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Special to the Baltimore Sun
Kansas City Missouri
June 13, 1928

The second day of the great Republican Gab fest has begun on a comical note. The normal corralling of votes that usually proceeds like so many horned cattle being lead to abboitours of Chicago there has been startled by an open revolt of a kind more shocking than the removal of the late Czar of all the Russias eleven years ago. The The great Hoover Steamroller has hit a bump that it can't smooth over and seems unlikely to get over until tomorrow. Much to the delight of Senator Borah and Senator Norris the Afro American job holders are in open revolt and are seething with indignation over a speech the great Humanitarian gave to a group of Klansman welcoming them to the convention and promising to give an ear to their concerns. The speech went a bit beyond just a polite welcome and the promise of a polite ear and went so far as to promise to derail the anti lynching plank that has been routinely in the the Republican platform since the days of US Grant, among other promises likely to affront the Afro Americans attending the convention.

The Afro Americans have not yet thrown their support to any other candidate, but they have made clear that Hoover is Persona non Grata among them. This is a huge blow to the Hoover campaign, as they had spent immense time and effort to corral them over the spring. Without the African American job holders, the Hoover campaign is left with the remaining job holders, who are restive under the rule of the campaign whips. It is expected that tempers will cool and promises will be made and the job holders who stay on board will get rewards. But for now the natives are very restless.

It does not help the Hoover camp's attempts to salve the anger that the Afro American delegates are exiled to hotels far from the convention hall. Kansas City is under the rule of Jim Crow which only serves to exacerbate the sting.

Kansas City in enjoying a heat wave this week. And to make things all the more comforting for the delegates here the prohibition agents have landed in the area like the locusts from Genesis. Kansas City is dryer than Arabia. I have heard rumors that one can find quite nice bourbon or Champagne in Mecca or Medina. Here in Kansas City there is only a prodigious thirst. If you hear a rumor that this delegation or that delegation has some fine wine or brandy, the Prohibition agent has heard the rumor first.

It is not just the Afro American delegates who are in open revolt. All across the convention there is a seething frustration with the way things are organized. There is the bubbling anger and resentment. It was somewhat displayed in the introductory speeches, where the name of Senator Borah was cheered to the rafters, and the name of Hoover, nominally the man who has most of the delegates, was greeted by silence so icy that one nearly felt relief from the infernal heat of the hall.

Tomorrow promises to be easier with discussion of the platform. Unlike the unholy row four years ago in New York with the Democrats, this convention should have a very pianissimo debate that will be over in time for the delegates to find some refreshment.

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