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Show 7' 00 H - NEW. YORK, May 7. The Socialist Hl party of America will enter the presi-dential presi-dential campaign tomorrow with the H opening here of its national convention H , called to select candidates for presi- H 'J dent and vice-president of the United H i States, adopt a national platform and Hl j, perfect the party machinerv for the H j, "big fight of 1920." H j, Two hundred regular delegates from H !' all parts of the country augmented by H b "fraternal delegates" from "sympathe-j H tic" international bodies of organized Vl labor, will go into session at 10 o'clock . H in tho morning. From that time until H the convention closes, some time late H next week, Socialist forces will , be H . made ready for battle. H . Unusual emphasis has been attached H to this year's convention by Socialist H' i leaders because of attacks on the par- H ty's attitude during the war, ousting . of the entire Socialist delegation from j the New York legislature a 'refusal of H tlie house of representatives to seat H Victor L. Berger, elected after his con- H 1 ; viction for violation of the espionage H act and "gag" legislation which So- H cialists claim has been generally op- H presslve to tho exercise of free speech, h ' freo press and free assemblage. H I Eugene V. Debs, now Berving a ten- H ' year term in the Atlanta, Ga., pen for H' ! violation of the espionage act during H the war, will be named to head tho So- H ciallst ticket, according to the virtual- H 'I ly unanimous prediction of party lead-ers lead-ers tonight. 1 Seymour Stedman, Chicago attorney H aD(i general counsel of the party, and Hj i Scott Nearing, formerly professor ot , Hl I economics at the University of Penn- H j sylvania and University of Toledo, are HM tho "favorites" for nomination as can- HL didates for vico-prcsident, although Hf Mrs. Kate Richards O'Hare of Kansas H : now serving a sentence for violation of H the espionage act in the Jefferson City, f Mo., federal prison, is mentioned fav- orably for tho nomination, j Platform To Be Adopted. HU( Tho interest of Socialists centers Hlj in the platform to be adopted by the H,j convention. Because of the activities f i of members of the communist part H j I which sprang from the old left wing Hl ! of the Socialists, great care will be ex- H ! erclsed In presenting1 the principles and platform,- U was said. H i The national committee of which H i Morris Hillquit, is chairman, already H j has finished drafting a "declaration of H : principles" and a. "party program" for H presentation to the convention, f ; This platform includes international ' planks demanding recognition of boy H . iet Ruosin, independence of Ireland, i self-determination for India and other - small nationalities and condomnation l of the league of nations, couplod "with H a. demand for "a treaty of peace which H ffha.ll not he a breeder of w&r and a : vj.inigj-V nC onQression." |