Evening star., 1927-10-14
ROOSEVELT HITS
SMITHS ATTACKERS
Democrat Tells Woman'S Dry
Group Governor Is Not for
Notification"

Branding of Gov. Al Smith of New
York as "nulliicationist" by the Ma
tional Womans Democratic Law En-
forcement League has drawn from
Franklin D. Roosevelt, former Demo
cratic candidate for Vice President, a
sharp reputation of the campaign
launched by dry insurgents within
the party to defeat the Smith presi-
Dental boom.
IF Gov. Smith should happen to be
the next President" declared Roose-
welt, his record as an administrator
of the laws of the State of New York
gives every indication that as Presi-
dent he would far more effectively en-
force the existing Volstead act (esti-
mating it still to be the law of the
lan6) than the present Republican ad-
ministration, under which bootleggers
thrive as never before"
Mr.. Roosevelt made his views
known to Mrs. Jesse w. Nicholson of
Chevy Chase, Nd, president Of the
Dry League, who had sought his own
opinion Of law enforcement as a pos
sible presidential candidate"
Is Not q Candidate.
"I am not a candidate" replied
Roosevelt, "and l see no possible cir
cumstances which will make me a
candidate in 1928"
The former manager Of Gov. Smith
at the last Democratic convention took
exception to criticism of the'New York
governor contained in the Woman
Voter" publication of the Dry En-
forcement League. In his communica-
ioIa Io NH
lie here, he said.
'I hope that you will not intimate
that Gov. Smith is opposed to law en-
forcement. There has been a lot Of
nonsense written about notification.
1t goes without saying that Gov.
Smith is just as much opposed to
notification as you or I are.
II cannot agree with your article
in the Woman Voter Neither can
thousands of drys who live in the State
OF New York. Neither can thousands
Of upstate Democrats. who do not and
never have belonged to Tammany
Hall.
You know that there is an awful
lot Of rot talked about New York, !"
Roosevelt continued. "I have Travelled
extensively OF late and do not hesitate
to say that there is more consumption
of distilled liquor per capita in most
Southern States and In some Western
States among the white population
than there is in upstate New York,
and even in New York City itself.
Mrs. Nicholson Is Firm.
"I hope that the Woman Voter will
continue to seek law enforcement, but
l hope that it will be fair and not
make misstatements of fact in regard
TO New York or New York's goy-
ernor." Roosevelt concluded.
In replying to the c. .nmunication
Mrs. Nicholson declared that the dry"
Democrats of the country had no
intention Of letting up in their cam
paign against Gov. Smith or any other
wet" Democratic candidae for the
presidency.
'Am sorry you do not agree with
the Woman Voter as to Gov. Smiths
relationship to prohibition and law
enforcement" she wrote Mr.. Roose-
wet" d locrat candidate for the
different piont of view on this sub.
ject based on what it believes to be
his record and on the intense partisan
support Of the governor by the wettest
Of the vets and by the self-confesseG
nullifcationists.
"Of course. the vets wish a wet
candidate and the drys certainly wish
a dry. The jority will win and
the Woman Voter is engaged reso-
lutely in marshaling ma jority for
some dry candidate and first for dry
delegates.
Holds Smiths Nomination Impossible.
ut regards the proposed nomination
of Gov. Smith as not only utterly i'm.
possible, but its effect will be to
disorganize and defeat the Democracy
in the 1928 election over the wet and
dry question and by arousing religious
bigotry, and keep the Republican ma.
chine in power.
IF the great object was Demo
cratic success, the promoters behind
Gov. Smith would withdraw and make
the work of the Woman Voter, the
w. c. 7. U. and kindred organizations
unnecessary"
The National Woman's Democratic
Law Enforcement League, organized
here last Spring, has formed brancl. es
in practically every strong Democratic
State. Pledged to oppose the candi.
dacy of any wet Democrat, it has
directed its attacks mainly against
Gov. Smith and Gov Richie of Mary.
land.
The league gained Slight notoriety
recently when it's publication, the
Woman Voter, innocently ran afoul
of the United States lottery laws in
conducting slogan campaign through
the mails.