TO HOLD DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION MAY 13

At 7 o'clock on Tuesday evening, May 13, the first mock National Democratic Nominating Convention in the history of Harvard University will convene in New Lecture Hall. For weeks the Harvard Democratic National Committee has been working out the detailed plans for this event, which are now virtually complete.

The clubs for various candidates which were formed at the last meeting of the Democratic Club have been unusually active in enrolling supporters. The New York delegation, which is solidly backing Governor Smith, and the Underwood, Ralston, and Richie Clubs, will be potent factors in the fight to secure the nomination. Half a dozen other candidates will be named, and unless two of the big groups combine to prevent a deadlock, a "dark horse" may well be chosen. As all members of the University will be eligible to vote, however, it will be difficult to make any prediction. It is evident that the unit rule will assure a hot contest in each of the delegations, and the two-thirds rule will make certain a real struggle in the convention as a whole.

After the work of organization, the first business will be the nomination of candidates, which will be done by roll call of the states. Nominating and seconding speeches, limited to five and two minutes apiece respectively, will be made for each candidate.

The convention will then turn to the adoption of a platform. The Chairman of the Platform Committee, which will be one of the centers of interest in the convention, will make his report, which will be freely discussed from the floor, and finally voted upon. Various factions, favoring or opposing planks on the League of Nations, the bonus, preparedness, and prohibition enforcement, have sprung up, and debate, especially on the last point, is expected to be hot.

Will Follow Unit Rule In Voting

The most important business of the convention will be the nomination of the Democratic candidate for president. There will be forty-eight state banners raised in the Hall, with a State Chairman and a number of delegates under each. These delegations will vote under the direction of the chairmen, and by the application of the unit rule, the candidate receiving a plurality will be given all the votes of the states. Votes will be divided only in case of a tie. Then as the roll is called, each state chairman votes for his delegation, receiving two votes for each congressman.

After nominations for vice-president are made, the same procedure will be repeated, the delegates balloting until a two-thirds majority is obtained. If too much opposition to the platform appears, or if a deadlock in the voting should develop, it may be necessary to extend the convention over two or three days. This will only be done, however, if it is thought that interest warrants it.

As the Democratic convention will be the only one held in the University this spring a number of Independents, Non-Partisans, and even Republicans, have signified their intention of being present. Opportunity to speak vote, and take an active part in the proceedings will be given to all delegates.