DEMOCRATS ROAR AS CONVENTION NAMES AL SMITH New York Governor Made the Party’s Standard Bear- er—Robinson His Teammate. President— ALFRED E. SMITH New York Vice President— JOSEPH T. ROBINSON Arkansas By EDWARD W. PICKARD Sam Houston Hall, Houston, Texas. With Alfred E. Smith of New York as standard bearer, and Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas in second place on the ticket and a reasonable amount of harmony within its ranks, the unter rified Democratic party is all set to give the Hoover-led Republicans a hot battle that will last until the polls close In the Nevember election. In this huge convention hall a wild cheering throng of delegate: their Presidential nominee ballot, and then um reigned. from their places, Smith appeared on the delegations begun march through the aisles, alternates and the thousands of tators stood up yelling at the tops of their voices and the bands, playing— one guess what—were drowned out by the shouting and singing multitude Hysterical women threw their arms around one another or around the men nearest to them and wept for joy. Mrs. Al Smith and Mrs. Walker, wife of Mayor Jimmy Walker of New York, sitting together in a box, made no attempt to restrumin their (riumphant delight, It was an emotional demonstration that needed no artificial coaching acd pushing, and lasted a long, long time. The cockles of th: bearts of every Democrat there were warmed and when order was restored every one of them resumed his seat glowing with serene confidence that the con- vetnion had picked the man who would be inaugurated President of the United Stutes on March 4, 1929, Platform Built for Harmony. The harmony above was brought about by ‘he smart the commMtee on resolutions, always important a national convention. It this committee had, was arrayed and aj ov, its iy Al first on every hand their while reasonable work of body in was no for the against the most easy task dry wet East, detepinined to have its own way the enforcement plank to be inserted in the platform. The formulation of this re ion required tact and for though Smith forces knew they d nominate their man, they afford to ali the bone of the South and West. Farm organization leaders corn failed to the in they wanted, tention of the and though Soutl ith the parently each was about infinite =e] 11 patience, the coul could neans enate states from the obtain from Kansas City what demanded the committee, purty nat- belt, who Republicans also at- resolutions i Democratic urally could afford to put Itself on record in favor of the equaliza- tion fee in the MeNary-Haugen bill, pledges of aid to the farmers were made which. it was hoped, would cap ture many rural votes that would to the Republican ticket. Planning make “corruption” the dominant issue of the cumpaign, the platform bullders constructed a plank attacked the record of Republican administrations of Harding and Coolidge, re viewed at length the oil lease scan dals and other instances of alleged misbehavior in office, and pledged the Democratic party to give the nation a clean and honest government, Cam paign contributions and expenditures also c in for lively comment The platform roundly assaiied Republican administration's policy, especially as to in other American republics, Fordoey-McCumber tariff law, effect, was denounced as and tending to foster the growth of monopolies, but no sweeping down ward revision of tariff rates was oro posed. The Mellon taxation program was attacked as not based upon the fundamental principle of ability to pay. Altogether, the platform was vigor ous, snappy and notably short, Couldn't Stop Smith, Opponents of Al Smith, both those who wanted the nomination for them: selves and those who just didn't want Smith, had less chance to stop the idol of New York than the “allies” at Kansas City had of stopping Her bert Hoover, In the first place, they were not nearly So DUIMErous as were the allies; and in the second place, there was no such outstanding oppo- sition possibility as was Senator Cur. tis among the Republicans, Senator Jim Reed of Missouri made such play sfor the honor as he could, insisting to the inst that he could at least stop My even if he could not himself se cure the nomination. But as he was credited with being as wet as Smith the dry southerners could scarcely be eypected to stand by him jn large numbers, Reed's headquaters were busy pinces and his boosters, many of whom were women, kept on dis. tributing documents and oral argu- the not go fo that vigorously the Presidents ame the foreign intervention The now in inequitable i i i convention Jim found op- to make of the flery for which he is fumed, as- suiling the Republican administration record and demanding a platform free from evasion