U. S. PRESIDENCY

Evening Star, Issue 18668, 24 June 1924, Page 7

U. S. PRESIDENCY

CHOOSING A CANDIDATE. DEMOCRATS AT LOGGERHEADS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, NEW YORK, Juno 22. (Received June 24, at 10.45 a.m.) The Democratic Convention opens tomorrow. The alignment of forces has already clearly indicated that the Smith proponents have enlisted all factions designed to defeat Mr M'Adoo. 'The test of strength appears to centre <lll the anti-Ku Klnx Klan plank. Mr Smith, being a Roman Catholic, and thus unlikely to obtain the Democratic nomination, is striving to secure the unmistakable repudiation of the Klan, being especially supported by Mr Underwood in that crystallisation of rmti-M'Adoo sentiment which is also due to Jiis connections with the oil scandals. Mr M'Adoo, in order to secure an adequate majority of delegates, is endeavoring to get his platform tilled with innocuous pronouncements on every so-called Personal Eiborlv issue*.

The Presidential aspirants aro meanwhile increasing. Senator Robinson, ex-Senator Ponicrcne, Governor Ritchie (of Maryland), Governor Davis (of Kansas), Mr Baker (ex-Secrctary of War), Mr Houston (cx-Socretary of Agriculture). Governor Bryan (of Nebraska), and his brother William J. Bryan, who has been an aspirant since 1356, have entered (he race. Ihe last named (“ the, silver-tongued orator ”1 is advancing a plank asking for a popular referendum, if possible, before a declaration of war.

Senator Grass advocates as A plank that the United States shall join the League of Nations, but the various leaders do not favor the rehabilitation of the mainspring of the 1920 debacle. It was this which revived the rumor of the so-called “ Wilson’s political will,” which is without foundation.

Various groups, seeking the inclusion of special planks in the platform, have hit Cleveland for View York to present the same pleas to the Democratic Committee on Resolutions.

The women delegates and alternates approximate 400, many delegate.s having only half a rote in order to seat, a larger number of ladies. The lenders declare that the women have. ]>erfeetly synchronised with the party organisation, and are supporting no special proposals, although many women’s organisations will appear independently before the Resolutions (.0111rnittee. —A. TCJid N.Z. Cable.