Evening star., 1924-06-28
Platform to Go
to Floor at
3 O'Clock.
RECESS TAKEN
THIS MORNING
Dramatic Appeal for
Unity Made by
Cummings.
By the Associated Press


NEW YORK, June 28.-Democratic
party leaders failed today in re-
newed effort to reconcile their diff
ferences over the ku klux klan is
sue and avoid an open fight on the
floor of the national convention
A morning session of the conven-
tion was adjourned to provide op-
portunity for further peace confer
ences, but after more than two
hours consultation with other party
chieftains the advocates OF an out,
and-out anti-klan plank announced
that the issue must be settled by
the delegates themselves.
Colby to Lead Fight.
cambridge Colby of New York, a
former Secretary of State, was select.
ed to conduct the floor fight for the
plank condemning the Klan by name
and it appeared likely that William
Jennings Bryan would lead the ele-
ment that only wants to put into the
Platform general reaffirmation of
the principle of religious liberty.
Just before the convention reas-
hear the debate and vote it's decision
the platform committee held another
meeting in a final desperate effort
toward the compromise which party
leaders had failed to attain
Gen. Charles H. Cole, delegate at
large from Massachusetts. was
chosen to assist former Secretary
Colby in the convention.
Plan of Attack O. k.d.
The plan of attack as decided upon
by the anti-Klan leaders was COM
municated to Gov. Smith by Mr. Bren-
nan and word was brought back that
1t had the unqualified approval of the
New York governor.
Seemingly hopelessly divided on tn e
issue of whether the Klan is to be
named specifically, and surrounded
by war clouds loaded with threats of
a party split, the convention man.
ayers this morning sent Homer Cum
mings, chairman of the plStform COM
mittee, to the bat, to ex61ain to the
convention why the platform was be-
ing delayed and to plead for more
time.
Tired and worn by continuous loss
Of sleep since last Tuesday, Chairman
Cummings gave as dramatic a recital
as ever has been heard in national
convention. Explaining the delibera-
tionS of the committee and it's nabil-
1ty to reach an agreement, he told,
amid dramatic silence, how, after
an all-night session. the committee
men had gathered around their table
in the breaking dawn of the day and
recited In unison the Lords prayer,
after which William Jennings Bryan
had raised his voice and spoken a
prayer for divine guidance
Leaders Disagree.
Effort were made while the leaders
were in conference to again canvass
sentiment among the individual mem
nf doll
main the discussions and peace efforts
were confined to the dozen or so of
chieftains who are guiding figures in
the convention.
tion, when 1t was suggested that the
delegation try to get together on a
compromise. declared that if such a
meeting were called it would last for
a week.
There was a disposition on the part
of some of the Smith leaders to favor
a plan to postpone action on the Klan
plank until after the presidential
nominee had been chosen. In that
manner it was pointed out, the can
didate could give his advice whether
the Klan should be named in the
platform.
New York for Plank.
The New York delegation was said
to strongly favor naming the Klan
and Franklin d. Roosevelt. manager
of the Smith campaign. said the dele
gates themselves should decide the
Klan question without mixing 1t with
candidates..
IF the question is brought up on
the floor of the convention" Mr.
' Roosevelt said, the votes COM
manded by the various candidates
will split. Some Smith supporters will
vote to name the Klan and others
will not. McAdoo and Underw
delegates also will be found divided
over the Ku klux klan as between
the candidates personally
Few in Time for Start.
The convention was even slower
than usual in assembling. and at $50
the hour set for opening the session
not a dozen delegates were on the
floor. The galleries were virtually
A liberal allotment of police anc
fire officers dotted the arena with The
blue and brass of their uniforms, pre-
pared to carry out the determination
of convention officials to keep the
delegate inclosure from invasion by
those who have no business there
An entirely new Gordon of copper!
was ranged behind the ree-foo
wall ringing the big ellipse, stand
ing at equal intervals like the crew
of a man-o'-war manning the rail-
They had orders to prevent all com
munication between the arena ane
the galleries.
The extra precautions had beer
taken because of the overrunning oi
the floor at recent sessions by the
armies of demonstrators that hae
broken through to parade around the
hall as a part of the nnisemaking fol
their favorite candidates. At a spe.
cjaI conference of convention officials
it had been decided that hereafter
only about sixty persons besides dele
gates and alternates should have &C.
cess to the fioor-twenty of them be-
longing to the STAFF of the sergeant
at-arms, twenty of them selected from
the corps Of newspaper men at work
in the convention hall and >twenty
representing the field forces of the
various candidates.
Many of the delegates had not
heard OF the failure of the platform
committee to complete its work at 1t.
Continued on Page 4. Column 81