Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-22
REED hackers GRID
FOR BIG OFFENSIVE
Missouri Senator's Sponsors
Open Campaign for
Delegates.
Special Dispatch 10 Tho Star.

Special Dispatch 10 Tho Star.
KANSAS CITY. Mo, January 2l.-~
TIL" Recd-lor President supporters arc
preparing to maxi tho Missouri Senator
q formidable contender for the prcs,-
dental nomination al the Houston con-
}cnt0n.
With the opening of national CAM
Naign headquarters for Reed in Wash
inGton. about February |, with Samuel
w. Fordycc Of st. Louis, Democratic
state chairman. as campaign manager
in charge a real fight will be made for
delegates
Reed scouts now are at work in sew
eral Western States. More will be put
out later according to Mr. Fordyce. who
returned this week from Washington
after holding a conference with Reeds
friends. The Reed fight will be carried
into Is States. mostly in the West and
South, 1t is understood.
Likes Open Fight.
For some time there has been
considerable speculation whether Reed
would make an open fight OH Gov.
Smith of New York. who is generally
recognized in Missouri as the leading
contender for the nomination. 1t has
boon pointed out The Soft-pedal fight
such as now being conducted is en-
tircly new to Reed. He is accustomed
to fight with club. That has been
his political method since his first adj
vent into Kansas City politics.
This is not the way Reed fights"
Missouri Democratic leader remarked
recently. land 1t is not the way Reeds
supporters like to campaign. / would
not be surprised that difficulty may be
had in holding back some Of the Sem
ators friends. who prefer head-bust-
ing campaign to the present gum-shoe
methods"
But at the present phase Of the pre-
convention campaign for delegates
Reed leaders believe it would be bad
policy to come 10 grips with the Smith
forces The plan now seems to BE- to
hold out the Missouri Senator to the
Democrats CT the country as COM
promise between the TWO extreme wines
If the party. believing that ultimately
the Smith. as well as anti-Smi,h dele
gates may come - Rccd after the
Houston convention is dcadlocked.
Many Look to Smith.
In spite Of Reeds strength in Mis-
souri,. it Is surprising the number oil
State Democratic leaders who believe
Smith will be nominated. The general
or:ni0n among Democrats and Of some
Of the Republican leaders in wet
territory. is that Smith would be able
10 carry Missouri next November
There Is some rural Democratic defec-
ton from Smith on religion and pro-
hibition. but nothing comparable to
the rural detection on Reed in 1922.
when a candidate for reelection TO the
Senate
1t is argued among Democratic State
leaders that Smith. largely as Reed did
in his hard-fought senatorial campaign
will get sufficient wet" votes in Re-
publican ST Louis TO offset any rural
Democratic detection from him. In
ST Louis. party leaders assert Smith
will carry that city, normally 10000 Re-
publican He may not 90 that. but
leaders of both partie there admit
would be the best vote getter the Demo-
Gratis could nominate. The best poiit-
ical opinion Is that with Smith AS a
candidate for President. Missouri would
he close State. in spite Of the fact
IL gave Coolidge more than 10000
majority In 1924
Mr.. Fordyce believes the selection OF
Houston for the convention city Is ad-
vantaaeous TO Reed--at least not help
full TO the Smith cause.
The Democratic State committee
this week decided on an carly State
convention TO elect Missouris SO dele
gates to the national convention No
opposition developed 10 the sending OF
an instructed Reed delegation. The
State convention will be February %.
at st. Joseph.
Reed TO Announce Soon.
According to Mr. Fordyce. Reed will
announce formally as a candidate for
President. probably before the State
convention is held
The Missouri Republicans. who will
meet next week TO call their State con-
tcntion. are preparing for the POSSIBLE
ity OF Smith or Reed being nominated
on the Democratic ticket for President
AT the solicitation OF rural Repub-
leans. q conference was held this week
70 select ST. Louis Republican can
clGate for governor. Judge Henry S
Caulfield. wet" was chosen He will
h!c for governor Immediately, he an
nounced. Caulneid served one term In
Congress from the eleventh Missouri
district. was member of the st Louis
Court Of Appeals. city counselor Of ST
Louis and held other public positions.
He Is popular in st Louis. but not gem
orally known out State He viii full
MI the purpose the Republicans say.
Of holding IN line next November the
normal wet" St Louis vote.
r C AFFORD