Evening star., 1923-12-21
TALKS and TALES
With and about
CAPITALS GUESTS

for n needle in a haystack, it's I'M
possible to speak authoritatively on
the tediousness of the task, but If the
undertaking. is any more difhcuit
than trying to find a regular New
Yorker who's not 100 per cent strong
for Gov. AL Smith, then ii is freely
acknowledged il must be some job.
Eliminating all conjectures per-
tanning to the presidential bee, whose
buzz, according to the closest friends
of the Empire state executive, is not
disturbing him near as much as IL
is many others with ambitions. il
is truly remarkable to find the inn
plicit faith. trust, admiration and
love that all hailing from the section
bear toward "our AL"
Nor is this sentiment confined to
New York democrats alone Two
summers ago, before the state dem
ocratic convention had nominated
MIN - run against Gov. Miller, the
writer spent several weeks up In
the mountains north of Utica,
rock ribbed republican stronghold,
and with absolutely no explanation
whatever, two out of every three ma
tiVeS, when asked who would be
their next governor, would invariably
answer, al Smith, if re runs"
And so it is with the vast ma
jority from the state who visit Wash
ington each week. Even those bit
terly opposed to all that the dem
ocratiC party stands for in the great
er city Eeep quiet or smile benlgnly
when mention is made of the popu-
lar governors name.
Emulating old Diogenes on the
hunt or his ideal. a considerable por-
tion of a days run was spent in
search of an Al Smith knocker. the
result of which. as gathered from
four ManhattaniteS of widely differ
ent callings will be found below
Il have been close friend anC
great admirer of Al Smith for many
years, and | think him one of the
most fearless. capable and painstak-
ing executives New York has ever
had" said Austen q. Fox of New
York city, lawyer of many years
standing. who will be remembered
a most active in the LeXow investi-
cation committee of 1S94-96
When pressed for an opinion on the
political situation MI. Fox. who IS
stopping al the New Willard, said II
was difficult to predict just what
would he the outcome.
How about Gov. Smith. Mr.. Fox!
Now don't think for a minute that
the presidential nomination is worry
ing Al Smith" was the laughing re-
ply. 'fAl knows just where he stands.
He is attending to his business as
governor and letting the future take
care of itself. l tell you. boy. 1t took
courage TO act as he did on that
Mullen-Gage bill. and the greatest
Joy Of my life is to feel that I help
ed him little with the problem.
No don't you worry over AIS atti-
tude toward the nomination, for you
can take il from one who knows him
well. he's not losing any sleep.
:. x x ::
HE is not only the greatest gov
ernUr New York ever had, but we are
going TO back him at the democratic
convention until the cows come
home" was the way Representative
Emanuel Celler of the tenth congress
sional district. Brooklyn. put it. when
huttonholed in the lobby of the
Washington Hotel.
He can carry New York any time
he has the mind to, and few men in
the country are better qualif1ed for
the office than he"
Representative Celler is one of the
"ba by'' members of the House. is a
partner in the law firm of Kraushaar
& Celler and says the more he sees
of Washington the more he is i'm
pressed.
Just rack your brain for all the
complimentary things you can say
about a man, multiply the result by
hundred and say that's Eddie Cantor's
opinion of the Governor of New
York" sang out the popular comedian
Of the kid Boots" company. playing
this week at the National, when cor
nered at the Washington.
Il have known AL Smith ever since
we were kids together down in the
old first assembly district on the East
let me tell you squarer man never
walked in two shoes. We always
looked up to him, as he was a great
speaker In those days, and the boys
who have made good from the sec
tion are all squeezing hard for their
old pals success.
DO you think he is figuring on the
presidency, Eddie?"
Il don't know what he is figuring
ou-the presidency. United States
senate. ambassador to Siam or chief
of the Blackfeet Indians-but, what
ever il is, ! and every mothers son
that ever had his mail sent care of
the East Side are for him. and so
up for his performance.
X !; 4 x
There are as many republicans a $
democrats in New York who love Al
Smith," said p. G. paddy F'itzgib-
bon. lieutenant of the Greater City's
finest" the most decorated police
officer of the New York force and or
ganizer and general manager of the
famous police band and glee club
of Manhattan, as he sat with Mrs.
FttZgibbon in his rooms at the Lee
House. after months stay at St
Petersburg, Fla.
1.-THE greatest trait in Gov Smiths
character is his refusal to forget that
he's human continued the officer, as
he looked over at his wife.
"Oh. yes" chimed in Mrs. Fitzgib-
bon, Al, as everybody calls him, Is
He has heart of gold, and loyalty
to his friends is his motto"
Questioned about the noted musical
organizations, Lieut.. Fitzgibbon said
that every member of both bodies
was a bona fide policeman; that tho
band was composed OF sixty-nine mn
slctans and the glee club of eighty
four. and that the greater part of
their work was for charitable insti-
tutfons. hospitals for incurabIes and
asylums for children and the very
poor of the city
we have given special concerts for
many notables, including former
President Wilson, when. at Pelham
Bay during the war. he became so en-
thusiastic that he joined in with the
chorus; Marshal Foch, Gen. Diaz. the
King and Queen of Belgium and
Others"
Then drawing from his pocket a
solid gold fountain pen, the officer