Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-26
MISSOURI RETURNS
TO REEDS BANNER
County Democratic ParIeys
Promise Instructed Dele.
cations to Senator.
Special Dispatch 10 The Star.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
KANSAS CITY. Mo-. February IS
When the Democratic State convention
meets at ST. Joseph Tuesday to select
MisSouri's IS delegates to the national
convention in Houston. Senator James
A. Reed, a candidate for the presiden-
tial nomination. will stage one of the
most phenomenal come-backs in the
States political history.
At meetings of Democratic county
conventions the last few days. Reed
was assured of an instructed delegation
from his home State to vote for him
for the presidential nomination as long
as his name was before the national
convention. Virtually every county in
the State instructed its delegates to the
State convention to vote for Reed dele
gates to the Houston convention. Ir
Greene and Jasper Counties. former
strorcholds Of Reeds opposition, fights
developed against a Reed Endorsement
but less than half a dozen of the ia
county conventions failed to make an
affirmative Endorsement.
Endorsed in Country.
The Reed Endorsements came from
rural Democratic counties. where few
years ago the Senator had his bitter
est opposition in his own party organ
Ration Virtually all Of these counties
in 1920 voted against Reed as a dele
gate to the San Francisco convention.
end kept him out. Four years ago
these same counties sent delegates to
the State convention which refused to
tndorse Reed as Missouri's 'favorite
So+ he al
nomination
This bitterness growing out of Reeds
opposition to the League of Nations and
President Wilson's policies. apparently
has subsidized in the rural strongholds
Of MiSSouri's Democracy. After seeing
the State 60 Republican in two ma
tional elections the Democrats have be-
come convinced they can get no where
fighting the Senator. State pride in
having a candidate for President. and
q desire TO return Missouri to the DEM
ccratic ranks next November. are two
Important factors causing the big
change of sentiment toward Reed.
Mrs. Blair Is Foe.
The opposition to Reeds Endorsement
n Jasper County was led by Mrs Emily
Newell Blair. national committeewoman
from Missouri and vice chairman of
the Democratic national committee.
Mrs. Blair is slated for retirement from
Democratic national politics. after
serving two terms, Reed leaders charged
that she actively opposed the Senator
when a member of the national COM
mittee. Mrs. Blair is still fighting the
Senator. but most of her former follow
ing has gone over to the Senator's side
In the present fight for an instructed
delegation to the national convention
Who will succeed Mrs. Blair is in
doubt. The Reed leaders. who will con-
troll the State convention, have slated
Mrs. G. 3. Faris of St. Louis. wife of
the FEDERAL Judge there. for the place.
Many OF the county conventions in
dcrsod other woman candidates. II is
possible that the slate will be broken
on national committeewoman. but prob
ably not on the eight delegates-at-
large, who are to have one-half a vote
eaen.
The delegates-at-large have been Sc
hcted from among persons who have
es7ouSed the Reed cause in former cam
p2iTns and who are expected to vote
fcr him at Houston as long as he is be-
fore the convention as a presidential
candidate. The delegates from the Is
congressional districts are being slated
also with that In view The former
enti-Reed leaders have agreed TO this
arrangement. For the most part his
2c-r1er enemies have stepped aside anc
announced that Reed may run the en-
Tire Democratic show In Missouri from
now until the Houston convention.
T. c. AFFORD.