Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-30
NEW Workers MAY
''DRAFT'' Al SMITH
FOR GOVERNOR5H|P
BY DAVID LAWRENCE


) Especial Leased Wire to The Journal-Copy-
right, 1924
NEW YORK, Aug. Ex-Governor
Al Smiths decision not to be a can
didate for a third term may be final
so far as his own determination is
concerned but the sentiment to draft
: him for the office is still to be reck-
oned with, not only because of his
popularity, but because the leaders
themselves may have to turn to him
again after they have sized up all
the men now being mentioned for
the place.
What is ultimately done about the
New York governorship concerns
the national campaign vitality. Al
Smith showed an ability to carry the
state under adverse conditions and
NOW with the khan issue become a
dominant factor, the selection of
Smith to make the race in the end
may be compelled by political Cir
cumstances. There is no man
around whom the anti-klan forces
would rally more enthusiastically
to squelch the klan's ambitions than
Al Smith
Tammany at heart wants Al
SnlAh to make the race. Judge
Olmay, who succeeded Charles Muir
III as leader of Tammany Hall,
pI~y showed his regret when he
announced after comforting with the
New York governor that he did nor
fdesire to run again. He sincerely
does not. He wants to go. back TO
private life and business. To the
argument that he would help the
Davis Bryan ticket more by run
ming for office again, his answer has
L hIr
stumping the eastern states for the
national ticket
The national managers are neu-
trail on the question. They are not
urging any particular course, feel.
ing that the situation can best de-
Velop of it's own accord that #
there is a demand for Al Smith so
strong as to sweep the state it will
be impossible for the New York
governor to disregard it and thai
the drafting of a candidate by the
voters under such conditions would
give his candidacy a popular mo-
mentum sufficient to secure victory.
If Smith does not run, the bene
fit of the New York governors in
fluence in the neighboring states of
New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode
Island will be felt. Glenn Shaver,
national chairman, feels that the
entire east now is fighting ground
and that AL Smith campaigning with
John w. Davis in the east will mean
great deal to the anti-klan voters
who will. take even more seriously
the national nominees pronounce
ment against the khan, especially as
the silence of President Coolidge is
prolonged
There can be no question that
every day that the president says
nothing about the khan issue the
+, DemoCt ats are making political
gains. They construe silence here
abouts as sympathy with the khan.
They felt that way about McAdoo
last June. He would not denounce
the khan, hence lie was for it,
though everybody knew he inwardly
had not the slightest sympathy for
the society. The failure of the Demo-
cratic platform to name the klaE
specifically began to cost many
votes. When John w. Davis went
Surther than the platform he recov-
sered lost ground.
The psychology of those Republic
an voters who are Catholic and Jews
and negroes is not much different
than that of the Democrats of those
faiths. They feel themselves dis
eliminated against unjustly and any
one who remains silent on the issue
is presumed to be angling for khan
support,
Examining the situation in this
section, one cannot escape the con-
clusion that the Democratic leaders
themselves are not entirely immune
from political selfishness in their
policy about the khan. They know
that prejUdices can be capitalized
politically and they are not hesitat
ing to do so just as the Republicans
did in 1920 when they played to the
large number of Irish votes on
League of Nations questions. The
organization by the Democrats, for
instance, of negro clubs and a cam
paign committee to gather in snegro
votes is an open manifestation of
the political possibilities of the stu
alton as they are slowly developing.
1t would not be surprising if the
New York state Republican nomi-
nees for local reasons came out as
strongly against the khan as have
the Democrats. Thus far President
Coolidge has been strongly urged by
leaders outside of the east to keep
Qua the Whole tNlnS ana permit
thN$lcal tickets to handle the stu
alton ITS they please. But the Re
publicans who know the true inward
ness of the political situation in the
Empire state are not so sure that
Is SOUND policy.
If AL Smith runs, he himself will
be challenge to the lIan 1t would
appear that even if the New York
&c Irof ri Shnr-
man, attorney general of New York
safe, may seek the nomination.
Tammany has indicated that if Al
Smith does not run, It will not in
sist on a New Yorker and would not
oppose an upstate candidate. On
l. what New York state does with re-
spect to the governorShip, the out
come OF the national campaign in
Lii % will lnlAninA L. ~ u