and indirection. Evans Woollen of Indiana, Jesse Jones of Texas, and other favorite sons, received the complimentary votes of their state delegations, but nearly all the delegutes were ready Jump into the Smith band wagon when the appointed time came, and jump they did with the utmost en- thusiasm, Opening the Convention. Conforming to the official call, the convention was called to order by Na- tional Chairman Clem Shaver at noon on Tuesday, and the preliminaries, including the naming of the mit- tees, were gone through with, Then, in accordanc e with the decision of the national adjournment was taken until 7 o'clock in the evening, when Claude GQ. Bowers of New York temporary chairman, delivered the keynote address. This change of hours wns partly to avoid the more 80 ments, the proceedings portunity And early In Senator one con committee, made heat and lowers’ daytime especially that Mr better dis by historian hearing, remark tudes that ore productions. It expected from the man such 8 stir in the circles of his by bis speech at the Jackson day in Washington last January. Riddling the Enemy. Chatrman Bowers gave little time to telling in detail what the Democratic party had done in the past or what it proposes to do in the future. Opening with a ringing call to the party to arm itself for a war of extermination against “privilege and pillage,” he went on to a contrasting of Jelferson democracy with Hamiltonian re- publicanism, and of the latter with f.incoln's republicanism, which he ac- cused the Republican party of having abandoned. It now, he sald, is openly following the Hamiltonian theory of government for the benefit of the wealthy and powerful, In Incisive language, full of epigram and invective, he attacked the Repub lican administrations of Harding and Coolidge, describing with bitter irony their alleged shortcomings and mis- conduet. Of course, the Teapot Dome oil scandal and allied affalrs came in for a full measure of denunciation, Winding up a brief summary ol what the eight years of Democratic rule from 1012 to 1020 did with an eloquent eulogy of Woodrow Wilson, he brought his great audience te its feet with ringing cheers, Demonstration for the Farmer, Tuning to the farmer, Mr. Bowers said his portion had become one of thorns and thistles and that in seven years the Republican party had utter iy failed to do anything for him. Clos ing this portion of his speech, he thun- dered: “We do not propose that the most basic of all our industries shall longer be a doormat for all the others to wipe their feet upon as they enter the Temple of Privilege.” Responding with a mighty shout, the delegates and alternates sprang to their feet and, as the two bands played their loudest, pulled up the state standards and marched around the aisles for about fifteen minutes. Skeptical ones In the audience believed a demonstration st that point in the address was pre arranged to Impress the corn belt Anyhow, It was Impressive at the time, The speaker directed a hall of verbal bullets at the Republican claims of having protected business from Democratic enemies and of hay. ing brought about prosperity and econ omy. Said he: “Mythieal prosperity, mythical | economy, mythical facts, mythical figures and mythical men, speech might have the country the tribution The add and scholar was well being breezy and and free from the heavy plati iracterize over radio. iresq of editor, worth lively ably linarily ch what was created party din- such was who ner The last eight years may weil be treat- ed by the historian of the far future as the mythical age of American his- tory.” Omitting from his address ds given to the press a long paragraph de- nouncing the administration's policy of “dollar diplomacy” in Latin-Amer- fea and Nicaragua especially, Mr. tion, finishing with the words: “And we shall win because our cause I$ just, The predatory forces before us seek a triumph for the sake of the sacking. Their shock troops are the Black Horse cavalry whose hoofbeats have made hideous music on Pennsyl- vania avenue during the last eight years, They are led by money-mad cynics and scoffers—and we go forth to battle for the cause of man. In the presence of such a foe ‘he is a dastard and he who damned." In this connection debate and grasp the sword, has come. The battle hour Then to your tefits, © Senator Joseph TT, made permanent the close of a rat! brief Constitutional provision ligious test for grand parade of the state The committee account the advantages of rm tribution and provided that the inating speeches for President should made before the presentation of the platform. Therefore orator: ical efforts were heard at the Wednes day evening session. Smith's Victory Too Easy. Governor Smith's name was