Evening star., 1924-06-28
DEMOCRATS SEE
PROSPECTS HURT
Inter-Party Strife Feared in
Campaign-Prayer Is
for Harmony.
CHANCE FOR CONCILIATOR
Each Camp Believes Own Favorite
Helped by Continued
Warfare.
CHANCE FOR CONCILIATOR
by FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE,

by FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
NEW YORK, June 2s.-BattIe is at
length Joined. It's roar and rumble
are reverberating through Madison
Square Garden as this dispatch is
written. The Klan and the league
are the strategic positions which are
being stormed and defended. The
outcome no man knows. Generals Of
the rival forces have brought up
every gun and every trooper they
command. The fight is to the finish.
The fear that haunts the Democratic
party at this hour is that the COM
bat may rage not only to it's own
finish, but to the finish of Democratic
prospects in the 1924 campaign, to
such a menacing height have pas
sions risen at this convention.
Prayer for Unity.
The fervent prayer of the moment
is, therefore, more for harmony than
it is for victory. The man who can
assure Democratic unity, after to-
days embittered history. may have
an irresistible claim upon the nomi-
nation for the presidency. Having
dashed themselves into an ungovern-
able fury over party principles, the
Democratic hunt now is for a way of
mocracy may present at least the
semblance Of united front to the
common foe. Hitherto, during this
hectic week, this observer has eN-
pressed the opinion that only mir
acle can bring about such a result
There is no occasion for altering that
judgment. Republican hopes that
the enemy would vindicate his repu-
the right time are dangerously on
the brink of realization. That is the
atmosphere in which the Democratic
convention now enters upon its final
and decisive stage.
very Maneuver Selhah.
1t is, of course. in such an atmos-
phere that treasons. strategy and
from now till the bitter end every
maneuver will have a selfish purpose.
There are sixteen candidates for
President formally in the field. The
rules do not prevent the lists ex-
pansion I'D libitum from ballot to
ballot. Delegates can vote for any
man or woman they please, irrespec-
tive of whether they were placed in
nomination before the convention or
not. In the camp of every single
one of the formally proposed sixteen,
and in the camps of the unnumbered
others hope now springs eternal.
The situation is so chaotic and so
kaleidoscope that, literally, anything
can happen to anybody. Everybody
dreams that anybody in this case
convincing, how the big fellows con-
tinue to hug the delusion that victory
in no circumstances can be snatched
from their grasp.
Both Sides CONFIDENT.
The two leading aspirants, McAdoo
and Smith. insist that their lines are
so firmly held that defeat is out of
the question. The McAdoo people
had rather the best of the optimism
securing their candidate a league of
nations plank in the committee on
resolutions shows that the Cali
fornian's influence is far from being
destroyed. as his foes assert. McAdoo-
ties declare that when balloting for
President sets in, tonight or Monday
morning, the convention speedily will
discover that not less than one-half
of its total strength, or $40 votes. is
securely and solidly in McAdoo's con-
troll. His managers soon ana snort
at the suggestion that McAdoo votes
will scatter like autumn leaves in
gale. once couple OF ballots nave
been taken.
The Smith contingent. claiming up
ward of 800 first ballot votes, con-
tends that the Ne" 1ork SoNerhoi
strength will grow like SNOWFALL
rolling down hill as soon as one roll
call begins to succeed another. There
is no lack of spontaneous Smith en-
thusiasm among the delegates. Every
time his name is mentioned or hinted
at the convention gives forth a
Vesuvius-like explosion. II Madison
Square Garden is capable of being
stampeded. a suggestion which nearly
every leader doubts. Smith probably
can come nearer doing the celebrated
Bryan act than any other man. But
there is probably more than enough
Khan strength to mobilize an in
yincible ne-third against Smith,
even IL wave of emotion should
sweep him that close to victory.
Strength Is Cited.
That Smith Is the only Democrat
certain to win remains the most
potent argument of his hackers.
Whom else have you got they ask
the doubling delegates. who can
carry New York and New Jersey,
threaten Calvin Coolidge's hold on
Massachusetts,, capture Maryland and,
Kentucky, endanger Illinois, Indiana,
Missouri and Wisconsin for the Re-
publicans. and retain the solid south
for the Democratic party?" Smith
supporters don't maintain that their
idol is best the convention can
nominate. but they vociferously con-
tend he is the best bet"
Yet as hallofipO fmpends fAu Az