Evening star., 1928-06-04
National Committee Gathers
at Kansas City to Decide
Delegate Contests.
rs SEATS ARE INVOLVED
IN FRACTIONAL BATTLES
Hoover Supporters Claiming Vic
tory-Hughes Shift Is
Rumored.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
STAFF CORRESPONDENT of The Star.

gle for supremacy In the Republican
national convention got under way here
today. The first round, the contest over
delegates from Southern States and
Porto Rico and the District Of Columbia,
involving rs delegate seats, began be-
fore the Republican national committee.
Many Of the delegates against whom
contests have been fled are supporting
Herbert Hoover. In the main the con-
testants are of the "uninstructed" type,
some of them supposed to be for Low
den or Dawes or Curtis. While the
actual machinery went into operation at
the Shrine temple, the air was full OF
rumors regarding candidates and their
chances. The Hoover supporters are
here In force, claiming that their candi-
date will be nominated within the FIRST
three ballots.
The name of President Coolidge, how
ever, is put forward by Charles D. Hilles
of New York, vice chairman OF the Re-
publican national committee. Mr.; HlIles
has been the chief leader in the en-
deavor to hold the line against Secrer
tary Hoover in the important New YORK
delegation. Unless fat word comes from
washington that the President will not
run, the effort will be made TO NOM
mate him, or at least to bring his name
into the convention balloting.
Hughes Shift Rumored.
Among Missouri Republicans, there Is
talk of a shift to Charles Evans Hughes,
former Secretary Of State, for the presi-
Dental nomination. But the talk has
not spread as yet.
How much the persistent Coolidge
moyement-it bobS up continuously In
the "buzzings" Of the party managers
lief that there is q chance Of getting
the President to run. and what part
OF It is brazen submarine politics de-
signed to keep the sc-called draft"
delegates locked up away from Hoover,
is matter Of opinion.
But Il is perfectly apparent now that
unless Coolidge says something with q
final tone to it. there viii be, II not q
real effort to nominate him, At
least an attempt to use his name In
maneuVering for deadlock. II IS also
obvious that few words from the
White House would blow the situation
wide open in second with the very
probable result Of Hoover nomination
in q rush
So great Is the interest shown by
arriving party chieftains in the Corn
Belt protest and the proportions 1t may
assume, leaders" have their ears tuned
to catch the White House as well as
the Corn Belt revolt. Those clinging
to the draft" occupy nervous posi-
ton, one apt to blow up on them with
out warning. but they intend 70 play
it to the end.
Hilles' Stand AnalyEed.
AS to where MFR. Hilles would go, in
event President Coolidge spiked an
effort to bring his name into the pro-
cecdings here as the Hoover forces
confidently believe he viii. either by
public or private word, there has been
no revealing. But. unlike Secretary
Mellon. who has indicated his willing
ness TO go 10 Secretary Hoover. and
Chairman William NJ. Butler. who. IN
view of the primary vote for Hoover II
Massachusetts. will start OF voting Tor
him, HilleS Is ticketed anti-Hoover u
the end. He never has said So-only that
he preferred Coolidge ana that the New
York delegation should remain uneor1-
mitted until 1t reached Kansas City.
But he Is figured in every anr-Hoover
calculation.
From East, from West. from North.
from South. the Republican party COM
mitteemen and eommitteewonien poured
into Kansas City last night, One and
all are expecting great convention.
q fighting convention. even though the
prevailing sentiment. as they milled
the situation over with their party col
leagues on arrival. was that Hoover
would be difficult to stop, despite the
renewed drive for Coolidge nom East
ern quarters and the rumble and roar
from the corn belt over the McNary-
Haugen farm bill veto.
Delegate Contest
Edward r. Colladay, Republican ma
ticnal committeeman for the District
of Columbia, EXPRESSED confidence to-
day that the two delegates nom the
District. T. Lincoln Townsend and DR..
John r. Hawkins. would be seated in
the convention.
Notice of contest against them has
been given by Aaron Bradshaw and
Aaron r. Prioleau, but there was doubt
today rs the committee assembled that
tt would consider the contest. The GER
tificates OF election Of the conteSting
delegates. It was said had not been
properly Med within the period specinea
by the national committee The expee-
tation Is, In any event, that the Celia
day delegates win be seated
The contests before the committee
involve also the whole Florida delega-
ton. . seats, 3 delegates fTpns the
first, Attn and seventh districts OF
Georgia. } delegates from the first dis
trict of Kentucky, ls deleGateS from
louisiana. the whole delegation; u
delegates from Mississippi. the entire
delegates nc large trVna
South Carolina. 3 delegates from Ten
nesSee. IS delegates from Texas. the
entire gaeleeAlion, and 2 deiegataS frNFn
Porto Rico.
The Florida contest brought 10 the
the strife between the
George Bean and anti-Rean factions.
Mr. nean IL the Republican national
nom the state, Former
Senator Sherman uf Illinois, now Q yeS-
ident at Floridx, h NSAing the delega.
ton against Mr. AeAn. The antl.Hean
delegates are instructed for Hoover,