Evening star., 1932-06-27
ON UNIT RULE
IN D. c. DELEGATION
Col. O'Brien Leaves Meeting.
Representation Plank
Is Endorsed.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY,
Staff Correspondent OF The Star.

CHICAGO, June 27.-A parliamentary
battle on the floor of the Democratic
National Convention over the applica-
ton of the unit rule of voting in the
District of Columbia delegation is loom
ing, as a result of the split which de-
veloped within the local group at a
caucus yesterday afternoon.
The District delegation stood today
divided into two factions, and the issue
between them probably will come to a
head when the first important question
is voted on in the convention. This is
likely to be the election of permanent
chairman of the convention, scheduled
for tomorrow.
A majority of the delegation, headed
by John B. Colpoys, reaff1rmed its ad-
herence to the unit rule yesterday but
four members, led by Col Arthur
OrBrien, walked out of the meeting, de-
clining to participate in the action
taken, and declaring their intention of
carrying their fight to the floor Of the
convention.
Representation Favored.
The resolutions adopted by a ma
jority of the delegation yesterday also
favored q plank in the party platform
in support of representation for
the people of the District in both
branches of Congress. Although the
dissenting members of the delegation
left the meeting before any of the reso-
lutions were adopted, they were not
opposed to the Endorsement of repre-
sentation for the District. Col. O'Brien
took part several days ago in presenting
the plea for national representation to
! the Resolutions Committee. Their pur-
! pose in walking out of She meeting be-
fore action was taken was to leave
! themselves free to question the unit
rule in the convention.
The majority group contend that the
Democratic primary held in Washing
| ton in May resulted in the delegation
being bound to the unit rule on all
/ questions coming before the convention,
| and pledged to Gov. Franklin D. Roose-
| Velt for the presidential nomination
| until majority of the delegation
should decide otherwise. They contend
| that even If a majority of the delega-
| ton should decide otherwise on that
| question, the decision would still carry
the unit rule.
Declared Not Binding.
Col. O'Brien contends that there was
not binding unit rule pledge on the
delegation, and he announced last
night his intention of challenging the
/ A4ASS CAAOAL III tIlG EOllktllIlOIl " Cdob bIAC
DISTRICTS SIX votes as a unit The
I other three who left the meeting and
who are standing with Col. O'Brien in
| the controversy are Mrs. Henry j.
Leonard, George Garrett and George
P. Marshall. The District has IL dele
gates, each representing half a vote.
These four, therefore, would have two
OF the Districts six votes if their con-
tention against the unit rule is sus-
tained on the floor. If they are over
ruled, the six votes will be cast under
| the unit rule.
Col. OrBrien and his supporters did
not indicate who they would support
/ for the presidential nomination. but
they all said they would support Jouett
ShouSe for permanent chairman Of the
! convention.
The delegates met in executive ses-
sion at 2:30 o'clock yesterday after
noon, and, after an hour of spirited
| discussion between the opposing fac
tions, Col. O'Brien and his group walk
ed out
Col. O'Brien claimed that efforts were
being made to dictate to the District
delegation by Roosevelt supporters.
CoIpOys Elected Chairman.
John B. Colpoys was elected chair
man of the delegation and Norman
Landreau secretary. The resolution
which was presented at the meeting was
! in three sections. The first clause was:
That we favor a plank in the plat
form giving the residents of the Dis
trict of Columbia the right to be rep
resented in beth houses Of Congress by
elected representatives"
The second section declared that
We shall conform to the instructions
given us by the Democratic voters at
the primary election held on Wednes
day, May Is, 1882, to cast our six votes
as a unit on all questions coming be-
fore the convention"
The third section provided for the
following assignments to the commit
tees of the convention: For honorary
vice president OF the convention, Mrs.
| Arthur O'Brien; honorary vice secre-
tary, John F. Costello; assistant vice
president, George P. Marshall; assist
ant vice secretary, James " Boyer;
Committee to Notify the Presidential
Nominee, Mrs. Henry j. Leonard; Com
mittee to Notify the Vice Presidential
Nominee. George Garrett; Resolutions
Committee, former Attorney General
| A Mitchell Palmer: Credentials Com
mittee, Norman B. Landreau; Perma
nent Organization Committee, c. c.
Carlin, former Representative in Con-
gress from Virginia, and Committee on
Rules, Daniel G. Roper.
Col. OyBrien and the three others left
| after the suggestion was made that the
delegation was bound to the unit rule