Evening star., 1928-05-28

An outstanding fact connected with
the congressional investigation Of pri.
mary expenditures in the national cam
paign is the testimony from q small
group of wealthy men that they con-
| tributed to the Smith funds because oi
| good win toward the candidate. This
| phase of politics, 1t Is indicated. sur
| prised many commentators. who accept
| it as sincere If unusual altruism ana q
| tribute to the governor. Others. how
| ever, are prone TO doubt the purity OF
these philanthropists' motives.
"A man must have something TO him
| to inspire such friendship" exclaimS
the Roanoke Times independent DEM
| ocratic). He must have personality
/ for one thing. But he must have moro
| than that. He must have character.
| sincerity, qualities Of heart and OF mind
that inspire loyalty, than which there
| Is no finer human quality. Evidently
| AL Smith has those qualities. His friends
! think so, at any rate"
| Here apparently is an instance" ac-
| cording to the st. Louis Post Dispatch
| independently, "of q romantic, almost
| idolatrous friendship that finds its luSty,
| Joyous reward In the sheer act OF Civ
| ing" That paper. however, giving sert-
| Gus attention 10 the policy involved. re-
marks: Whether IL conforms with
| sound public policy for any man 10 give
such a large sum OF money $4,000
from William F. Kenny to furthering a
friends political ambition may be de-
| batable. We know that the public
ordinarily views such generosity with
suspicion There is . feeling that 1t is
not so much donation as an invest
ment: that 1t is the price or omctai
favor. say, or material privilege. we
do not believe that anybody imagifles
Mr.. Kenny is actuated by an utteri1r
motive"
what a fine thing it Is to have
friends Of the type OF those who have
come forward to aid Gov. Smith. who
re ioice in his success and are anxious
10 help I'm putting him into the most
exalted once In the gift OF the people
of the United Statesl" says the Scran-
ton Times (Democratic). while the
New York Times independently refers
these contributors stated willingness TO
give even more as another demonstra-
ton to the country that there Is sone-
thing unusual about the personality OF
Gov. Smith: that he has proved N
four terms as governor, that he does
not exchange public favor for private
friendship" In comment on the Times
attitude, the Norfolk Ledger Dispatch
independent Democratic) states. This
does no more than Justice to Gov.
Smith, I'm whose record. despite the
most intensive scrutiny, no hlemish
has yet been found"
while AL Smith was sacrificing
golden opportunities, literally" It Is
pointed out by the Louisville Times
independently. some Of his friends
who, like him, had the ability which
brings men TO the top, from the bot
tosH became muitimilllonaires, II Is
not surprising that they continued TO
be- the friends-warm friendS-of a
man whose capacity TO make friends is
notable. II Is not surprising that some
of them. among them Kenny and Todd.
want to give large amounts to Gov.
Smiths campaign funds, Regardless
of whether Gov. Smith Is destined TO
be President of the United States, he =
pre-eIninent In the present generation
as selt-made American whose making
was not m0ney~making. He Ia unique
as q man long I'm the public service
whose record and reputation are such
that when Self-made multimillionaires
offer large sums TO promote his eandi-
daoy they are not looked upon as being
on the max