Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-01-12
DEMOCRATS ARE
SIGNS
OF DISHARMONY

WASHINGTON, Jan. II (P1--A sharp
refining of the list of possible cities
fer the 1923 democratic convention was
indicated today by powers that be in
the party on the eve of the national
meeting and Jackson day dinner to-
morrow.
Some semblance of disagreement on
rarty affairs was found where the
committeeman and others gathered in
private conferences. While no mem
Der would speak for publication it was
said that move would be initiated
for change in the present system by
which the chairman of the committee
is chosen only once every four years
This followed reports that Clem L.
Shaver Of West Virginia the present
chairman, was contemplating his resig-
nation, which he denied flatly. In the
gossip going the rounds of the hotel
corridors where the party chieftains
congregated was a report also that
some committeeman had contemplated
a move to oust Shaver, but had aban-
doned it in the interests of party
harmony
Whereas in the past the chairman
has been personally selected by the
party nominee for president, the new
plan would call for his election by the
national committee with the provision
that his term would expire on January
| of the national election year. It was
pointed out that the present commit
tee meets tomorrow for the first time
since 1924 and committeeman said that
the only activity of the guiding officers
had been in inquiring of the members
whether they favored abandonment of
the tWo-thirds and unit rules governing
the national conventions.
Leading contenders among the cities
for the June convention nows appear
to be Detroit and San Francisco, with
Chicago and Cleveland also receiving
serious consideration. Bids will be
submitted to the committee tomorrow
by the first three and it was said to-
night that Cleveland stood ready to
advance any reasonable" amount to
obtain the convention,
George F. Mara, of New York, who
is to be financial adviser to the COM
mittee in making the selection, said
that "the democratic convention is not
for sale" He added that the con-
TROLLING factor in selection would be
the facilities for handling the gather
ing, both in hotels and tho hall
"It seems to be the impression that
the democratic party is broke and has
to accept the highest bid" he con-
tinued, "but we are now in the same
position as the republican party was
in selecting it's convention city"
1t was said at national headquarters
that early invitations to the Jackson
day dinner seemed to ha valued light
ly, but later indications of a significant
meeting had increased the demand
especially from senate and house
sources. This was taken as an indica-
ton of the belief that the outcome Of
the present conference would serve as
a barometer as to what might be ex-
pected at the June convention.
While some talk was heard here and
! there about Reed, of Missouri; George
of Georgia; Pomerene of Ohio; Ritchie
of Maryland Walsh of Montana;
Woollen of Indiana; and Robson of
Arkansas, the. dominant figure in most
of the conversation was Smith, of New
York. Many of the committeeman, in
cluding Guffey, of Pennsylvania;
Christensen of Washington; Brennan
of illinois, and Mack Of New York,
predicted Smiths nomination early IN
the balloting.