Evening star., 1927-11-29
EIGHT CITIES BID
FOR c. 0. P. PARLEY
Lively Competition of Rival
Communities to Secure 1928
National Convention.
Ry FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

A tale of eight cities is being un-
folded in Washington this week. 1t
concerns their rival ambitions to Sc
cure the Republican national conven-
tion of 1928. The contending COM
nunities are Detroit, Kansas City,
Cleveland. Philadelphia. San Fran
cisco, Chicago, Minneapolis and Den
yer. Their chances are assessed In
about the order named. The decision
will be made by the Republican ma
tional committee at Washington on
December 6 and Z.
At this writing the choice is be-
lieved to lie between Detroit, Kansas
City and Cleveland, with Detroit ap-
parently having the edge. Phlladel-
phia and San Francisco, however, are
fightinc hard to have delegations on
the scene busily button-holeing arriv-
Ing committeeman and committee
women. The contest between the
Eastern. Middle Western and Coast
sections will wax hotter as the COM
mittee session approaches and be
fought to a finish in that arena.
Open Session Ordered.
In order that ii may be decided in
q fair field without favor, the nation -
committee will determine the conven-
ton issue in an open session, to which
the general public will be admitted.
Each city will put its best foot for
ward on that occasion and be repre-.
sented by renowned spokesman.
Detroit is talking of sending Henry
Ford to Washington to plead its con-
vention cause. He will be seconded by
his former partner, Senator James
Couzens Of Michigan. Detroits claims
include a magnificent new auditorium,
the fact that Michigan has no favorite
sons and the motor metropolis rich
ness in hotel accommodations.
Kansas City's case will be pre-
sented by DR.. E. b. Clements, Re-
publican national committeeman from
Missouri. He will offer the facilities
of a vast convention hall and. like
Michigan, Missouri's lack of Republi-
cans with presidential ambitions.
Kansas City's principal advantage.
DR.. Clements will argue, is Missouris
location in the heart of the disaffected
agricultural country. This is held
to be a political advantage the G. o.
F. should not ignore.
Clevelands attractions will be
voiced by Representative Theodore
f. Burton and Maurice Maschke, Re-
publican national committeeman
Lake Erie city's claims rest mainly
on the laurels of the Coolidge rati-
fication meeting of 1924. Since then
Cleveland's great civic auditorium
has been improved by transferring
the speakers platform to the center
of the hall. said to be a unique in
novation in convention hall archi-
lecture. If Cleveland doesn't get the
Republicans, it's confident of captur
ing the Democratic conclave in 1928.
With Speaker Longworth and Sena-
tors Willis and Fess as dark horse
presidential possibilities, an Ohio
city may be disqualified as a Re-
publican convention site.
Until President Coolidge issued his
choose" statement, and when his re-
nomination seemed a foregone con-
clusion, San Francisco was far in the
lead for next years Republican con-
vention. William H. Croker, Re-
publican national committeeman
from California, is in possession of
numerous pledges in the Golden
Gates favor-a fact which may en-
barrass the national committee in its
impending deliberations. With Her
bert Hoover, a big factor in the u.
o. p. race, the Coast State is likely
to lose the convention because OF
leaders fears that the winds blow
ing in from the Pacific might unduly
favor the Secretary Of Commerce
cause.
Boosters Here for Philadelphia.
Philadelphia has taken the field in
Washington with an impressive dele
cation of boosters, headed by former
Senator George Wharton Pepper and
George B. Christian, jr. President
Hardings secretary is now affiliated
with the Wanamaker organization in
Philadelphia He has many personal
friendships in the national committee.
Gov. Fisher of Pennsylvania, Mayor
Kendrick of Philadelphia and some
well known people like z. T. Stotes-
bury, Samuel Vauclain, Mrs. Barclay
Narburton and Mrs. ]. Willis Martin
will plead for Philadelphia. Penn
sylvania, too, is devoid of G. 0. P.
favorite sons and will harp strongly
on that theme. Philadelphians find
that the Ware slush fund affair Is a
handicap they will have to overcome
In the national committee.
Chicago, geographically the ideal
convention city, suffers from two
6irawbacks-lack of a first class con-
vention hall and Mayor William Hale
Thompson. big Bill's" gang and
police power are not considered ap-
propriate accompaniments for great
party conclave. There is the addi-
tional disadvantage that Illinois has
two presidential aspirants Of the first
ra nk-Lowden and Dawes.
Each of the eight contending cities
guarantees to endow the Republican
convention with the $150,000 expense
minimum required. But practically
all are ready to meet any financial de-
mand the national committee might
make above that sum.
fCopyright 1927