Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07
Democrats Look to Primaries to Sort
Out List of Presidential Candidates

example the Senators from the South
ern States. It Is a safe bet that none
of them has any idea that he can or
will win the nomination. Senator
Robinson Of Arkansas, Democratic
leader of the Senate and the party's
vice presidential candidate in 1928. is
an exception. But he is dry, and II
there is one thing on which most all
of the Democrats will agree, If only in
private, 1t is that their nominee next
year is to be a man who favors some
kind Of modification Of the dry laws.
Out Of the 10 possibilities" here set
down, nine are rated opponents Of ma
tional prohibition of various degrees OF
intensity and seven are favorable to
national prohibition The six drys are
all from the South except Gov. White
of Ohio. who seems to be by no means
sure whether national prohibition is the
best thing for the country after all. 1t
is true that he ran as q dry for Gov
ernor in 1880, but he kept religtously
away from the prohibition question in
the campaign, while Senator Buckley.
who ran as a wet, won by far greater
margin than did Gov. White.
Senator Pat Harrison, Gov. Byrd or
Senator Glass, Senator Hull, Senator
Lewis and. several of other. candidates
will be supported by their State delega-
tions until those delegations have de-
cided 1t is time to jump to the winning
candidate. It Is called convention
strategy to send a State delegation so
instructed. If Senator Lewis has the
big Illinois delegation back OF him to
handle somewhat as he sees fit, he be-
comes q power in the convention. These
delegations are helpful, too, when 1t
comes to arranging for the nomination
of a vice presidential candidate. Many
a favorite son candidate for President
has In the back of his head the oppor-
tunity of filling the second place on the
national ticket.
Nominate BY Two-thirds.
The Democratic National Conventions
nominate for President and Vice Presi-
dent by a two-thirds vote. Periodically
there is a movement to change to the
majority plan of nominating, but It
never comes to anything. 1t Is to be
presumed, therefore that the nomina-
ttons will be made in 1882 by two
thirds vote Of the delegates attending
the national convention. The two
thirds rule may at times. and has
brought about serious deadlocks. For
example. such was the case in 1912
when Champ Clark Of Missouri was an
outstanding candidate. but lost to
Woodrow Wilson finally, and in 1924
when William Gibbs McAdoo led the
field for about a hundred ballots only
to lose in the end TO John w. Davis
But in 1923. despite the talk of oppo-
sition to AL Smith. he was nominated
on the first ballot.
The South today. despite its favorite
son candidates. is we'll sold to the
Roosevelt candidacy. and the solid
South has almost a third of all the
delegat es. If Roosevelt can win in a
considerable number Of the primary
States--only one of which is located in
the South-he will have Just so many
more delegates to count on. Unless
present indications are at fault he will
have the big New York delegation be-
hind him, and number of the dele
cations from Western States where no
primaries are held. The primary
States have q total of 476 votes in the
convention. but the non-primary States,
plus the District of Columbia. the Ter
ritories and possessions. have a total of
622 delegates. making a total Of 1,098
delegates unless the number is changed
under the cali sent out by the Demo-
cratic National Committee next Winter.