Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-13
DEMOCRATS AVOID
ALL CONTROVERSIES
TO ATTAIN UNITY
Leaders Congratulate Selves
on Skirting Disputes
Among Factions.
SELECTION OF SOUTHERN
CITY HEARTENS CHIEFS
Geven and "a. Half Hour Dinner
Halts After Reed Talks, With
Five Unheard.

r>4,a democrats made Their bad Tor
HARMONY AT their JACK son Day "Inhe'
hast uisht. For more than hour
leaders OF various factions talked
.l;rtinc controversial questions and
concentrating their fire on the ke'
nuh,icsns. With all groups OF the
rartv represented. The dinner. haired
ss nosSihle brewer OF trouble. was
.he most harmonious gathering the
psrncrats have experienced since the
IL tai days of 1924.
The variety of advice was unlimited
Hu. the advice was given in terms of
moderate 1t ranged from that OF
Gov. Alfred F.. Smith of New YORK
given in a letter To Chairman Clem
shaver of the Democratic nafionai
COMMITTEES and read at the dinner
declaring that the Democrats must
face the issues of the day and not
"csrrv water on both shoulders. 10
that of Senator Reed of Missouri. who
said that the duty Of the party was
"to arrest corruption" ard that II was
bigger than all the wet questions and
the controversies over the League OF
Nations
Smith Is Absent.
The New York governor was ah-
sent. Sut the mention Of his name by
srea kers brought cheers. His sup
porters sat IN apparent peace with
William Gibbs McAdoo and the dry
and Protestant Democrats. How far
the harmony of last night Is merely
an outward manifestation remains %
be seen. But today Democratic
leaders are congratuiating themselves
upon the success of their experiment.
upon the gathering of all factions
about the banquet board. Gov
Etchie af Maryla nj. believer in local
<ptian. let the cat out of the bag
when he said that he had been warned
tn avoid controversial questions. And
the Spea kers confor1ned to this advice.
The Democrats ate AT least in i1ar-
a9ony, If. as wiz Rogers suggested,
~ihev cannot drink in harmony"
Not = few Of the Democratic leaders
are taking hesrt also from the selsc-
ton Of Houston. Texas. for the Demo
cratic national convention. which is
n open June .s. For the first time
since the Eiris War. the convention
r. 10 he held IN real South. II the
Democrats nominate Gov. Smith Of
Eew York in such an atmosphere.
they feel that il will go far To making
1he governor acceptable 10 a section
ot the country which has been vio-
ienily opposed 10 the New Yorker.
Many Of the Smith supporters are
houing 10 place Southern Democrat
OF the ticket with the governor. and
in this way tie the Southern States
eTe8 more closely TO the national
ticket.
Dinner Lasts Seven Hours.
The Denaocrats are "gluitons for
punishment" in addition To their fight
ing abilities. Their harmony dinner be
gan at : O'Clock lasi night and ended
o. z.S0 o'cgock this morning. seven and
o half hours later. Five speakers still
remained 10 be heard. but by common
consent the meeting rose. 1T rose
after d dramatic plea by the fighting
Senator from Missouri. jim" Reed. for
united front against the Kcpubii-
cans
senstor Reed called upon his fellow
Democrats 10 forget their differences
over The wet aDd dry issue and foreign
r,oiiclee an6 10 throw the rascais
out" and by raseais he meant the Re
p0bilcans.
With speaking program ~ long IN
that ~ last night. the toaetnnaEter.
John ". baVIs. if~ party nominee of
1924. -" ~G difficulties from the start.
Nhen the iaEt speaker. Senator PeeG,
ROSE. already some - the .402 guests
bar Ie!f fhe hai. II var the insist
snce ~ the hund,eda vino ferna med
tbat brought the Ilssourlan'S 3 speecb
%n@E IL dg9. Calls for "KEe3. Reed"
;n'effLptfG the chairman as he sought
- 3Hifr3D"e other speakers, and final
f. representative DiofeId ~ Arksne
sas chairman 81 the Democratic con.
fsekk.CnaI committee. gracefully gave
gas - fnst ifeeG might talk.
casting asiGe nis prepared remaTks.
r. fatnf PenG launched Immediately
into = dena nj far practical common
s%s}s" 3f. tie campaign ~ 1923, In a
TnSasUse il must iDs considered the
~ ss:a'DT = oWn platform fBe 81 n0t an
sfoW"G "a nj daie for tbe presiden'isi !
Ylotn57a iGD. t}f tls friends are putting
him ~ ne r9se every DAY more deep
iY. j3s HrYe6 that ige Democrats fight
this year fUf What aD Democrats rsD
unite Ultny. end snsi 'hey forget the
.et & ~ Gs Y and ofhef isrIes ihst have
TORI ifetD sspnGfr
fanisot Insist on Own Theories.
~ @srry Detuptt8t lns.Ets on hls
0Aa + way IN e3efy b4uR. no Denp"t . I
@i3j gaEr ts{z OHH way ~ anything.
f.efla t,sf I>eed ~ ID ~ everything il
pos tn1n si1e platform ibat has bern
nseglDt Dtned hets tonight We VIII get
HDsegste
"Ns base had fbe vet sn5 dry
aBesllaB f3al Jft spt9 tUe discussion.
Tbe ~ei Deulpffai who }nsikis bDDn
putting 8 Nei piaHE }nto she pa>rl y
,I9tfDfHs VII ajlen8ie 80 per cent -
the pastt anG fnt day " h0 insists