present- convention by Franklin Roosevelt, who performed thé for him four years Madison Square garden. Still vigorous despite his long illaess, Mr. Roosevelt made an eloquent and spirited speech that often aroused the audience to loud applause, and at close there was a wild and uproarous demonstra- tion that could not be quelled by the chairman for many minutes, Nearly every state standard was In the parade within a minute, New York modestly giving the lead to others, Missourians sat pat and so did the delegates of several cther states. In the Mississippi delegation there were several lively fights between the antl Smith and pro-Smith groups. The standard was broken in the struggle and some seals were smashed before two squads of Houston policemen could quell the row. Goverror Moody refused to permit the Lone Star flag of Texas to b2 taken Into the demon. stration, so Mrs. Laura Burleson Neg- ley, daughter of former Postmaster General Burleson, found a small Texas flag and, waving it, led a small group of Texans who were for Smith. At one time most of the standards were grouped In front of the box wherein sat Mrs. Smith, and she arose to ac- kErowledge the compliment, After 35 minutes of uproar tactful Mayor Walker ordered the New York stand. ard withdrawn, and 3 order was re- stored. Georgia's Favorite Son. United States Senator Walter F, George of Georgia was placed in nom- ination by Judge Charles R. Crisp In a long speech in which he attacked Smith without naming him. The George demonstration was participat- ec’ In by Georgin, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Nebraska, and was fairly satisfactory to his admirers. W. H. O'Brien pre sented the name of Evans Woollen, favorite son of Indiana; Congressman William Ayres of Kansas was put in nomination by George McGill of that state; there were several seconding speeches for Smith, the most aotable being by Mrs, Nellie Tayloe Ross, for mer governor of Wyoming, and the convention Ajourned to Thursday morning. NVhen Thursday doubts we The has struck. Israel I” Robinson was and er long speech, time chairman near with ing the against a re office, he started a standards, one sentence concer on rules took into dio dis- be those ed to the game service ago In ite assembled seconding the the delegates Smith JOSEPH T. Vederwonsd § : Eade il speeches were resumed, Governor Ritchie of Maryland, who withdrew In favor of Al, was first on the list and was followed by former Mayor Pelers of Boston and Andrew Nelson of Min- nesoin. Mississippi did not put Sen. ator Pat Harrison In though he was scheduled to get a com- plimentary Then M. Howell took the platform and offered to the convention the name of Mis- gouri's fighting senator, James A. eed. This man, he sald, was made to order as a candidate for the Pres fdency agninst Herbert Hoover. How- ell described at length Reed's career in congress, his defense of constitu. tional privileges and his lifelong fight for nomination, vole, Charles democracy. Demonstration for Reed. When Howell Missouri, Florida, Oklahoma and *hilippines delegations mstration closed, the started a dem was extraordinarily noisy and long dering their scanty Banners, lithographs and ried around the hall, uproar - was mbers, and the wm to the number Next to be honor none tain rado, Atlee M. Hitcheock of Nebraska, and Hull of and then ence was given something a 6 the nd nomins Thomp f i ton ‘Gmerene oO [ennessee mination of Jesse E. Houston, and the me brought the Not overloo lively in Jones, pr whose off to this city qualities ie of in forts convention one of hig excellent ked, and the gal m wildly. Huge paper bags full of toy balloons had been sus- pended the of the hall and these were torn open at the proper moment, filling the air with the gay lit. fe spheres. lloustonians are very proud of Jesse Jones and rejoiced at the op portunity to evidence that, Then, he is finsncial director of the Demo- cratic Nationa! committee and as such has made himself popular mong the deleg So, all in all, Mr. Jones may feel satisfied with the demonstra. tion that followed the presentation of his na Before it quieted down the COW band marched in, led by a cowgirl mounted on a gray Chairman Robingon enjoyed this as anyone else but was finally was leries cheered hi from girders {00, ates, me boy pretty mare. as much compelled to ask that the now removed.” Platform Committee's Labors. The platform committee had been laboring for two days and nights and for a time serious discord was threat- ened over the law-enforcement plank. Gov. Dan Moody sitosd out to the last for an extremely dry plank, but the harmony workers won out and adopted the resolution drafted by Carter Glass, pledging the party to honest effort to enforce the