Evening star., 1936-05-08
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

BY J. A. OLEARY.
Failing to close the breach in their
ranks. District Republicans last night
elected two delegates to the party's
national convention and laid the
groundwork for spirited contest at
Cleveland to determine which group
will be recognized.
One delegation will be headed by
National Committeeman Edward F
Colladay, whose supporters conducted
a separate convention, renominated
him for that Office, again selected Mrs
Virginia White Speel for national COM
mitteewoman and named slate OF
delegates and alternates to the con-
vention.
The other delegation will be headed
by former District Attorney Leo A.
Rover, who was nominated by the
other group for national committee
man. Mrs. Speel was nominated for
national committee woman by both
groups. but she attended the conven-
ton of the Colladay forces. Delegates
and alternates to the national con-
vention were elected as follows:
BY the Rover group: Delegates,
Joshua Evans, jr; Miss Pearl Mccall
and DR.. C. Herbert Marshall, colored;
alternates, Paul Short. Mrs. Edmund
H. Parry, jr, and West A. Hamilton,
colored.-
By the Colladay supporters: Dele
gates, James c. Wilkes, Miss Mildred
Reeves and Francis Wells. colored !;
alternates. Charles H. Galliher. Mrs.
Cooper Rhodes and J. Franklin VIII
son, colored.
Support Given Landon.
The Colladay organization will go
to Cleveland virtually instructed for
Gov. ALI M. Landon of Kansas. The
other contingent will go to the conven-
ton uninstructed.
The balloting came near the end Of
4 hours of feverish activity at the
headquarters of the National Repub-
lican Club, Sixteenth street and Rhode
Island avenue, during which the fac
tions first caucussed separately, met
together for brief time to launch
the local convention and then parted
once more when the Colladay sup
porters left, after again reviewing the
legal grounds on which they have
challenged the validity of the pro-
ceedings of the State Committee.
Each side now contends that its
represents the duly con-
st!tuted State COMMITTEES for the Dis
trict, and that the slate each elected
last night will be the legal delegation
to the national convention. In Cleve-
land a Credentials Committee made
up of one member from each State
and territory will have to review the
claims and counterclaims of the two
groups and decide which shall sit
in the convention.
Colladay said:
1T is the biggest attempted steal
since 1916, when three contesting dele
cations were thrown out at Chicago,
and as result of that disgraceful
occurrence, the business and profess
sional men of the city formed the
State Committee for the
District of Columbia"
Rover countered by describing last
minute steps that were taken during
the day to reach a compromise.
According to Rover, his group yes
terday afternoon expressed willing
ness to compromise on Samuel j.
Prescott. former chairman of the
State Committee, for national COM
in which event Evans
would have given way as delegate in
favor of Colladay. This, he said,
was turned down.
Rover also said he was willing to
step down in favor of any neutral
man for national committeeman. Last
night, according to Rover, the Cola
day group informed him it would be
satisfied with national committeeman,
in which case Evans would have been
a delegate. Rover submitted this pro-
posal to his supporters, meeting down.
stairs in the club house, but 1t was
rejected. This group sent William p.
jr.. to resubmit the pro-
posal that Colladay be a delegate but
not national committeeman. This
was turned down.
Rover said, after the proceedings
we're over. that he told the convention
that "at any time think my resigna.
ton as national committeeman-des-
lgnate would bring harmony to the
party I would cheerfully step down."
Behind Closed Doors"
After the foregoing negotiations
had failed the Colladay group came
down from its separate caucus room
On the second floor and Joined the
others for the purpose Of launching
the convention and restating its legal
objections to the proceedings. The
meeting began in executive session.
with Colladay declaring it was the
first Republican convention he had
ever attended behind closed doors"
The unseating of Francis Wells q
week ago as a precinct delegate to
he local convention on the ground
hat he does not reside in the precinct
rom which chosen, is one Of the
foundations on which the Colladay
'orces base their claim that the pro-
,eedings Of the other group are Illegal.
5olladay said that before his group