New Britain herald., 1924-10-03
DAVIS AND SMITH
 AT 'BATTLEF|ELD'
Democratic Candidates Speak at
 Madison Square Garden

New York. Oct, S.--John w, Davis, democratic presidential nominee, and governor Alfred E. smith. gu- bernatorial candidate, speaking last night from the samo platform in Madison Square Garden, where more than two months ago they were rivals fo rtheir party's nomination pledged mutual support while l3,0O0 persons cheered their arraignment of the republican party. Mayor John F, Hylan, who spoke just before the two major candidates, gave his ap- proval to their candidates and pledged his support 10 the demo- cratic ticket.
 A whimsical humour note per vaded Mir. Davis speech, which brought cheers and applause from the audience, while Governor Smith cited his own record as proof of his fitness for reelection.
 "Alibis" was the keynote of the address of Mir. Davis and Governor Smith stressed the importance of universal exercise of the voting privilege Is a panacea for govern mental problems.
 First of the 'alibis" mentioned by Mir. Davis was that of Albert E, Fall. former secretary of the inter for, which the presidential candi- date said was the secretary's story of s1O0,OOO gift. Theodore Roose- welt, then assistant secretary of the navy, also had an alibi, according to Mir. Davis who said that Col Roose- velt's was that he was only a mes senger boy.
 Then Mir. Davis continued his list of alibs, among which he in- cluded that of Edward L, Doheny and Attorney General Daugherty.
 When some one in the crowd that packed the garden askeed, What about Ned McLean's wire to the White House." MT, Davis replied; Well, that is another in the list of alibis."
 Governor Smith told Of the achievements in the state during his two years at Albany and Com- pared the record his party made in the state to that made by the republican party in four years. Swept into office by an over- whelming majority, in 1920, after making promises to return the country to normalcy, the rcpubli- can party has done nothing 10 lm- prove conditions, he asserted.
 The Tea. Pot Dome affair and the investigation of the Veterans Bureau were mentioned by Governor Smith in a plea to the voters to repudiate the republican administration. A situation similar to Tea Pot Dome occurred in New York under a re- publican administration, he said, when a republican administration allowed valuable tracts of land in the Adirondacks to pass out of state control into private hands. When he became governor, he continued. he took steps to restore these natural resources to the state
 He pictured President Coolidge as impotent in the hands of an in- surgent congress which seized every opportunity to do the opposite of his biding. Instead of the strong, silent leader the republican press bureau is striving to present to the prospective voter, the president is weak, vacil'r.ing and incapable of leading his own party Governor Smith declared.
 The audience gave MT, Davis an enthusiastic greeting, but reserved it's most vigorous applause for "Al'' Smith.
 The crowd was slow in arriving, and although the doors were opened at 6 o'clock the hall was not filled when the first speaker was an- nounced by District Attorney Joat H. Banton, who presided.