New York Times
PACIFISTS CAN'T FIND PLACE
FOR MEETING
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Talk of Chicago, Milwaukee, or Washington Now, and See No Welcome Anywhere
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CAPITAL WARNS THEM OFF
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And Wisconsin's Governor Says "No" —New York Delegates Are in Chicago All
Bewildered
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 31.— The People's Council of America for Democracy and Peace will attempt to obtain protection for its proposed national peace conference in Milwaukee or Chicago, preferably the latter, and failing, will bring the delegates together in Washington, according to conflicting statements by leaders after a conference late today.
While delegates straggled in from the West, and a special train carrying Eastern delegates neared Chicago, leaders debated for hours behind closed doors over the question of a convention city. Finally and agreement was reached.
"We are going to Chicago," said some of the conferees. "We are going to Washington," said others. And the delegates who had left for Chicago were told over long-distance telephone to remain there pending instructions. Still others hinted that a delegation might stop in Milwaukee to look over the situation.
Await Western Delegates
Twenty-five committee members left for Chicago at 8 o'clock tonight. Other delegates departed on later trains. A few clerks will conduct the temporary headquarters here until all Western delegates have arrived and been directed East.
Excitement of the last few days incident to Governor Burnquist's order barring the peace conference from the State, North Dakota loyalty organizations' warning against meeting in that State, and Hudson, Wisconsin's unceremonious expulsion of the delegates last night was fanned by events of today.
Indignant leaders demanded their "constitutional rights." Eastern and Western delegates bombarded headquarters here with telegrams and long distance calls asking where the meeting would be held, and Louis P. Lochner, Secretary and official mouthpiece of the organization, issued a statement warning civil authorities that there "would be no further temporizing."
Mr. Lochner said he had telegraphed delegates to assemble in Washington, and that unless a suitable meeting place could be found there they would "assemble on the plaza in front of the Capitol."
Previously, he had said that the meeting probably would not be held in Milwaukee. Several other organizers, influenced, it was said, by advices from Milwaukee that a peace conference there undoubtedly would result in mob violence, stood out strongly in favor of making Chicago the convention city.
When plans had apparently reached a hopeless snarl, word came that Thomas Van Lear, Socialist Mayor, was ready to meet with the council members. In threes and fours they slipped from council headquarters in a small hotel to the meeting place. While the conference proceeded incoming delegates at headquarters protested against "ridiculous procrastination" of leaders in choosing a convention city because "of annoyances of petty civic authorities."
Mr. Lochner, closely guarded by his several assistants, evaded newspaper men after the conference, merely sending word that there was nothing to add to his previous statement that the convention would be held.
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 31. — No street meetings under the auspices of the People's Council of America for Democracy and Peace will be permitted in the national capital. The Police Department made this announcement today. The authorities at the capital probably will permit no assembly in the plaza there.
Officials today, when asked for an opinion, referred to the dispersal of Coxey's armey when it attempted to enter the capital several years ago. This, they said, was a good enough precedent to govern the case.
