
battle between McAdoo and Smith.
They see deadlock at the Garden
comparable to the Clark Wilson dead
lock at Baltimore, the Cox-McAdoo
deadlock at San Francisco, and in the
end they see a dark horse come gal
Looping from some middle western box
stall and get the oats, just as Hard
ing at Chicago four years ago came
forth and captured the republican
nomination after Lowden, Wood and
Johnson had, if fguratively kicked
each other to death for ballot after
ballot.
1t might be pointed out that in 9th
er famous democratic deadlocks one
of the leaders has come through. But
| it is also pointed out that issues and
conditions govern this contest which
were completely lacking in other con-
ventions- religion and ku klux khan
ism, wet and dry, the league of ma
tions and a score of lesser issues that
spawn rigid beliefs and unyielding
positions.
Second Choice Destiny.
This belief in the destiny of the
second choice-it amounts almost to
conviction on the part OF many
shrewd party prophets-constitutes
the sole stock in hope of the Ralston
managers, the John w Davis boost
ers. the Glass people, the Cummins
crowd, the Copeland forces, everyone,
in fact whose name has been drawn
into this democratic melting pot.
Their representatives and friends
are already on the ground here. They
ask the new arrival with obvious cas-
ua1ness concerning his prediction to-
ward the leading triumvirate, and then
almost beat their first question with
their second. -,
"And who is your second choice"
The McAdoo managers, led by
Judge David L. Rockwell, and the
Continued on Page Q, Col. D.