Eighteenth amendment and nll other laws as well. When the plat. form was submitted to the convention Thursday evening this plank was mild- iy applauded. Moody, as = minority of one on the committee, explained his stand. Governor Ritchie of Maryland, outstanding wet, told why he was that way, but neither offered a minority re port. Senator Glass explained the com- promise for the sake of harmony, and the platform was adopted by an al most unanimous vote, Then came the roll call of states for the selection of the Presidential candidate, Nomination of Smith came earlier in the balloting thafi his supporters real ly desired. They felt that a vietory too ohviously easy might savor of stenm-roller methods and tend to in. jure the spirit of harmony that was the true keynote of the convention, Knowing pretty well their own strength, they wished every other can. didate to have his full chance. But most of the delegstes were eager to fall in line for “Al” and could not be tong restratned, On the first ballot Smith Incked but ten votes of the requisite two-thirds, Before the totals could be anncunced a dozen delegations were on thelr feet, each secking to be the one to put Al Cavalry be "ROBINSON Amid Increasing dis. tobinson first rec- who gave their Smith, across the mark. order Chairman the vole of Ohloans, 45 to The deed was done, Music in Profusion, Bandsmen of Houston had set them. selves the task of learning to play the state tune of every state in the Union, and the pleasing result was that each delegation, as It arrived In the city, was greeted with the air most familiar and grateful to its ears, rendered by the band assigned to it to its hotel, The bands made musie throughout much of the day and night during the week, parading the streets and in- vading the lobbies of the hotels, ai- ready crowded almost to suffocation, Among the most industrious of them— and incidentally among the best re warded-—was a band” who quite delighted the throngs and rather haunted the ive Smit) headquarters in the Rice Then there was a whie part of that escort “one-man who extens cowboy rodeo Receiving Jimmy Walker. the it the local press called t d most enthusiastic crow Houston rail meet the Mayor wk and a the oe over psser Walker other Jimmy, was clad in a ple. The throngs the Rice hotel fai mi bbe d b im, was ler the weather tired to his About time another group of New hundred, com ad Florida trop $18. attire, { pur. and and as he alreads he the Yorkers, arrived soon re room. same several by aroy Gulf. numbering at Galveston boat, Pp jet ng and Ample ac isitors had Houston comm of the hotels were rather The Rice was the center the activity and it possible force its lobby. As for hostelry, they and the wouldn't wild-eyed fn Bea voyage up through the commodations for the been arranged the irra itiees, but even 80, Some ' i swam af ped. mast nf gimost im- way through it was to one's the elevators in this proved used the ianguage get quate them One gentleman from ern Texas waited so long for an ele vator that his patience gave out. Pull ing out his pistol, he deliberately pu! a bullet through the center of each pane in the door of the shaft. No one was hit and no one was arrested. The authorities looked upon the incident as just a case of pleagure shooting, like that of another westerner was moved to step out on the balcony and put a bullet through a window of a hotel down the street. Women Many and Active. Womeh' 8 organizations, that got something of what they wanted from the Republicans in Kansas City, came to Houston also in full force and pre. gented the same demands for planks in the Democratic platform. The two especially active and vocal groups were the National Woman's party, whose plank for equal rights between men and women throughout the Unit ed States and its possessions was pre. sented to the resolutions committee by Miss Sue White, practicing at torney of Jackson, Tenn, and those who demanded a prohibition plank equal in strength and definiteness to that adopted by the Republicans, An. other earnest group was the Women's Committee for the Repeal of the Righteenth Amendment, which worked in conjunction with the Constitution. al Liberty league to a certain extent but had its own plank. As one of their leaders explained, the women of this committee “are for temperance as Jesus Christ wag for temperance, and as the greatest prophets and lead: ers of civilization have been for tem. perance. [Prohibition has proved the most colossal failure In the worl to throug! Ign mais, west who We to work with some- thing that won't fall,” This anti-dry group gained lwporiance by its meré personnel, included many of the social and political leaders writers of country, Flizabeth Marbury, n committeewoman fromm