Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-16
Politics at Large
By e. Could Lincoln.

tee of so to obtain the convention mas
been appointed by the chairman OF the
Democratic state committee. CnarIes
III. McGlue. President Andrew ). re
ters of the Chamber of Commerce, for
mer mavor, is head of the committee.
The Massachusetts Democracy, atter
It's victory in the senatorial eiectioH
last Fall, In which Senator David l.
Walsh defeated William NJ Butier
chairman of the Republican natlona'
committee, has put added enthusiasm
and life in the party there.
Most of the Democrats appear, now
ever. intent upon going into the MID
die West for their next national meet
ing. Political twistPrs are more 10
be feared in the East than in the land
of the tornado and cyclone. Judging
from what happened in New YORK IN
1924. Nevertheless, the interest OF
Boston in obtaining the next Demo
cratic convention serves TO indicate
further the determination OF the
Northern and Eastern Democracy not
to be sidetracked or ignored by the
Democracy of the South and the West.
The Democrats of Massachusetts would
support Gov. Al Smith of New York
for the presidency with vast en-
thusiasm. They want the chance, If
they can have it, just as the Demo
Gratis of New Jersey, Rhode Island,
Connecticut and other Northern and
Eastern States want such a cha nee.
Al Smith is a man after their own
hearts. And he is wet.
4
The Democrats of the South, who,
after all, are the backbone of the par
ty in national elections and i'm the Con
gresS, must sooner or later determine
whether they will seek to win by a
combination OF the South with the
West or by a combination of the South
with the North and East. The West
is dry. 1t Is clsmOring for kind of
farm relief legislation which the East
has been unwilling to give. The North
and East are wet, so far rs the Demo
cratic party is concerned. The Dem
ocrats of the South. and, indeed, of the
entire country, have been kept away
from national victory now for almost
a decade. They lost the control of the
Congress and then lost the presiden
tial race. The Republicans, despite
Democratic attacks, Teapot Dome and
slush funds. have ridden along to vic
tory year after year. There is grow
ing feeling among many Democrats
of the South that perhaps AL Smith
would make a better run than any
other candidate they might put for
ward. The huge electoral vote of
New York and the stable electoral
votes of New Jersey and other States
where Smith is particularly favored
are not lacking in appeal.
X
While the Democrats are bordering
what they shall do about AL Smith or
a dry candidate, nice little rumpus
is brewing among the Republicans
over the same wet and dry question.
Senator Borah OF Idaho and DR..
Nicholas Murray Butler. president of
Columbia University, are scheduled to
debate the issue in Boston April s,
under the auspices OF the Roosevelt
Club. The debaters are to discuss q
proposal to place in the next Repub-
iican national platform plank ad-
vocating the repeal of the eighteenth
amendment. Politicians of the Repub-
lican political faith here in Washing.
ton scout the idea that such a plank
could be adopted. The party, they in
sist, is overwhelmingly dry. But DIR.
Butler Is out to moisten it, il he can.
The very fact that Senator Borah, an
outstanding figure in the party and
one OF the Senate's greatest debaters,
has agreed to join the issue with him.
has given DIR. Butler a chance for
greater publicity in this matter
The Republicans are anxious TO
keep away from a row over prohi.
bition. They like to consider that the
question is now "out of politics." at
least so far as they are concerned,
though they view with no little salts
faction the Democratic struggles over
the wet and dry. So far, with the
exception of DR.. Butler, both wet and
ri lnoA fy1 hA
are expressing the conviction that
President Coolidge is the logical
candidate of the Republicans to sue
coed himself. Former Senator Wads-
worth of New York, whose wetness
contributed TO his own defeat by
splitting the party in the Empire
State last Fall does not agree with
DR.. Butler that Mr.. Coolidge should
or will take himself outside of the
presidential race in 1928.
The independent Republican com.
Imittee of New York, which supported
State Senator Franklin w. Cristman,
a dry, for the Senate against Senator
Wadsworth, is prepared to go ahead
with its opposition to any wet Re.
publican candidate for governor or for
United States Senator, if one or both
State" are a determining factor in
New York. They must be lined up
solidly for Republican candidates il
the Democratic majority of greater
New York Is to be overcome at the
polls. X
A declaration in Detroit by Senator
Jim" Reed of Missouri that ne is
tout of politics" caused some little
surprise when 1t was reported in
Washington. The growth of the boom
for Reed for the Democratic presiden-
tial nomination in 1928 has been one
of the political marveis of the last IL
months. 1t is true that last year SEN
ator Reed announced he would not be
a candidate to succeed himself In the
Senate Perhaps 1t was with that
declaration in mind that he made his
statement in Detroit. II am out of
politics. so / can speak impartially. !"
Senator Reed has the old-fashioned
idea that in the case of the presi.
dency the Office should seek the man
and not the man the office. There Is
no reason why in 1928 the office
should not seek Senator Reed: why it
should not seek a man who is out of
politics as well as man who is in
them. Furthermore. unless he resigns
in the meantime, Senator Reed does
HoL lcdNo tAC oCHdtC uHliI MdTCn =,
1929 And whoever heard of a SEN
ator who was entirely "out of poll
ties?
The direct primary. is under fire in
New Hampshire, where the State SEN
ate has already passed bill to modify
the law, and the matter is to come to
vote soon in the House. In brief.
the proposed amendment OF the law
provides for party conventions to
designate party candidates These