Evening star., 1932-06-30
MILITANT AND BRIEF PLATFORM GIVEN CONVENTION :
DELEGATES ALL IN"
AS SESSION ENDS
Rush to Bed, Too Tired and
Sleepy to Make Fuss Over
Days Events.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, June 30.-After working
its cumbersome unwieldly way to a
smashing climax vote for repeal of
constitutional prohibition, the Demo-
cratic National Convention needed a
rest, badly.
For several hours yesterday 1t fiddled
along with an impromptu vaudeville
performance while it waited for the
Platform Committee to report.
Giving up finally. it went to dinner
and came back before dark to stage
a repeal demonstration hear a thunder
Of oratory, see three of its presidential
c. --didates do their stuff on the speak
er's stand. 1t stamped its startlingly
hearty approval on an extreme wet
plank. And it was too tired, sticky and
sleepy to make any fuss at all at the
end. 1t just gave one shout and headed
for bed before it could be formally
adjourned to meet again at noon.
Issue Never in Doubt.
For one thing, the issue was never in
serious doubt. From the time its dig
nified Platform Committee chairman.
former Senator Gilbert Hitchcock of
Nebraska, dropped that first eight-word
repeal declaration of the revised plank
into waiting ears. anybody with half
an eye could see what was coming.
The convention got right up and in
dorsed the declaration there and then.
With the exception of a few Southern
or Western States, manv of which later
voted heavily for the plank, everybody
got into the parade.
A few stunts we're contributed, like
the Michigander who tried to parade
full growler and succeeded in stopping
it over delegates from the Philippines
and the Virgin Islands during the
junbling tramp around the hall to the
organ strains of How Dry I Am"
When the fuss was over, the oratory
was turned on in three and half
hours of prohibition debate, despite 4
loud chorus OF protesting noes" from
the floor.
Whole Works for Smith.
There were many speakers. but for
former Gov. AL Smith OF New York.
hailed as leader Of the fight so soon to
be won. the whole works was turned
on. There could be no doubt Of the
place the 1928 presidential candidate
holds in the estimation of a very con-
| siderable number OF delegates or IN
the hearts of the Chicago-fllled gal
| leries.
Yet when the 2rnith parade Of State
standards started. only the States COM
mitted to his candidacy joined in. Just
so, when the Distinguished looking
Maryland Governor. Albert C. Ritchie.
| took up the argument for repeal and
his Maryland block started Ritchie-
for-President show, only the Maryland
| standard paraded. The New Yorkers,
| including Smith, stood up respectfully,
| but the front row Massachusetts, block
of Smith support did not even do that.
They sat still All Of which may prove
significant before this long and much
split-up convention day ends, possibly
with presidential nominee named
The other presidential aspirant to
take the platform was Gov. alfalfa
Bill" Murray of Oklahoma, talking for
| his minority report on soldier bonus
| payments and other matters. The
convention accorded him respectful
hearing. but was too tired to enthuse.
/ And by common consent everything
else was deferred in favor Of bit Of
sleep.