Evening star., 1924-06-25

KLAN PLANK SPLITS
PLATFORM MAKERS
Likelihood of Committee Ac-
cord on Declaration Held
Extremely Remote.
nanugrn,rI4Af nalag nnaAN
CONVENTION ROW LOOMS
Choice of Candidates Guesswork
at This Stage, Says ~.
Senator Robinson.
By FREDERICA WILLIAM VILE.


rif1ed Democracy has not waited TO,
the 1924 campaign TO open befor.
donning the fighting clothes pre-.
scribed for it by Keynoter Pat. Har-
rison. 1t is fighting now, only the
tight is within the Democratic party
and not against it's Republican foe.
The bone Of contention is the Kr
Klux Khan. For the moment the
squabble over that issue blots out the
contest for the presidential nomina-
ton. The Klan battle opened at the
romantic hour Of i o'clock this morn
ing in the committee on resolutions
Through a sweltering afternoon and
evening session Chairman Homer
Cummings platform makers were
subjected to an avalanche OF male and
female oratory on almost every po-
litical subject now under Gotham
broiling sun.
Other Issues Put Aside.
Not even perferviH pleas for the
league of nations from zealots like
John Hessin Clarke and Hamilton
Holt, or for equal rights for women
from the Pauline sisters OF the
National Women's Party, or for un-
diluted prohibition from Wayne B.
Filipino independence from Manuel
Quezon, or for stricter narcotic
laws from Capt. Richmond Pearson
Hohson. or any other policy. pro-
but desutory interest.
William jennings Bryan sat
through the dull proceedings. ready
20 unlimber an oratorical sixteen :
''liberalizer who might open fire.
BUT the law-enforcement brigade met
with no opposition that it seemed to
consider worthy of it's steel Every
body was waiting for the real con
trovers sial issue to bob up. Midnight
came and went without any signs
Of it.
Looked Like Fair Sailing.
1t began to be apparent that Homer
CUMMINGS. Key Pittnlan and other
McAGoo leaders at the head OF the
platform committee were anxious. II
possible. TO head on Nan oeoate.
decision had previously been reach
ed to hear only pesentatives OF
organizations for or against pro-
posed planks. AZ no Organization
seemed ready to bring up the klan,
the opponents of specific anti klan
manifesto were ready to consratu-
late themselves that the rubicon had
been crossed without clash.
Then. just as the clock was crawl
ing toward uase am, =, Rspsssenfatlne Mssomrf 1--WE
Iiyened proceedings by demanding to
be heard. He insisted that the Dem
ocratic party must condemn the In
visible Empire by name in its 1924
platform or face certain defeat in
November. Even after Hawes had
opened fire on the E1an conserva-
tives they fought to have the issue
smothered, or. at least, debated fur
ther in executive session. But Hawes.
who had valiant support in the per-
son of Ed II. Moore. the Ohio-~pemo-
cratic leader insisted. u
Recess Made Way Out.
He hammered along that line so
vigorously. and there was such note
of bitter determination in his re-
rnonstrance, that the element that
wants to ''pussy foot" the Khan issue
into an innocuous religious freedom"
plank decided that Il recess and q
period of deliberation were the only
recourses now safely to be taken.
Thereupon the committee adjourned
TO renew its open hearings on the
Khan and other planks today.
These open sessions will be followed
by executive sittinGs. at which the
committee will vote on controversial
questions. and then, if harmony can be
achieved, report out platform for the
general conventions consideration.
There are bound to be majority and
minority reports. The resolutions
II.
at least three ways on the klan issue.
There is no prospect whatever that it
will be settled in the committee
Indeed, to pillory. StiGmatize and in
dict the klan by name in the party
platform. or not to do So has become
the single proposition on which fin
ish fight on the convention floor is now
in prospect. All the fighting blood that
Pat Harrison poured into the veins of
the Democratic hosts on Tuesday will 4
be invoked in Madison Square Garden
before the klan issue passes into his
tory or into the 1924 platform.
Harmony Has Hard Run,
Harrison counseled harmony amid
his fagellations of the G. Q. p. What
ne had mainly in mind was the inn
pending Kilkenny over the Klan. II
me democrats quit New York in the
early days Of July, without sore heads
ana bruised backs. the consequence of
their internecine strife over KIanism,
they Will have achieved something en-
utica to be known as a political mir
aele- At this writing, it looks as if
mere could not be any such animal.
The league of nations brigade,
marshaled by Justice Clarke, is put
ting up gallant fight for an outright
league plank. but
is encountering stern opposition. In
the omission by Pat Harrison, key
league before the convention the
pro-leaguers smell the rat of a con-
spiracy. They fear that expediency
rather than idealism is debating
Democratic strategy at this witch
ing hour.
There is more truth than fmagina-
tion in these oualms of the leaguers.
Tho astute leaders here have their
eye on victory in November. little
else is in their minds. They want to
are determined to fight shy on any
thing or anybody that seems at all
capable Of marring the sunny pros
pect the Democrats have painted for
themselves. That applies not only to
issues like the league. but to candi-
dates regarding whom the party feels
it would have to be on the defensive
from the hour OF their nomination.
Choice Really Uncertain
Chaos and uncertainty with regard
to the conventions choice. for Presi-
dent grows greater AS the zero hour
appoaches- The chances of hopes of
this, that or the other leading as
pirant or favorite son f1uctuate with
each new recurring hotel lobby ru-
NOR The New York newspaper
headlines -, declaiming-that Smith
boom is on. the, march" or ''Ralston
now leading dark horse candidate"
or "McAdoo chances whitening stead
lily" or Davis movement definitely
checked" are simply somebody's
guesses and nothing else.
With the delegates in complete
state Of fux, even where supposedly
Saed and ticketed with instructions,
4 Is impossible to say what is going
to happen when balloting begins.
This writer asked Senator Joe"
Democratic Senate leader
and Arkansas presidential darling.
where things stand today. Robinson
is on the inside of nearly everything
now happening at New York,,fo he is
n cool counselor and dispassionate