Evening star., 1924-07-05

Besides feeling that he, too, Is over
playing his hand in sticking to a
hopeless race, the convention regrets
Gov. Smiths attempt to impose him
self upon its hospitality after it had
rejected the suggestion to invite all
candidates to take the platform Had
a less popular person that Franklin
D. Roosevelt, Smiths manager, sought
the privilege for the governor the
vote not to hear him would have
fallen even shorter of the two-thirds
vote than it did. The fact that a clear
majority favored Smiths appearance
was less tribute to the popular gov
ernor than 1t was to his widely be-
loved political lieutenant. Specula-
tions are rife as to what Smiths real
purpose was in seeking to address the
convention, alone among the candi-
dates before it. One theory is that
his friends were confident he would
stampede Madison Square Garden
with the power of his personality
Another explanation is that Smiths
managers were anxious to prove by
him, standing there in the flesh, that
he is not the illiterate and uncultured
man which some of his detractors de-
pict him; that he does not murder
the kings English; that he is all his
mental, democratic, straight-spoken
and in every way irresistible. Still
another version is that Smith sought
opportunity to inform the convention,
face to face, that If he were to be-
come it's nominee, Roman Catholicism
would not be enthroned at the White
House; that he would be. If elected,
President of all of the people, ire
spective of creed or condition.
Saw Bolder Purpose.
The McAdoo contingent's theory is
that Smith planned a much more au-
dacious coup than any of the plans
just suggested. The McAdooites are
convinced that the governor intended
to issue a defiant challenge to McAdoo
to withdraw from the race if he,
Smith, did so. AS McAdoo, with
mounting ballot strength, was at the
moment less minded than ever to quit.
his friends did not care to subject
him to such a predicament. So. TAX
ing no chances as to what might be
in the wind from Smiths direction;
they took the bit in their teeth and
voted to deprive MN OF Pa dhe hv h9Gr tbc
Smith crowd must be understood an
incalculably large number of ad-
mirers throughout the republic-is
embittered by the rebuff administered
They are, in fact, fighting mad.
Their indignation knows no bounds.
When Joe" Tumulty shook his INST
in Dan" Roper's face on the plat
form steps, Tumulty's clenched ges.
Al Smith admirers. They will carry
that grudge into any campaign in
which William Gibbs McAdoo might
be the standard-bearer. The slaughter
Of McAdoo in Smiths Kingdom In
New York city and state is horrible
standpoint.
Worried by La Toilette.
Next to the harmony issue, Demo-
Gratis in New York today are ponder
ing most deeply over the La Toilette
issue. The average Democrat thinks
La Follette's Independent electors
throughout the country spell danger
chiefly to the Republican party. and
the Coolidge ticket. But hosts of
shrewd Democrats at New York fear
the worst for their own ticket, as the
result of the La Toilette third party
menace. Tens of thousands of work.
ing men, for instance. who ordinarily
vote the Democratic ticket at national
elections, Will now, 1t Is belleVeo, go
over en- block to the La Toilette
camp.
That certainly applies to the
gigantic railroad labor vote, the ele-
ment upon which most of McAdoo's
strength as vote-getter was built.
There are ordinarily tens Of thou
sands of Democratic farm votes in
the west, too. A special bid was
made for these in the Madison Square
Garden platform, at the. behest of
Carl s. Vrooman, former assistant
secretary of agriculture. There is
little real hope among Democrats
that the farm vote can be weaned
away from the La Toilette ticket.
Altogether the Democrats will quit
this .embattled scene amid emotions
miles removed from those of elation
in which they so gaily assembled a
fortnight ago. A Moses and q miracle,
it would appear from their lugubrious
conversation, are about all that can
save them from a defeat precipitated
for the most part, as they mournfully
point out, by the consummate blum
dering, which is the history of their
New York convention.
Copyright, 1924