Evening star., 1924-06-20
Jealous Advocacy of 1920 to
Be Soft-PedaIed for Stra-
tegic Reasons, Is Plan.
TURN COP. RASCALS OUT,
WILL BE LUNG EXERCISER
Five or Six Days Limit Put on
Convention by Some Progressive
Observers.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN,
Stan Co.reSpopdent of The Star.


staff Correspondent of The Star.
NEW YORK, June 20.-Thumbs
down on a league of nations plank
In the Democratic national platform
to be adopted by the national con-
venuon. This is the firm determine.
ton of a sufficient number of the
party leaders to make it effective.
The Democrats are in a difficult
position, it is admitted, over this
matter of the league of nations. Ir
the first place. the league was the
child of the brain of the last Demo
cratic President In the second place
in the platform adopted by the party
in convention four years ago in San
Francisco, the Democrats went or
record unequivocally as favoring the
entrance of the United States into
the league. That platform said, in
part:
Plank Favored in 1920.
1--WE advocate the immediate rati-
fication of the treaty tof Versailles)
without reservations which would i'm
pair its essential integrity; but dc
not oppose the acceptance of any
reservations making clearer or more
specific the obligations of the United
States to the league associates"
Gov. Cox of Ohio, the Democratic
nominee for President in 1920, and
put forward by the Ohio delega tion
now as its candidate for the nomina =
ton, made campaign in which he
stressed particularly the league issue.
But Gov. Cox was showed under an
avalanche of 1000. 900 votes.
How to be consistent. how to save
appearances and at the same time
to avoid the antagonism which a new
demand for entrance of the United
States into the league would bring
is the problem of the Democrats. The
platform undoubtedly will speak ad-
miringly of the league. but it is said
ON fdg hsezS thoriIys it will not. pFopose.
entrance into that organizations.
VIII Critic G. o. p. stand.
If any proposal regarding the
ultimate entrance of the United States
into the league is made it will be on
vastly different terms than those pro-
posed a few years ago.
The foreign relations plank of the
Democratic platform no doubt will
criticizfie the foreign policy of the
Republican administration as futile
and unconclusive. There will be
criticism, too, for the failure of the
Republican administration and the
Republican Senate to provide for the
adherence of the United States to the
world court. A stronger stand for
such adherence to the court Will be
proposed than that contained in the
Republican platform
Senator Swanson of Virginia. rank
ing Democratic member of the foreign
relations committee and prospective
chairman of that committee should
the Democrats win control of the
Senate. was influential in forcing a
showdown in the foreign relations
committee in the last few weeks of
the session of Congress just closed.
He will have a hand in the drafting
of the foreign relations plank here.
Domestic Issues to Fore.
In the opinion of Democratic lead
ers, however, the campaign is going
to be made on domestic rather than
foreign issues. The Democrats will
harp on economy, reduction of taxes.
failure to bring about lower freight
rates or the Improvement of the agri-
cultural conditions, and very largely
on the alleged rascality in Office of
Republicans.
They do not intend. if possible, to
allow the Republicans to draw them
into the position of advocating en-
trance into the league of nations
now. There are strong advocates of
the league of nations in the party
still. They are making a fight for
recognition of the league in the party
platform, and will continue to do SO.
But the Democrats are out to win
the coming election if it can be DONE
and they are not going to jeopardize
their chances if they can avoid it.
Candidates, near candidates and
others whose lightning rods are up
lin hopes" are fast gathering here.
They are as conspicuouI by their
presence here as they were conspicu-
Gus by their absence in the late Re-
publican affray in Cleveland: Nc
Adoo, Gov. AL Smith. Senator Under
wood, John w. Davis, Gov. Davis of
Kansas and others are either already
here or will be here in person when
the big show opens. There's no doubt
eASut it, the presence of candidates
adds to the interest.
Two Dayises in Field.
With two Davises in the field for
the presidential nomination, their
boosters are having a little difficulty
getting them differentiated. John W.,
who halls from West Virginia and
New York, was former solicitor gen.
eral OF the Unlted StateS, MEMBER OIL
the House and ambassador to the
court of ST. James and is usually re-
ferred to here as plain Davis" The
Kansas governor, on the, other
hand, is denominated jonathan NJ"
Brother Jonathan" he undoubtedly
will be called If he should land the
nomination.
No more earnest booster for Gov.
Al Smith has arrived in these parts
than Howard Everett of st. Paul.
Democratic national committeeman
for the state of Minnesota
Give US AL Smith as the head OF
the ticket and the Democrats will
carry Minnesota, no matter whether
La Toilette heads a third ticket or
not" says Mr.. Everett today. On the
first ballot MinTfesota's twentyfour
delegates, who come to the conven-
tion uninstructed, will give Smith
18 votes, Davis l and McAdoo 8, ac-
cording to Mr.. Everett.
Belittles ST. Paul Session.
Mr.. Everett thinks very little of the
cred" convention which has been in
session in his home town for several
days. He admits that Gov. Smith S
alleged "wetness" will be help to