The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-04
WILL BE BACKED
 AS INDEPENDENT
Preliminary Session Of Cleveland Convention
 To Be Held Today
1000 DELEGATES
 MAY BE SEATED
Precautions Are Doubled Against Admittance
 Of Communists
(By Assoeiated Press.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio, July B. The National Conference for Pro- gressive Political Action will get under way tomorrow with leaders confident that Senator LaFollette of Wisconsin, will send word that he intends to become an independ- ent candidate for president.
 Such an expression is expected in response to a telegram sent to the senator today by the national com mittee of the conference urging him to make known his position and to comment on the political situa- tion.
 Recognizing you as the out standing leader of the progressive forces of the United States" said the telegram, Eve ask you whether you will, under present conditions, become a candidate for president of the United States. We should ap- preciate message from you set ting forth your view of the present political situation"
 Belief was expressed by those in touch with the situation here that the views of Mir. LaFollette, who is in Washington, that a personal represent sQtixe probably will arrive here tonnf- ION of Saturday with astatemefit iron, the senator. prepared for presentation to the conferenee Robert M. LaFol- lctte, IT,, it is expected, will come to the convention, as well as Donald Rich berg, Chicago attorney, close con- fidant of the senator.
 
 Indications continued that Senator LaFollette will advise the conference of his willingness to become an inde- pendent presidential candidate and that the conference will indorse his candi- dacy on a platform substantially the same as that rejected by the republican national convention after it had been presented by the Wisconsin delegation. That platform was silent on the Ku Klux Klan and prohibition questions.
 There were indications that there might be a demand on the part of some of the delegates that LaFOllette head third party movement, but this ele- ment appeared as q minority.
 At. meetings today of the. national committee, which were devoted mainly to preliminaries, the third party argu- mont was advanced, chiefly by some of the socialist delegates, but it was in- dicated there would be no split on the issue.
 Word comes from Washington that Senator LaFollette prefers .a run as an independent and would accept the support of the conference here only upon that ground. As an independent, it was contended by his friends, his name could be placed upon the ballots in every state without the necessity of building up additional state organiza- tions.
 Convinced that before the end of the week the Wisconsin senator will be in the field definitely, his political lieu tenants here, observing and directing the conference proceedings, said the fight would be carried into all states and that the senator intended to con- duet vigorous personal campaign.
 Tomorrow's session will be devoted mainly to preliminaries. William H. Johnston, head of the Machinists' un- ion and chairman of the conference, will sound the keynote. Addresses will be delivered by several others, among them Senator Henrik Shipstead, farm er-labor, of Minnesota, and Represent ative John NJ. Nelson of Wisconsin, republican insurgent leader in the House of Representatives, who, it is un- derstood, will be LaFollette's campaign manager.
 The credentials committe will submit its report, with indications tonight that close to 1000 delegates will be seated. There will be no known communists as such in the committee list.