Democrats Expect About 900 for Intercollegiate Mock Convention

About 900 delegates are expected to riot, parade, politick, and eventually nominate candidates for President and Vice-President and write a party platform at the 1956 Intercollegiate Democratic Convention on May 11-12, in Sanders Theatre.

Representatives from over 25 colleges, ranging from nearby Emmanuel (50) and M.I.T. (27) to distant Vassar (35) and Bennington (6), will add to the predominantly University atmosphere, David Smith '58, chairman of the Convention Committee, said last night.

College registration (50 cents a person) has reached 250, and will be held again tonight in the Union and House dining halls. Radcliffe registration will also be open this evening at Agassiz, and Law School delegates can sign up this weekend.

Delegates will, as far as possible, represent their home states in the Mock Convention, which is sponsored by the Young Democratic Club. Butler, the Democratic National Chairman, will give the keynote address.

A rally Friday night, May 11, with "give-'em-hell" type speeches by Professors Samuel H. Beer and Seymour E. Harris '20, and a prominent woman Democrat will open the proceedings. Auditions for nominating speeches will also be held that night.

The convention will handle all its business on Saturday, electing permanent officers, discussing a platform, and so forth. After Butler's address, the nominations will begin. Besides strong contingents expected for the leading candidates, Stevenson and Kefauver, the names of Symington, Harriman, Lausche, and Truman will be thrown into the vote scramble.

An informal dance that evening will try to ease tensions, Smith said.