Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25
New York Governor Over
shadows All Other Candi-
dates for 1923 Nomination.
RELIGION SEEMS RIAL
BASIS OF OPPOSITION
Hope Expressed in Some Quarters
That Governor Will
Quit Field.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY &. GOULD LINCOLN.
The Democrats OF the South and the
North. OF the East and the West,
within a few weeks must get down 20
brass tacks on the question oS presi-
Dental candidates. The period of
drifting. of waiting and hoping for
something TO turn up" is nearly
over. Hitherto many OF the party
leaders have insisted upon seeking
| harmony and have contented them
selves with talking issues.
The real issue in the Democratic
party today however. is its candidate
for President in 1928. Il is an issue
| which disrupted the party in 1924 and
may do so again in 1928. And the
issue, in the final ANALYSIS. is Gov.
Alfred Z. Smith OF New York and
what he stands for.
The Democrats must either take
Smith or fight him. Many Of them.
who do not like Smith, have become
convinced that the best they can do
is TO nominate him. That IS what is
helping the candidacy OF the governor
today.
Fear Ruin of Party.
But there IS another group OF Den!-
ocratic leaders who believe that it
| would ruin the party for the next
generation 20 nominate the New York
governor. And in that group is 10 b.
| found a feeling that the governor
should take himself out ot the race.
that he should eliminate himself. as
did his old opponent, William Gibbs
McAdoo.
The latter group insists that the
fate OF the party IS in the hands of
the governor himself-that By with
drawing he can save il from diSSen.
sion and prevent a religious contest
such as this country has never seen.
Ii is not beyond the bounds that
strong appeal will be made 70 the gov
ernor 10 take just such a step. Fur
ther there are those who feel there
| is possibility he will see the way
clear 10 eliminate himself.
| Gov Smiths supporters pooh pooh
/ the suggestion that he would retire
/ from the race. They believe he VIII
! be nominated and elected.
/ or the three schools % thought on
| the Smith issue among the Democrats
! he group which believes that the mos
practical way OF dealing with the sit
| u3tion Is 10 permit the nomination OF
Smith Will perhaps determine the mat
ter Democrats who belong 10 THAI
group ask:
What ether Democrat could carry
| New York. Massachusetts,. Rhcde
Island. New Jersey and Connecticut?
They believe THAI Smith would have
a chance os carrying those States.
They believe no other Democrat would
have such chance. They believe.
too. that no Democrat. Smith or any
one else, would have a chance OF
carrying the West against the Repub-
llcau nominee. whoever he ulight be.
They plan 10 join the Democracy of
the South and the East in the COM
ing campaign. and hope 10 pick up Il
few States in the Middle West and
k'ar West. They point cut tha; VII
liam Jennings Bryan. nominated by the
democrats in the hope os uniting the
West 20 the pvnocEat!c party. failed
utterly. Why bother with the WsS:s
they say.
Religion Arou>es Opposition.
Those who oppose. and will oppose
10 the end the nomination % Gov.
Smith. declare thar his religious az
rItgatiOn. his membership III The CathO-
Tic Church. Will prevent both his Rom
iuStion and election. They say that he
$ eligible. hut nor available. Under
bfiE NNllSkAt kE&kA4l lSkA% f$AkE - ES -
holding office III the United States.
But they make wide distinction es-
tween eligibility and availability. \
head 81 the Mormon Church. they
said. would Re eligible fer election ~
the presidency X ne met the VS0Q,re-
UentS ot axs and citizenship kSyst
they maintain he would rot bS avail.
able"
Much cE she vocal opposition ~
4.
fact that he has ecrn Net. t>us tEse
real, eaS<c re>sS'a ~ the SpU,G'S ~,
position ia ttuni IN the tacg ne Is Il
C.tFhcl!c, Southern Democrats WILL al.
mir thiS tH private conversation.
\ bid for yarty harmony jS - be
made when the NcIat<yA<sc ra{sEua}
cculsoigtrc meets here january - ~
pick convention Cisy ami - ser -
date tcr she National CVHNeasicn.
The committee mas StRt i&NtsAtStlsS
~ party leaders the Ccustvy over ~
attend a laCkSNn iSy dinner ~ the
same date. 10 hs given AZ the May
rower Hotel where ths sessions ~
she cVnstt,tttee are - Re held. Sus
II - clear there can Se ts~ party car~
mony uati either Gov, Sutth t&ASS
himself voluntarily eGt ~ tho Ea>c
Ir she presidential nomination ev
the opposition - the SeNSrneg deter
stAktfS& ~ zN NA44NM EtRtsts kkNGN. kksf&
and StnAeT, IL neither alternative -
chesen, there will ia ao hSVtieaN
And thoys are naSuy Who ecl!eVv shAt
even II Smlta RON declared asnS<}s
a0t ct the rtcvs the WoWuas M0Gtd
sstn ~ too sgtNag e. permit AavaaeoN,
The ku klNN NIan, Which tAV~uSa
lts Imperial wtsaCi. Hiram kNAnS.
has now declared open Mar ca Gov.
Smt(h'S oominattoaa. Ia show tpg s11NrS
and nNre activity In many ~ <he
states The Man, tntee~t has svtav3
npon the nNSStnthsN cf SrNgth's NnGu-
snattnn tH sSNgNN itself, Nr kNao~
article 1uSt pUeltshed III WNvdS
Work attacking GNV, SmttA he>VsuSS
he IL a Catholic. Is A stSNAN SkSo
ot the religious contest wNtSi, IS ~
cetoe it tAe aaherepts eg Gov, S1utta
persist In kseptes him tN the race
for the nomination. and Vt tee st,n
Srs'ater nsAt Whtch viii enSue II he
- the party nNmtnse tor President
Religious f~luatee yAeAsreaa.
The Khan attaek deuNtlsSs WiN
ereNe a e<semerauk tn some quarters
here its attempt ~ aeteat tAe seN-
srnar on rSllg totlS gT<sNaIs Mkn BE
resensed, kut apaetl>luS tAe cpgSe
sitian IT, liex, StNtth - yvltg t>sl1s
pee tudiNsA aod rehgleus pgetuatVS
taahea atNANs Coz bitter alvusSleA
The belief Mas eNerSSsel here Nv
SanAN NemNVratse headers shAg u1sAeas
the situation changed. Smith weAA
- lNta the convention Wtsh - etA-
-. a .N,k.s.....