Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1924-06-26
Death KneN of Democratic
Tluo- Third Rule Is Sounded
Country Press Started Move
Which Has Developed into
Hurricane of Protest. If
Not Now, Then Later
Written Specially for The Leader
By EDWARD PERCY HOWARD
(Thru Autocaster Service)

New York-Protest against the
two thirds rule which since 1882
has existed to prevent a majority
nominating a democratic candi-
date for President of the United
States has reached such impetus
that no matter what may be the
decision of the New York conven-
ton, leaders in the party are de-
termined to force the issue and
have the question definitely set
tied so that speculation as to the
rules to obtain will be eliminated
from all future gatherings of par
ty.
The storm against the two-thirds
rule has been nursed into almost a
hurricane. Started as result of open
protest on the part of publishers of
weekly, newspapers in all sections of
the country. the fight has been picked
up by the metropolitan press, and f.
nally by scme of the candidates, not
adv MIR MoAGoo, until today it is
impossible to suppress the agitation
One OF the real fighting leaders against
the two thirds rule is Josephus Dan
iels, Secretary of the Navy, in the
Wilson cabinet and publisher of the
Raleigh N. c. observer"
Briefly" said Mr.. Daniels a week
or SO ago, "the two-thirds rule is a
self denying ordinance imposed to give
minority an opportunity to defeat
the will of majority. That is blunt
but correct way of STATING what it is.
1 here is no such rule in the Repub-
l::a1. National convention or in any
other political convention. In all these
the presumption is that a majority
has the wisdom and the right to act.
The Democrats when they get togeth-
er in a national convention seem afraid
to trust the final judgment of major
ity to name their candidates. The soon
er the two-thirds rule is abolished the
better"
Up to now it has been supposed
that the iron hand of the Rules Com
mittee can be depended on to preserve
the old guard in its desire to maintain
a stranglehold on the delegates, but
now it appears, according to Mr.. Dan
iels this DOGGY need not brighten any
one.
eff the Rules Committee should re-
port favoring the two-thirds rule"
said Mr.. Daniels, "any delegate can
rise on the floor and say: I move to-
strike out the words two-thirds and
insert in their place the words a ma
pority.' This would bring the issue
squarely before the members of the
convention and if the motion were
sustained then that would be the end
of our political strangulation."
When the Texas delegation started
on its way to New York it was pretty
we'll understood that even if it stood
naked and alone on the floor a fight
would be made for the abrogation of
the two-thirds rule when the big hour
arrived
Up to the actual sounding of the
gong in New York all of the dark
horses were banded together in favor
of maintaining the two-thirds rule. AS
tute politicians, those used to close
calculation, have openly stated that
with the two-thirds rule out of the
way McAdoo would enter the Conven-
ton easily the leader. Governor Smith,
admittedly next in strength, of course,
could not muster up enough strength
for a majority in the early balloting,
and consequently, the Smith support
ers fearing a McAdoo runaway, ex-
pressed themselves as fatty opposed
to any change, hoping that by the
wearing down process the McAdoo
strength might be dissipated and the
Smith support strengthened. The
hopes of the dark horses naturally
have rested in a deadlock as between
Smith and McAdoo.
: According to present plans a care
full watch of the vote will be kept and
the story told by that vote will be put
plainly before the people the moment
decision is reached This year if the
will of the majority is again defeated
the people are destined to have the
fact pointed out to them. The battle
against the rule will not end with the
Democratic Convention in New York.
If temporarily defeated some move
will be made to make its restoration
next to impossible. If not the fight
will be continued