The New York herald., 1922-11-20
MURPHY WOULD BE
A NATIONAL LEADER
Conferences at French Lick
Reflect Tammany Chiefs
Increased Prestige.
HAS HOPES FOR SMITH
Leaders in West and South
Say Governors Creed Is
Handicap.
HAS HOPES FOR SMITH

Special Dispatch 10 THr New YORK HERALD.
FRENCH LICK SPRINGS, Ind. Nov. 10.
Tho series of Democratic conferences
here for the last few days have given
evidence Of Charles f. Murphy's greatly
increased prestige in the national coun-
ellis of his party.
Not in his twenty years of leadership
has so much respect been shown to the
Tammany chiefs judgment. Men who
used to abuse Tammany as a menace
are here making confidant Of Murphy.
His two remarkable victories in the last
two years-the election of Hylan and
Smith by record breaking votes-have
put him in almost first place as an or
party.
Mr.. Murphy, aware of this changed
attitude OF national leaders toward him,
appears bent on taking a more COM
manding place in national politics The
old cry, Murphy must go" seems to
have beeH stilled.
Mr. Mufphy's mind is not made up on
his program for 1924, but he is early
in the field He has been listening TO
what the Democrats have had to say
and has learned enough to know the
Democratic sentiment of the country
He will return to New York in a few
days with fairly accurate idea of the
political situation in every State.
1t has been made clear here that
Mr. Murphy wants to nominate AL Smith
for President on wet platform in 1924.
He has not made up his mind it can
no ha ic
he will try it.
Tammany men have been trying to
learn from leaders in other sections of
the country what effect the fact of
Smiths being a Catholic would have
on his national aspirations.
The Tammany men say they are
somewhat discouraged. but they believe
Smith may be popular enough to win
in the nation as he has in New York.
Leaders from the middle West. the
far West and the South have told the
Tammany men that If it were not for
fear of bringing the religious issue into
the campaign Mr.. Smith might be nomi-
mated. but that he hardly could hope to
get vote in the national convention
from a Southern State. They cannot
see how a candidate could be named
without Southern votes.
This question was brought out in the
open to-day for full and frank debate.
tt presents a curious political problem.
Tammany leaders emphasize that one of
the most conspicuous men in the party.
admittedly one of the most popular and
one of the greatest vote getters. is handi-
capped in a democracy in a race for
office by the religious issue.
Some OF Mr.. Murphy's battles In ma
tional conventions We're recalled to-day
by the politicians. and 1t was said that
all of the half dozen national men he
fought are gone from the foreground of
politics. while the Tammany leader
stands out in bolder outline than ever.
Whether they like it or not. they
have to hand it to Mr. Murphy" said
A. r. Mullen, Democratic leader in Ne
braska. to-day in a talk with Fred
Thompson. member of tne Shipping
Board and ardent booster Of William G..
McAdoo.
Among those with whom Mr.. Murphy.
Tom Foley. John O'Brien and the other
Tammany men have been fraternizing
to-day are Sam Harris and Irving Ber-
lin of New York. George AIDE. Timothy
Howard. former Supreme Court judge
Of Indiana big" Tim Murphy. labor
leader Of Chicago. and Dan Mustard of
Anderson. Ind.