Evening star., 1924-07-08
DELEGATES GR0PE
FOR NEW ELIGIBLE
RaIston's Squirt Must Over
come Smith Anti-KIan SuS-
picions to Win.
McADOO STILL HANGS ON
Davis Considered to Have Posi-
bilities Yet-May Try Out
Several Others.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

NEW YORK. July S.-Rudderless and
without concerted action, the Demo-
cratic national convention was drifting
early today in the hope that some proc
ess of mental telephy will make 1872
hearts beat as one and make NOM
ination.
But the chances of a stampe Ied seiec-
ton then seemed remote. Four score
ballots have taken the emotion as well
as the element of surprise out of the
1.o9S delega les. and the old-fashioned
idea of starting "A drive without pre-
arranged agreement is proving futile.
The first ballot showed clearly that
the delegates were cropping in the dark,
and might not get anywhere until all
the leaders sit down in a conference
and, after canvaSSing the situation,
reach an actual compromise agreement.
Trying Out Second String.
There is, of course. a good deal of
talk about second choices. Some of the
Smith men are feeling out McAdoo dele
gates on the subject of John w. Davis
Of West Virginia. There seemed to be
also a tendency to throw votes TO Sena-
tor Ralston of Indiana, whose drive
started late yesterday and continued to-
day.
After Ralston has had his fling the
plan was to try out Senator Robinson of
Arkansas and possibly Senator Under
wood of Alabama. Most of the strength
of Senator Carter Glass is in the Nc
Adoo camp, where just as present the
disposition is not to start compromise
drives, but to stand pat
The balloting, however, is having d
significant effect. The morale of the
McAdoo forces is diminishing. At the
same time it is becoming apparent to
the Smith managers that they can
not go much higher than their pres
ent totals. They have some reserve
strength and believe that when the
McAdoo delegates are distributed over
a wide field of favorite sons the
vention will be that of Gov. Smith
and that persistence alone will win
out in the end.
May Force Compromise.
Today's balloting will probably
force the selection of d compromise.
Hitherto the McAdoo men have not
been ready to confer on the subject,
though the Smith leaders have been
so inclined. If McAdoo should be un-
able to regain his earlier strength
it is doubtful now whether he will
go much over 400 again-the end of
All that has really been deadlocking
the meeting has been a conviction
that by some method--eIther the alb
rogation of the two-thirds rule or a
ite sons-the McAdoo forces would be
victorious. There is evidence that
the Smith people began to realize the
hopelessness of their case several
days ago.
The determination of McAdoo at the
start today was to stick. refusing to
enter a compromise conference or re-
leasing his delegates. 1t would then
require a coalition of all the favorite-
son delegations and the Smith people
to bring about nomination. Since the
McAdoo strength slumped to a point
well below one-third, the nominating
power may now be said to be vested
In the hands of the remaining candi-
dates.
Try to Get Together.
Efforts to get them together were
started. Members of the Senate and
House were active in the negotiations
and something tangible may be worked
out before nghtfall. At the moment
John w. Davis chances seem brighter
than ever. William Jennings Bryan
alone has vetoed the selection but his
strength was in the McAdoo camp, and
If McAdoo drops to d low total the
There is also no love lost in the Smith
camp for Bryan, and if Bryan alone
stood between the Smith forces and a
nomination he would be overruled.
1t seemed doubtful whether RaIston
could ultimately win the Smith vote
for while he has repeatedly denied that
he Is in any way connected with the
Ku klux klan. his opponents here
have managed to tag him with that
label.
Copyright, 1924