Evening star., 1932-06-29
DISTRICT UNIT RULE
|. BATTLE CONTINUES
Washington Delegates Again
to Carry Differences
to Floor.
BY J. A. OLEARY.
gtaH Correkpondent Of The Star.

CHICAGO. June 29-The battle in
the District of Columbia delegation over
the unit rule, by which q majority de-
termines how the vote OF the entire
group shall be cast, will be aired on the
floor of the Democratic National Con-
vention again, late today or tomorrow.
Although opponents OF the rule lost
their fight against 1t on several roll calls
yesterday, when the temporary cnalr-
man of the convention, Senator Bark
ley of Kentucky, upheld the contention
of the majority of the delegation,
headed by John B. Colpoys, that the
unit rule Is binding on the group, the
minority declared today they will raise
the question once more on the next bal
lot that Is taken.
walsh Ruling to Be Sought.
Col. Arthur O'Brien, one Of the four
delegates who are seeking to have the
delegation left free to vote as indi-
viduals, explaining he will present the
issue again in order to have the perma-
nent chairman of the convention, Sen
ator Walsh of Montana, pass on 1t.
The District has IL delegates with
half vote each. or a total OF six votes
The sustaining Of the unit rule means
that the entire six votes are recorded
CATION decides on any question on which
the convention takes ballot. The four
dissenting members would have two
votes to cast independently If they
could break the unit rule, but the prob
ability is that the original decision yes
terday upholding the rule will stand
The Districts six votes were cast under
the unit rule with the Roosevelt forces
on the three questions which came be-
fore the convention yeSterday-namely,
the selection Of the permanent chair
man and on the seating Of the delega-
tions from Louisiana and Minnesota,
which had been contested by rival
groups of delegates.
The first test came on the seating Of
the Louisiana delegation, and for 10
minutes the District Of Columbia held
the limelight in the crowded stadium
as the opposing leaders in the Washing
ton group presented their arguments.
Poll Demanded.
When Mr.. Colpoys announced the Dis
trict's six votes in favor of seating the
Louisiana delegation headed by Senator
Huey P. Long, O'Brien challenged the
announcement and asked that the dele
gaticn be polled. Colpoys said later
that poll Of the delegation would have
shown seven delegates for the Long
delegation and five for the contesting
Louisiana group. And since the presid-
ing officer upheld the unit rule as ap-
plying to the District delegation, the
six votes were recorded in unit for the
Long delegation without taking a poll
The same procedure was gone through
and the unit rule upheld on the two
succeeding ballots.
he ~
ColpoyS, leader Of the majority, objected
to the poll asked for by O'Brien and
called for ruling by the chair.
Senator BaTkley stated that he had
before him the record filed by the
chairman OF the District delegation.
showing that primary was held in the
District in May, that the ballots used
in the primary carried a query as to
whether the voters favored placing the
delegation under the unit rule, and that
a large majority voted for the unit rule.
O'Brien asked for five minutes to pre-
sent his argument expressing his be-
lief that all the evidence was not be-
fore the convention. Colpoys inquired
whether O'Brien challenged the accu-
racy of the credentials to which the
presiding officer had called attention
regarding the primary.
Col. O'Brien's Arguments.
Col. OBrien agreed with the state
ment that the question regarding the
unit rule was on the printed ballot in
the primary, but. relying on rulings
made in prior conventions in 1912 and
1924, which are incorporated in the
parliamentary manual for this conven-
tion, he argued that the convention does
not accept responsibility for in
structions imposed on delegation that
is chosen in a primary. He argued that
under the manual, such instructions
may be disregarded as a matter between
the delegate and his constituency. Last
night Col. O'Brin advanced q further
claim that the rules under which ar
rangements were made for the District
primary contained no reference to the
unit rule.
The presiding officer held that the
section OF the manual relied ON by
O'Brien applies only to primaries held
under statutory law. whereas the Dis
trict primary was held under a party
agreement and not under law.
The three other delegates, who left
a caucus Of the District delegation sew
eral days ago with Col. O'Brien. in op-
position to the unit rule, are Mrs. Henry
J. Leonard, George P. Marshall and
George Garrett
Col. O'Brien declared in the conven-
ton yesterday that the opponents of
the unit rule will unhesitatingly return
to the people OF the District and face
them with pride after having protested
against this unit rule Of voting"