New York, Is honorary chalrman and Mrs. Chosuncey Olcott is a chairman. Others are Mrs, Douglas Robingon, sister of Theodore Roose velt ; Mrs, Marius de Brabant, daugh- ter of the late Senator Clark of Moun- tana: Mrs. Kenneth O'Brien, daugh- ter of Clarence 1, Mackey ; Mrs, Fred- erick Nathan, head of the National Housewives’ league; Mrs, Herbert Sat- terlee, sister of J, Pierpont Morgan; Anna Katherine Green, Mrs, Arthur Curtis James, Mrs, Allee Foote Mac- Dougall, Miss Elizabeth Stokes, Mrs. Frederick Allen, and others of almost equal note, Their plank edd the Democratic to resubmit the question of national prohibition to the people In t} or the equivalent of a ev- ery state. Woman membership in the conven- tion was smaller than in 1924. There were 140 women delegates with aggregate total of 78% votes, women aiternates. No women at all were sent by Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Gregon and Wisconsin, From Alabama, Delaware, Louisiana, Mississippl, South Carolina and Vermont there came women alter- nates but day. want which nnd the ationnl vice pledg conventions referendum in ir state an yy any «is Nebraska, no women delegates, Bell Was There. few more spectacular in the convention throngs Col. Nicholas M. ell of Bt who accompanied the Missouri delegation, Bell attended his first Demevratic national convention 1862, had the honor of nom- ur when that candidate Then, in 1584, he Cleveland, and to nvention he brought ch be occupied on that His white hair and and his eye fiashing with old time fire, the ploneer Mis- sourian stamped his hickory cane down upon the concrete with a bang when reporter -unded him as to his Colonel There were Colonel and he Seym sgainst Blalr, nominated Cr the Houston c¢o tl l whi fie caair ry» ing ag momentous beard bristling day. favorite cand: “In other words, ing to for?” “You can tell the that I'm going to vote for any jarned Englishman” snapped the flery ax he was whisked away whom are asked. cockeyed world you go- vote they not ing veteran hiz hotel. One Pss Roy L. Fernal, committessan twenty-six =simist * Found. the youthful from Maine, he years old—was pessit sf, Before ivention he asserted year, if Al Smith were nom- not have a chan to For the first time the instruc Dem Fernal. nation- is the the al only outstanding opening of that this is and added that inated he wonld Hoover. delegation was “T at led ! Mr. ate the cor not a Democratic ce defeat ted—for ocracy in He | Dadicating Sam Hall "ifteen thousar Houston Hou i ho h ~ Sto the Democrats, ceremony ouston hall widow of the White Hq Handsome ¢ garbed in black mn and a blue felt hat, box of Jesse H. Jones to- Governor and Mrs. Moody, Mrs. Jones. himself, the for no one in the vast sudience was ignorant of the part in securing the conven. he was com- impromptu vociferous ac fo in the the guest of Zu honor, was Eracious as ever, chiff in the ‘tem Shaver and Mr. and Jesse Jones was, despite 1d played for their to make an which was greeted wit} Mavor Oscar E. Holcomb dis gavel which the Sam Hous- Teachers’ college was y to National Chair mver 11 the convention to was made from cedar of a Sam Hovston planted at his Huntsville, During the prog the ceremonies Bishop Hay the front of the platform a thin, baldheaded, gras mous man and presented him as “Col. Andrew Jackson Houston, son of our great hero, Gen. Sam Hous ton. for whom this hall is named.” After all the speeches and prayers the people were given an opportunity to look over the hall. Having the outward aspect of a gay exposition building, its interior was arraiged ty provide convenience and coolne: © for the convention throngs. Its seating facilities were better than In most such structures and the acoustics, with the aid of wamerous amplifiers, were excellent. Decorations, while not lavish, were In good taste. Open sides. huge electric fans and plenty of ice water served well to offset the heat. tion city. So speech, im played the ton State resent man Si cla to on Tuesda fo Ca order, It tree that home in of led to small, tached Provisions for Comfort. Houstonites suffer from no illusions as to the heat that prevails there in summer time. They know it Is po ing to be hot-and it is hot. But the local committees took whatever meas. ures they might to mitigate the tor ridity of the days and insure the com fort of the city's guests. One of the most efficient of the” measures was the erection, close to Sam Housten hall, of “Nospiiatity House™ An en: tire city block waa roofed over and filled with comfortable hendches ahove which innumerable electric fans whirled unceasingle, and through the open sidés of the structure such breezes os thee might be passed freely. ; .
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers