Seward Daily Gateway

BITTER UNDERCURRENT
MANIFEST AT OPENING
DEMO CONVENTION

CHICAGO, June 27. (AP)—With the dominant forces of Roosevelt divided quarrelling among themselves, the rallying Democratic National Convention was called together for its opening session amid enmities seldom matched in party history.

So bitter was the under-current of strife that both leaders and delegates seemed almost uninterested in the actual convention proceedings which were confined by custom to the peaceful preliminaries, such as listening to the party key-note speech and starting the preliminary machinery to work out the whirl of week-end developments which unquestionably showed signs of a swing toward Roosevelt's candidacy putting him within striking distance of the nomination, unless his organization is wrecked meantime by the mounting disputes over vital issues.

The permanent convention organization and the rules committee even phoned to Roosevelt Sunday night but apparently failed in conclusive results.

The major split is over the two-thirds nomination rule; the results will be close. Indications showed more than two score of planks have been presented besides the prohibition repeal amendment which is bound for a stiff contest.

Each plank, trimmed to a paragraph, was tentatively accepted. The farm relief, unemployment and war debt planks alone remained for completion.

Roosevelt called by phone, North Carolina's delegation, and a few from New Mexico and other States pleading with them to be good Democrats and rally to his support.