Evening star., 1924-07-03
BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE,

NEW YORK, July SIT was Bryan
speaking. He was singing the praises
of Walsh. This man." quoth Bryan,
raised the lid of official corruption in
Washington and showed U.s."
"McAdoo." yelled a voice from the
galleries. 1t was fair hecklins. If
the crowd in the galleries had stopped
at that or continued with that kind,
Bryan's rather futile speech nominat-
ing his rather fatuous list of candi-
dates. naming with execrable taste
his own brother-Bryan's speech for
McAdoo might have been merely
passing episode in a rather dull after
noon. But the crowd in the galleries,
clearly a Smith crowd. obviously FILL
ed with rather cheap spoilsports, be-
gan to boo. For half an hour tur-
moil checked the proceedings OF the
convention, while the galleries ragged
raucouSly at rather futile old gen
tleman whose bald head, projecting
above his lambrequin of brown hair
that descended almost to thu collar of
his coat gave the odd effect of a
white-corked brown bottle--a bottle
that kept waving gently in the
breezes of emotion that swept the
hall. He tried to speak. He waved
his hands, shook his head, and. in TIE
eddieS of silence that tiurried through
the turmoil, one could hear his voice
choked with impotent wrath trying
vainly to catch the attention of the
crowd.
The New York galleries. either or
ganlzed and under orders. or with the
native callousness, held up the con-
vention while the mob ragged at BRYAN
because it feared him
Heaven knows he was nothing to
fear. 1t was evident from the first
moment he got on his feet that he
was out of step with his crowd, even
his delegates. But figure against
which New York mob charged he
finally began to gather sympathy. He
became, in spite of his own ineptness
and bad taste. power in the conven-
lied him. More than that as the
millions listened in through the radio
TO that mob batting Bryan. the cause
for which Bryan stood gained
strength from the country. And that
does not mean McAdoo.
Proceeding Amazing.
1t is odd. indeed, to one who lives
we'll outside of New York, but is IA
miliar with it's environs-it is amaz-
ing. to find how little New York un-
derstands the psychology of America.
New York has a genuine and beauti-
full affection for Smith-the affection
is, in the main, regional 1t extends
from Massachusetts south to Mason
and DiXon's line and west almost as
far Buffalo. That this beautiful
affection should express itself so
badly, so unerringly, to the hurt of
its own object, is astounding.
One would think that the instincts
of love would protect AL Smith from
the gorgeous blunders of his friends.
But every day since his name was
first spoken in the Democratic con-
with the country. The managers OF
the Smith sentiment have killed Al
Smith. 1t has been obvious for forty
eight hours that the pressure of pub
lie opinion in the country has been
clamping down on the Smith candi-
dacy, cutting off its reserves. Mon
day. if Smith had desired to make
rush for the nomination, he could
have commanded majority of the
delegations from Massachusetts, Della
ware Maryland, Pennsylvania, Him
ois in addition to his 200 faithful CO.
horts and might have run his vote up
to 400 or so. but now the Maryland
ers are hesitating. They realize that
Smith has no chance. Pennsylvania
wants to go to Davis instead of
Smith Only Brennan of Illinois ana
some Cincinnati and Cleveland vets
remain faithful to the Smith boom.
Sees Boom Now Dead.
This political provender which he
had in storage at the beginning of
his campaign. ready to use when he
started on the big push to the front.
has soured on him. The Smith boom is
gone. OF course, he never could have
been nominated, but he could have
made a fine sortie, brave stand,
assembling around him gallantly all
the forces of. the civilization wherein
he is a hero. SO he might have been
martyred and gained great virtue by
his martyrdom: might have been
great power in this region for the
rest of his life. At the end of a gal
liant dash, though deadly, carrying
the banner of this gay and lovely
civilization of the Atlantic seaboard
sat with cold feet, afraid to go, and
now he can't go. He should have had
400. he boasted that he had 500, un-
questionable votes. Now he has a
scant and scared 800 and because his
followers in the convention booed and
howled and hooted at the represen-
tative of a civilization which they
could not understand, their armored
knight is busted community,
rather rusty figure with hardly a
veto power upon the work of the con-
vention which he might have directed,
even if he could not bring it to his
banner.
OF course, Bryan and his crowd