Evening star., 1924-06-28
FAVOR|TE SON VOTE
MAY BEAT LEADERS
Backers of Several Candi-
dates Likely to Hold Out in
Hope of Eventual Victory.
SECOND CHOICES STRONG
Davis and Underwood Stand Good
Show of Emerging as Stand
ard d-Bearer.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, N Y,
June -Nobody-literaly nobody
knows the outcome of the presiden-
tial contest at the Democratic ma
tlonal convention, not even the man
ayers themselves, though they all
whistle cheerfully to keep up their
courage.
The fight between McAdoo and
Smith has developed such bitterness
that it begins to appear doubtful
whether either can be nominated.
The Smith delegates are intensely
opposed to McAdoo because 50 many
of his delegates are accused of Klan
sympathy. Many of the Smith dele
gates are Catholics and resent any
tolerance of the Khan as anti-Cath-
Ollie
The McAdoo delegates are for the
most part dry" and proclaim their
unalterable determination never to
vote for a wet" by which term they
classify Smith.
No Reserve Strength.
No candidate in recent political his
tory has ever been nominated with
out a strong second choice strength
in the camp of his opponents: Nc
Adoo has no reserve of sufficient
numbers in the Smith ranks, and,
while the New York governor has
many adherents in the McAdoo dele
cations which were instructed for
. The former Secretary of the Treasury,
this Smith following is not big
enough to make up two-thirds.
Smith will gain several delegates
from the states which have favorite
sons just as soon as 1t appears that
the latter cannot win.
Ohio, for instance, VIII vote for
James NJ Cox for d number OF bal
lots. and if he doesn't gain strength
about thirty of the forty-eight Ohio
ballots will go for Smith.
The Iowa delegation is held to Nc
Adoo by L hair. The unit rule pre-
walls there. The McAdoo men have
assured, but three others who were
instructed for McAdoo and who will
help the delegation go to McAdoo for
the first few ballots are reserving to
themselves the right to determine
when they shall desert the former
Secretary of the Treasury. This
means they lean to Smith a dark
horse, and away from McAdoo: and
unless the latter develops great
streng 9Th in the first few ballots and
continues to gain-or rather doesn't
1ose-the Iowa vote will start on it's
adventure with some other candidate.
There are few votes in North Da-
kota which may be cast for Smith.
Hope for Stampede.
The strategy of the Smith managers
and give the effect of a stampede. in
the hope that wild enthusiasm will
carry doubtful delegations on to the
Smith band wagon.
The evidence thus far does not in
dicate that Smith has yet made GER
tain of two-thirds. or anywhere0pear
it. His high-water mark may reach
$50, but any strength beyond that is
uncertain. If he could get to 500 he
would have splendid chance to win.
But the thing that will defeat
Smith. if, indeed, it doesn't at the
same time defeat McAdoo. is the un-
usual "favorite son" vote in this con-
ventiop. The dark" horses control
many delegations, and they will not
swing to the two leaders in a dead
lock, but will aid and abet the dead
lock in the hope of swing in their
direction.
Seated on the speakers platform
today was A. Mitchell Palmer, who
thing that happened at Baltimore in
1912 and which may happn here. In
that convention Mr.. Palmer was floor
manager for Woodrow Wilson. and,
therefore, he speaks with authority
on the inner strategy of that historic
meeting.
while Clark and Wilson were op-
posed to each other" he said, they
were not so violently opposed as to
prevent Clark delegates from going
to Wilson. In fact, we had many sec
states. These men ultimately came
10 US"
What MIR. Palmer says was true
also at San Francisco in 1920. Cox
had less than $50 votes at the start
OF that convention. but his managers