Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-26
AL SMITHS TOUR
OF WEST WATCHED
AccIaimation Accorded Gov
ernor in Milwaukee and Chi
cago May Be Significant.
BY ROBERT t. SMALL.


CHICAGO, June 26.-Gov. Al
Smiths tour of the Central West
has started a torrent of political COS
sip. The New York chief executive in
sisted he came West merely on a va
cation and to spend a couple Of his
vacation days at the Eucharistic Con
gress OF the Catholic Church. During
his stay In the West the governor re
ligiously refrained from discussing
politics. No end OF adro.t questioning
could make him break this rule.
Nevertheless, the governor moved
In Il political atmosphere. and wher-
ever he went there politics went also.
Gov. Smith stopped off In Michigan,
rested" here in Chicago for two days
and half. journeyed to Milwaukee to
spend six hours. and then hiked away
to Columbus. Ohio. before entrsining
for the return trip to Albany. 1t was
rather a strenuous vacation, to say the
ieast-a vacation interspersed with
conferences. which at another time
would assuredly have been called po-
litical.
Has Wisconsin Support.
lined trip for Gov. Smith AT this
time he could hardly have made a bet
ter selection. Michigan. Illinois. Wis
consin and Ohio are four States from
which the governor might have a. rea-
son TO expect support for the presi-
dental nomination in 1928. This is
especially true of Michigan, Illinois
and Wisconsin. AS a matter of fact,
the governors visit to Milwaukee was
quite generally put down as an ex-
preston Of his gratitude for the sup
port the delegation from that state
gave him at Madison Square Garden
in 1924. He won the Wisconsin pri-
maries that year and his supporters
in the State are getting ready TO back
him again two years hence.
The State Democratic commit ee
will meet in Milwaukee next week
10 devise ways and means of getting
back the official ballot of the State
for democracy has been Al rather
low ebb in Wisconsin. where the
real battles are between the La Fol-
lette and regular" wings of the
Republican party.
In no place publicly on his tour
of the West has Gov. Smith men
toned politics. But 1t has 81 hap
pened that his visits To the Central
States have conceded with a tour of
the Far West by Judge George w.
Olvany, chief of Tammy Hall. who
has been nominating" AL at every
sta ton along the road. Judge Olvany
saws the governor will run again this
Fall for his fourth term at Albany
and Their will "Go on to triumph"
in 1928.
Hailed as Next President.
1t also happened that while he
was in Chicago Gov. Smith was
hailed everywhere by his fellow
| Catholics as the next President OF
the United States He Just smiled
| the famous Smith smile at all these
! illusions and dismissed the subject
| forthwith. Despite the rather vocal
optimism of Judge Olvany. Gov.
Smith still has his doubts about ever
getting that nomination. Although
the governor made a speech i'm Chi
cago in which he thanked God that
New York was free OF biogotry" he
| sun feels there is enough of preiu-
! dice left against Catholics to nre-
vent one of the faith being names
| Tor the presidency two wears hence.
| In spite of this the governor did nor
hesitate to take advantage of the
f-ucharistic Congress publicly 10
proclaim anew his LOYALTY and love
for his church.
neither ii had political sienifca nce
or not. Gov. Smith while here was
entertained al luncheon which call
Ell together just about the most in
! nuentlal men of Chicago There were
Repuhllcans as we'll as Democrats
among them. There was. for instance.
samuel insult. the gas. electric and
traction magnate: John Hertz. of Vel.
| q
the Board of Trade and the famous
wheat corner" John ]. Mitchell and
others of the big ten" bankers. Ogden
Armour. Edward A. Cudahy and Louis
! +. Swift. who needed no identified
ton. and Mayor Dever and former
Mayor big Bid Thompson. The
luncheon was at the exclusive Chi
cago Club.
| Has Large Following.
Afterward Al Smith went walking
and shopping. Everywhere he was
followed by a crowd There were
more people to meet him at Milwaukee
than there have been Democrats in
that neck of the woods for long
time.
They "sized up" AL quite closely out
| here. They commented on the ap-
pearance of his clothes. which were
cut 'in the New York manner" and
Immediately worn. They looked
somewhat askance at his walking
sticks, which are not much affected
/ i'm this section.
| But they liked his smile and his
breezy style and they learned to shout
'Ar' at him-and he said he was
coming back sometime when he had
longer to stay.