Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-19
BY RALPH SMITH


never more strikingly illustrated
than in the nomination of John w.
Davis, of West Virginia. Certainly
Mr.. Davis was the candidate of no
faction, yet since the nomination
there has been abundant evidence
that he is equally acceptable to every
wing of the party. Obviously, his
choice was perhaps the wisest that
could have been made in the Circum-
stances.
Although he was in a receptive
attitude toward the nomination, the
West Virginian was never in any
sense an active candidate. His West
Virginia friends insisted on submit
ting his name to the convention, and
they stuck to him with a loyalty
that was in no respect antagonistic
to the aspirations of others who
sought the nomination.
When the break came, after 102
futile ballots, it seemed only natural
that Davis should be the residuary
legatee of the convention delegates
who were truly anxious to find a,
candidate upon whom all factions
could unite. That he was entirely
acceptable to the McAdoo delegates
was clearly demonstrated by the
eagerness with which they united
behind him; that he was not objec-
tionable to the Smith following was
shown by the alacrity with which
they fell in line when his nomination
seemed certain.
And within twenty-four hours
after the nomination, every element
in the party had Loyalty aligned
itself behind Davis candidacy. The
sores Of the convention were quickly
healed, and at the national commit
tee meeting the day after the nomi-
nation delegates and committeeman
who had waxed warm in the rival
camps Of McAdoo and Smith and
Underwood were wreathed in smiles
because they all agreed that Davis
was the man, after all.
Since the nomination, Mr.. Davis
has shown a disposition to strength
en- and perpetuate the good feeling
that was manifested at the committee
meeting and in expressions from all
sides. Although he received aid
from the McAdoo forces when help
was needed and from the Smith
camp when it counted, Mr. Davis is
going to recognize both McAdoo and
Smith men in the direction of his
campaign. That is as it should be,
Tor after all a Democratic victory is
the end that is sought, and there
can be no victory without harmony.
1t is a wholesome and encouraging
sign that in his conferences, Mr..
Davis has called such men as Daniel
c. Roper and Franklin D. Roosevelt,
both outstandingf Figures in the Dem
ocratic party. Roper was one of Nc
Adoo's mainstays, and Roosevelt di-
rected Governor Smiths CAMPAIGN,
1t IS no less heartening that he is
advising with such men as George
White, Of Ohio, and Norman Mack,
of New York; Robert w. Woolley
and Norman j. Davis; Frank L. Polk
and Vance Mccormick; Senator
Walsh and George Brennan, and
other leaders too numerous to men
ton.
That there has been some delay In
perfectIng the organization of his
campaign has been due to the fact,
as Mr.. Davis explained to me, that
he didn't expect to catch the rab-
bit" and therefore isn't quite ready
to skin it, He isn't going off half
cooked. That seems certain.
McAdOO Plans Miscarried
McAdoo's inability to coordinate
his strength at the right time stands
out as one of the most interesting
developments Of the memorable New
York convention. His high vote Of
$50 on the 18th ballot admittedly did
not measure his potential strength
in the convention. That he did not
register considerably more than 600
votes, and possibly win the nominal
ton, was due to a multitude of
causes, which, in themselves, seemed
trivial, but which, considered in the
light of eventualities, were monu-
mental.
The change of a half a vote in the
Mississippi delegation during the
early stages of the balloting would
have run McAdoo's total consider
ably above 500, and a change of a
half vote, or vote, in other delega-
tons, voting under the unit rule, on
subsequent occasions, would have in
creased his total beyond 600.
The air Of confidence that per-
vaded the McAdoo forces on the fate
tul Tuesday night that marked Nc
Adoo's withdrawal from the race has
been mystery to persons not en-
tirely familiar with the plans that
were under foot for that evening.
In the interval between the after
noon session, when McAdoo's vote
reached its lowest ebb, and the night
session, MCAdoo himself was in con-
ference with Senator Tom Taggart,
of Indiana, and from him learned
that Senator Ralston's name would
again be withdrawn from the con-
Vention at the night session. Raj
ston had received 1875 votes on the
last ballot at the afternoon session,
and there were good reasons to be-
leVe that the bulk of these votes
would swing to McAdoo at the night
session. 1t is a matter of record
that many of them did so swing, hut
1t IS unfortunately true that other
Well-made plans miscarried, so that
in the end the final desperate drive
for McAdoo failed.
The strategy of the McAdoo cam
palgn on that memora BILE Tuesday
night hinged on a five-state comb
nation. If Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi.
Missouri and oklahoma could be
realigned behind McAdoo, the chief
himself and his political advisers
were confident that his total vote
would run we'll over $50, and it was
their hope that the momentum be-
mind this swing would gather in
enough stray votes to make his nom
ination inevitable.
The five states involved in the gem
eral plan had been originally Nc
Adoo states. Each of them, at some
time or other, and on many ballots,
had voted for McAdoo, under the
unit rule. The McAdoo leaders in
each of these states were confident
that they could be brought back on
the reservation for the final drive.