Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-03
'SM|TH ATTENDANCE
At DINNER VITAL
Failure of Governor to Come
Here for Jackson Day
Would Anger Party.
by G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Gov. Alfred r. Smith OF New York.
regarded as the foremost candidate for
the Democratic presidential nomlna.
tion. must attend the Jackson day
Democratic dinner here January l.
or, in measure. affront the Demo
cratic national committee.
The ma tional committee stands spon.
sor for this gathering OF Democratic
hosts. The invitations 10 attend the
dinner have been sent out In It's name.
Invitations have gone to all the pres
idential possibilities" OF the party.
and all of them have been invited TO
speak. -- Only decltnalpnsa oi, !. the
ground of ili health or the most press.
ing personal business. 1t is said.
would be considered sufficient cause
for absence under these conditions.
Hope Smith VIII Attend.
Whether Gov. Smith IL TO attend
or not IN still ciouded In mystery, Hc-
cording 10 the best Information oh
talned here today. But the hope is eN'
pressed that he will accept the invita-
ton and both attend the dinner and
he one of the principal speakers. When
IL was first announced that invitations
had been sent Gov. Smith and other
leaders of the party. newspaper re-
norts from Albany declared that Gov.
smith would not accept; that his
policy was 10 avoid political gather
ipcs outside Of New York and To stay
on the Job of governing the Empire
State. The governor. however, was
not quoted directly in the matter.
An invitation from the Democratic
national COMMITTEES, however, may not
he 80 lightly disposed Of. The projected
dinner il to he harmony gather
ing. at the time OF the meeting OF the
uartv's national committee here. IL IL
also to he kind of dress parade OF
the party candidates for the pfes''
dental nomination. The Jackson DAY
dinner in Washington has assumed
the proportions OF Il tradition. some
times omitted In presidential years
but when held is sure OF attendance
hy all party leaders In lal., when
the party was girdihg Tor the itaS' an
of the prospective candidates Tor the
Democratic nomination came, We're
seen and were heard at considerahle
length The late President woodrow
Wilson and the late William jennings
Rryan were among the foremost speak
ers. as was also the late champ Clark.
Underwood of Alabama. FOLK OF MIS-
souri. Hearst OF New York ami others
we're uresent and were put through
their paces None OF them saw nj
To decline the dinner invitation.
Would Disappoint Democrats.
Gov. smiths absence from the Jack
son duV dinner this year would re-
moye from the list Of honor guests the
man who has heen most take" ot 'ot
tn. presidential nomination. II "oh'"
ha n disappointment to t'ehi"et"'s
from all uatts Of the country VINO ~"
10 iourney to Washington f"t tue
sutherinp not Ia mention III" "rh''
hers of the national committees F"
thcrmore, Democrats VINO aie S"p
portins the dinner as a harmony s"th'
eriug are asking how there can pe
harmony II smith Ia absent
No dnuht GoV, smiths presence nj
the dinner Wuud he interpreted as an
announcement of his candidacy i"'
the Democratic nomination, nn,raS y"
should take uCrn stnn tn dehN tha' ""
woud run for President TITS year
Hitherto Gov, Smith hhd his ftosrs'
political supporters have thsihted 'ha'
The governor WAS candidate t"f ""
office that he IL intent alone nimh
giving New York good governments
Ills boom for President under this
program of silence, which has ihclud
ed too II silence upon the sah"hai
tsa,es Of the day. has made faph'
strides, u Is quite clear that once
his candidacy IL fnrmailv announced
II II he no viii he subject of ditee'
attack tom his enenies
Gov smith, II has been reported,
IN 10 deliver q S5 900 ward message to
The New YORK; Alate Legislature,
which assemblies tomorrow, and IN
that address, tho reports have II, ne
viii take M some af the National as
wei, as state issues if he does, the
address viii he considered tho open'
ing of his campaign TOR the priest
dental nomination This In ITSELF
would smash the silenoo which has
shtouded IN some extent his politleai
p,ana " he comes Ia Washinut,,n
tn the laekann aas dinner and In hail
ed as presidential candidate, aud
delivers an address deailna with IVA
ionhl politics u Aiii teat aMaN the
AEi shteds nf The rnttain ol slunre
There have hern two aphnois nf
thnuaht amnns the supporters at tlaN
smith for The presidency, nne held
that he shauld continue his slitnee,
AMI The n,he. thai he Ahould speak
tton,,nusd on lsss b. ualumM o.