Evening star., 1924-06-27
PARTY CHIEFS PIN
HOPES ON RECESS
Given Initial Ballots as Index,
Leaders viii Bargain
Over Week End.
RESULT ANYBODY'S GUESS
One Inside Platform View Holds
Klan Mention Would Be
Futile Gesture.
By FRERERICK WILLIAM VILE,

NEW YORK, June 27.-After four
spring the Democratic national con-
Nentlon has reached exactly-no-
where. It's cardinal issues, platform
and presidential candidate, are as
enshrouded in doubt as they were a
week ago. The so-called preliminary
trials of strength, consisting of floor
demonstrations for the leading cam
didates and a scratch vote on an ad-
Journment. have come and gone
without singing anybody out as the
coming victor.
Inc committee on resolutions has
oeen tied in knot for the past three
Gays and nights, especially nights.
On the ku klux klan, the league of
nations and prohibition many and
oltter counsels prevail. No matter
what energies from the committee
on these contentious issues, the plat
iorm is altogether likely to be fash
ioned In final form by the convention
ltseir: whenever the time arrives il
VIII be the signal, unless a miracle
floor.
Only Ballots Will Tell.
With McAdoo. Smith, Underwood
and field of dark horses now
formally placed in nomination, the
Jockeylng for position has set in.
Opening ballots will be necessary TO
probable results. In every camp there
IS a burning anxiety for at least
half a dozen ballots before Saturday
nlsnI These are desired because the
Ior conferences. deals and trades In
those behind -the-scenes negotia tions
undoubtedly, the riddle will be solved
1t will be the bosses hour
II Is the week end deadlock upon
which the Brennans, the Taggarts,
the Smiths, the Hagues, the Moores,
the Rockwells, the Ropers and the
political stars of lesser magnitude
long have had their gaze fixed and
their minds riveted. Few conven-
ton insiders ever expected that this
democratic Armageddon would at
thls stage be farther advanced than
1t is. The fear now haunting the
leaders souls is that they may have
INTO such knot that many days
may be required to unravel it. Pre-
ACTIONS are freely offered today that
tne Democrats will be lucky if they
bury their differences and reach con-
clusions by July 5-a full week from
now.
Test Vote Opinion Divided.
Inc convention buckled down to
It's fourth session this noon, under
the Influence of Thursdays stirring
events. These were the demonstra-
ton for Gov Smith and the so-called
defeat of McAdoo on the night session
proposition. Anti-McAdoo captains
like Brennan loudly proclaim that
McAdoo. is now definitely checked
From McAdoo's citadel comes the
defiant retort that his forces have
not even begun to fight. They de-
clare that the McAdoo vote of 5l3,
by which the night session proposal
was voted down, is not a conclusive
evidence of the Californian's ballot
strength.
This alibi is scornfully secuted by
the anti -McAdoo contingent "McAdoo
has been claiming that he controls
the convention" said one of the
Californfan's arch foes. We've now
seen that he can't even control the
minor matter of an adjournment
McAdoo now reads 'McAdoom'"
The Smith demonstration, calmly
diagnosed a day after it ran its
tumultuous and manufactured course
is seen as leaving the New York
governors fortunes precisely where
they were. The noisiest was Tam
many riot, not manifestation of the
conventions sentiment Banners