Evening star., 1932-07-01
D. c. DELEGATION
SPLIT IN BALLOTING
Two Ritchie Votes Go to
Roosevelt Because of
Unit Rule.
BY J. A. O'LEARY.
stan Correspondent Of The Star.

6tan correspondent OF Inc StaT.
CHICAGO. July /. - Although the
District Of Columbia delegation is split
over who should be the Democratic
nominee for President. all Of the six
votes went to Gov. Roosevelt Of New
York on the frst three ballots when
Chairman Walsh Of the convention up
held the unit rule requiring the entire
vote TO be cast according to the ma
jority.
The minority group in the delega-
ton, led by Col. Arthur O'Brien, con-
testing the unit rule since the con-
vention began, renewed their parlia-
mentary battle to break it when the
presidential balloting began in the
small hours Of this morning,
Delegation POlIed.
While they lost their fight to have
the rule set side, the minority sue
ceeded in having the delegation polled
twice by challenging the announcement
of the chairman Of the delegation each
time he declared, Six votes, under the
unit rule. for Roosevelt"
0h bhC AAAoN BaAAOt q pun NH@ AAAb
granted, but it was allowed on the
second and third ballots. On the sec
ond ballot the poll showed there we're
two votes in the delegation for Gov.
Ritchie Of Maryland and four for Gov.
Roosevelt. Because Of the unit rule,
however, Ritchie could not be credited
with these two and Roosevelt got them
all
On the third ballot-the last before
adjournment-the District poll showed
four for Roosevelt, one for Ritchie and
one for Baker Again, however, all
were recorded for Roosevelt, the poll
merely enabling the minority members
Of the delegation to declare publicly
their choice.
Shortly after midnight, as the long
period Of nominating speeches which
began at noon yesterday was drawing to
a close. George P. Marshall, one of the
minority in the District delegation, OBJ
tanned the floor and seconded the nomi-
nation of Cow Ritchie.
John y. Colpoys, chairman Of the
Washington group and leader of the
ma iority Roosevelt faction, had arisen
. few moments earlier to second the
nomination Of the New York Governor.
Plea for Representation.
Before a gallery of thousands that
had not yet begun to dwindle, Mr.. Mar
shall seized the opportunity to remind
the Nation again that the half million
residents of washington are not per-
mitted TO vote in national elections.
Shouting into the microphones, Marshall
said
"Perspiring delegates, I'm closing the
show. We haven't got a vote in the
District of Columbia. but there are GER
tain people there with ideas. We OF the
District of Columbia occupy a different
status, and we have to live with the
nominee. second the nomination Of
Albert c. Richie"
Half an hour later, when the nrSt
ballot was being taken, Chairman Col
poyS Of the delegation, responded:
THE District of Columbia casts six
votes under the unit rule for the next
President Of the United States, Gov.
Roosevelt"
Col. O'Brien took the floor and chal-
lenged ColpoyS' announcement, saying
that he was taking issue with the state
ment that the District Is bound by the
unit rule
oBrien contended that the certificate
fled as credentials by the chairman Of
the delegation, recittng the history OF
the primary and the fact that the bal
lot contained question regarding the
unit rule, is not sufficient evidence. He
directed the attention of Chairman
Walsh to decisions made in the 1912 and
1924 conventions to the effect that
convention does not assume RESPONSE
bility for instructions given in a pri-
mary on the ground that such inStruc-
tons are q matter between the delegate
and his constituents. He said he was
asking that we may be permitted to
express our individual votes es repre-
sentatives Of the District of Columbia
and not as mere automatons."
Objection Denied.
walsh replied that he was familiar
with the case on which those prior rul-
ings we're based. that 1t applied only
to a primary held under statutory law,
which was not the case In the District.
He said his conclusion, therefore, was
that OBriens objection was neither
controlling nor persuasive" Marshall,
another Of the minority group, took
the floor, insisting that the chair poll
the District delegation. On this ballot,
however. his request was denied. After
the request had been turned down, Gov.
Alfalfa Bill" Murray Of Oklahoma,
whose delegation was seated nearby.
began discussing the parliamentary sit
uaeiOh WIN MoASAA0AAi SSoAANAAS AA sAAS
aisle.
Chairman Colpoys suggested to Gov
Murray that he go over to Oklahoma
and wen take care of the District Of
Columbia" to which Gov Murray re-
sponded IT wasn't talking to you"
On the second ballot Chairman Col
poys when the District was reached,
announced that the delegation had
been polled showing four members with
one-half a vote each for Gov. Ritehie
and eight with q half a vote each for
Gov Roosevelt But that under the
unit rule, the six votes would be cast
for Roosevelt.
Challenge Again Made.
O'Brien again took the floor to chal-
lenge the poll, asking that the delega-
tion be polled by the clerk On TINS
occasion a new parliamentary tangle
developed over how the alternates from
the District should be selected to vote
for absent delegates Walsh settled this
technicality and then granted the poll.
On the second ballot, the poll resulted
as follows:
For Roosevelt-Colpoys. G. @. CarIn,
Fred s. Schow (voting as an alternate
for A. Mitchell Palmer Walter D.
Denegre, Malcolm S. McConihe, Daniel
c. Roper, James v. Beyend. Robert T
Scott alternate voting for Norman B
Landreau).
For Gov. Ritchie-Col. oBrien
George p. Marshal, George Garrett ano
Mrs. Henry ]. Leonard
Just before the poll was taken, Col
poyS said he had no objection to the
delegation being polled, but resented
having his announcement challenged.
Since the chair had previously upheld
the unit rule, when the poll showed q
majority for Roosevelt the entire vote
was recorded for Roosevelt. s1