The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-05-27
West out
TOF|CHT
SMITH
McAdoo Forces Talking of
''5iII" DeVer as Run
Ming Mate II
By WILLIAM HARDY

by WILLIAM HAKD.'
The Democratic National Con-
vention, which will meet in New
York four weeks from today, is
headed toward an outright clash
on the subject Of race and re-
ngion.
Several candidates have deputed
special assistants in their camps
to watch over the race and re-
ligion issue and to try to find
out the best way of dealing with
it on their behalf.
Hearts Set On Smith.
1t is frankly recognized now that
the Irish Catholics Of the North
have set their hearts in numerous
cases SO intently upon the nomina-
ton Of AL Smith, that failure to
nominate him will seem to them a
deliberate slight.
They note, and say, that except
on the subject Of wet versus dry,
nobody seems anywhere to have a
bad word to say about Smith,
AS man, he Is almost universal.
ly esteemed and admired in East
and West and South and North,
according to all testimony reach
ing the National Capital.
His friends point out, moreover,
that he Is not criminally wet, He
believes that the Volstead law
should be amended, but, whether
amended or not, he believes that it
should be enforced.
He believes, 1t is true, that the
enforcing OF 1t should be done by
the Federal Government and that
lids enforcement should not be
duplicated by the States. That Is
hie full position. He is for having
the Federal Government enforce it's
Federal laws and for having the
9tate governments enforce their
State laws.
His friends therefore claim that
re Is Just as much a law enforce.
ment person as anybody in the
country. They then inquire:
Smith Himself Placid.
Why all this opposition to him?
What is it but racial prejudice and
religious prejudice? Why should
this universally popular person be
rejected. Are Catholics under a
political disability in this country?
Most 1rishmen are Catholics. Does
1t mean that no Irishman of the
dominant religion among Irishmen
can ever aspire to the White
House?
AL Smith himself takes the cues.
ton placidly and even humorously.
He Is known to have remarked not
long ago to an enthusiastic woman
political admirer who was urging
him on toward the Presidency
my dear lady, 1t will be a long
time before anybody tells his beads
In the White House."
His followers, however, take the
question infinitely more seriously.
Dlsaffection among them is grayely
feared II Al Smith is not nominated.
It Is especially gravely feared IL
McAdoo should get the nomination.
The Irish of New York have
particular dislike for McAdoo
through their principal political
organization, Tammany Hall. If
Smith is turned down and McAdoo
put up, there might we'll be, in GER
tain circumstances, crushing de.
feat for the Democratic Presidential
ticket in New York, and triurn.
plant victory for the Republican
party and Coolidge.
New York Perilous.
Since New York means forty.fivs
electoral votes, this situation be.
comes perilous in the extreme.
Many expedients for meeting Il
have been brought forward. 1t
has been pondered over especially
by the McAdoo followers, who will
be by far the largest single ele.
ment In the convention. MANY
Of them have gone SO far as to
make advances toward northern
Catholics for the ticket Of enc
Adoo and Smith,"
1t happens, strangely enough.
that McAdoo, although so violently
hated by Tammany Hall, has prob.
ably more Irish Catholic support
In various and numerous sections
OF the country than any other
Democratic presidential aspirant
except Smith himself.
Thus there are many suitable and
easy avenues of communication be.
tween the McAdoo camp and the !
Smith camp, and for some time
now there have been many efforts |
toward reaching an understanding /
between the two camps and even |
toward the idea of putting McAdoo