Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-26
Opening Meet
ing Lasts 80
Minutes.
KEY ADDRESS
DUE TONIGHT
SOutherners Prac-
tically Concede
Defeat.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
HOUSTON. June 26.-A Democrauc
national convention whose major de-
cisions were all but made before II ever
conven I'd began here today In an open
ing session so brief that 1t was over
before the delegates got settled In their
seats.
Leaving the keynote speech, the
usual magnet of opening-day interest
for an evening session, the conven-
ton merely went through the motions
OF getting itself legally afoot ana tnen'
after a session of one minute less than
a half hour, recessed at l2:A pm
until 1880 pm.
The only convention hall thrill was
moi. a part of the session itself. IL was
a short demonstration for AL smith
put on irnpromptu by Democrats from
Herbert Hoover's home State OF CAN
fornia. The solid Smith California dele
CATION raised big picture OF their man
nigh above their place in the conven-
ton floor, and cheer went up 10 ths
rafters from the legion OF lnen-sulteo
Smith men on the sweltering conVeh-
ton floor and their summery-clad won-
an companions and Smith deiesationS'
Greeted by Noes"
Shouts of mo" came from all over
the great hall as the chairman an
nounced with the parliamentary rapid
ity OF a machine gun that the organ
ization sponsored motion for q recess
had carried. Now that they were at IT
after many days Of travel southwark
and hotel room waiting, the delegates
seemed to like It and wanted to go on
with 1t, heat or no heat.
A newly appointed platform commit
tee will wTestIe forward during the next
"a hours in the hope Of getting fin-
isl1ed product. including a prohibition
plank that may avoid q floor fight
ready by tomorrow or tomorrow night.
the convention oficials forgot
to 90 through the motions Of formally
giving convention approval to the new
committee. its members already nave
been designated by the various State
delegations and they are ready to go 10
work informally.
business OF the evening session Voting
for a presidential candidate probably
will not begin before Thursday or Fri
day.
But few of the delegates had their
minds on the present phases OF the big
Democratic pow-wow. They were occu-
pied instead. as they had been for days
past, with candidates and issues--paf-
ticulariy one candidate. the Governor
OF New York, and one issue, prohioi-
ton.
Southerners About Convinced.
Even those protesting Southern States
who have stood against Smith from the
first appeared about convinced as the
delegations came together that 1t was
all over, An unexpected boost had
been given the Smith boom just as the
was assembling when George
r. Van Nance, the Smith manager.
reversed his former predictions and
announced the likelihood OF q first bal
lot nomination. Several of the faVorite
sons States had decided to stay away
from the Smith column on this initial
roll call ON the assurance that the
Smith leaders would not permit nomi-
nation until they could get under the
wire Today's announcement left THESE
delegations thinking seriously.
The troublesome prohibition issue,
which has been interviewer with SmitnS
candidacy, was To be tackled later In
the day by the new platform commit
tee and many OH both sides OF the
fence were hopeful that spirit OF
conciliation would keep that, too. from
bringing OH serious battle.
AS the convention came together
Sam Houston Hall lay simmering under
merciless south Texas sun, like
great square platter of humanity. "A
w-arched roof lidded 1t, but there was
some consolation and comfort In tne
fact that the lid did not ut down tight
ly. Between the upper edges OF the
scoopedup sides OF the platter and the
roof edge a 15-foot open space ran all
around the hall. permitting circulation
of air that was at least fresh and un-
confined. even IL 1t could not by any
stretch of the imagination be said TO
be cooling.
Spectators Line Sides.
The scooped-up sides which sloped
from the convention hall on east and
north and south we're lined with spec
tators' seats. like the bleachers OF base
ball park But most Of the 10000 seats
we're on dead ground level In vast
square In he center Of the platter. The
alternates and many hundreds OF spec
tators likewise were ON this lower level
mere were Itu ktiIEItecs
The west side OF the square was the
convention platform, arranged In the
now familiar style, with long rows of
seats for important pers0nagcs and a
small speakers stand projecting like q
tiny pier IN sea Of humanity. exactly
from the center OF the platform proper
In place at the front OF the pier was
the silver-plated microphone stand. the
only one OF Its kind In the world, used
first at the Republican convention at
Kansas City two weeks ago.
State flags draped along under the
rafters OF the central section OF the
hall above the delegates provided a
pleasing variation from the usual stiff
manner OF convention hall interior
decorating But the real centerpiece
Of the many thousands OF yards of vari-
colored flags and bunting waa 30-toot
reproduction of the great seal OF the
United States. placed amid cluster of
American flags, to form a background
for the convention platform itself.
One other feature distinguished the
newly 5uilt hall. with It's wooden
benches. beams and rafters still pieas-
antly scented with the odof of the Mis-.
sissippi pine woods. Along under the
roof. In two rows down from the sides
Of the delegate sections. the architect
had placed 10 special platforms for
photographers. They were perohed like
crows nests high atop double row OF
lender supporting columns and had a
look strangely Ike Raitleship fiehting
n .y'gneE ts9