Evening star., 1939-07-16
Dickinson CHARGES
Of Farley High Life
Draw Scorn, Ridicu|e
La Guordio, Vanderbilt,
Cochran FIotIy Deny
Excessive Drinking
Hy the Associated Press.

Ry the Associated Press.
LANSING, Mich. July 15.-Quick
denials followed charges today by
Luren D. Dickinson. Michigan's 30
year-old Governor, that young girls
were endangered by what he called
high life" and liquor drinking at
social affairs of the recent Cover
nors' Conference in New York.
The Governor, a Republican and
for many years an Anti-Saloon
League official, related in formal
statement that at parties In Albany
and Saratoga Springs, he saw
women drinking on every hand
and an unlimited flow Of liquors
He speculated on possibility that
underworld characters might have
been present.
Gov. Herbert H. Lehman, New
York's Democratic host to the con-
ference, issued only terse mo
comment"
But from James F. Ronin, presi-
dent of the Albany Chamber of
Commerce, came denial that there
was "any excessive drinking" at
conference dinners in Albany or
Saratoga, and a statement that "in
fact, the conditions were just the
reverse" He added:
There were no gate-crashers at
the Albany dinner as Gov. Dickin-
son seems to infer. The guests all
seemed to enjoy themselves. The
only people Gov Dickinson could
have come in contact with were
those at the official party"
Dickinson Dull, Says Cochran.
From one of the Governors pres
ent, R. L. Cochran Of Nebraska, came
the comment that he never felt his
16-year-old son and 14-year-old
daughter were in danger of evil
influences" at the conference.
Nobody saw what Dickinson says
he saw" Gov. Cochran said at Lin
coin, Nebr. There weren't any wild
parties. The only dull part of the
New York City banquet was when
Gov. Dickinson took half an hour to
tell how old he was and how to keep
young"
New York City's peppery Mayor
Fiorello La Guardia described Gov.
Dickinson as IAN undertaken Gov
ernor" because he ascended to offce
through the death of his predecessor
and said nobody pays any attention
to him in his own State and surely
I'm not going to pay any attention
to the old fellow"
Michigan Bid for Conference.
Gov. William H. Vanderbilt of
Rhode Island, speaking of the Sara
toga' banquet, which he and Mrs.
Vanderbilt attended, said ut was a
very orderly, pleasant and well-be-
haved dinner party. It was a plea
sure to attend. I saw none of the
things which Gov. Dickinson is said
to have described"
Michigan has invited the 1910
Governors Conference to Mackinac
Island. The decision rests with an
Executive Committe.
The social high light of the con-
ference was a dinner June 20 at the
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York
given by the New York State Cham
Der of Commerce and the Merchants
Association of New York. The seat
ing list placed Gov. Dickinson be-
tween Gov. Payne Rather Of Kansas
and Gov. Lloyd c. Stark of Missouri.
The hotel management said
sherry and cocktails were served
prior to the dinner, but there were
no wines with the food courses.
Setting for Libertine.
Gov. Dickinson's statement, which
he termed one Of his weekly ser
mons" to constituents, said that "in
this gathering (the Governors Con-
ference) in the main were high
class citizens, but none can eliminate
or keep out all the leeches when
swarms from outside were trying to
climb in. 'Tis so at all high life func-
lions. We cannot expect Albany
and New York to be exceptions"
Describing "liquor supplies, tables
and adjacent rooms for retreat" at
an Alogny affair, the Governor said,
What setting for libertine." He
referred to an atmosphere he said
makes these young girls at such
functions the prey of social brutes. u
In Gov. Dickinson's personal party
were his granddaughter, Della Pat
terson, who is school teacher, and
his personal secretary, Miss Mar
garet Shaw. His statement said:
Thank God our girls came home
unsullied, and never will know how
near the brink they were."