The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-08-21
Smith Bitterly Attacks
Whites Immoral Char6e
Declares legislative Record
Satisfied People Of Own
State
Denounces Editors Utterance
as Unfair, Unmanly, Un.
American
nv n HAROI.n OLIVER
(Associated Press Staff Writer

\AS0OC0tS0 CIeSS 0VoAI WIJtS1/
Albany, N. Y, Aug. 2l.-(R-
Democratic legions swarming into
Albany from all sections Of the ma
tion to see their new leader Official
ly notified Of his presidential nom-
ination tomorrow night, today found
Governor Smith calmly waiting his
hour Of triumph as well as the reacs
ton to his sweeping counter thrust
at critics Of his long record in the
New York legislature.
Clearing his desk FOR the moment
Gus event, the governor made public
detailed reply to William Allen
Whites charges that he favored the
saloon and was lenient towards
gambling and prostitution in his
votes on q long list Of bills while m
assemblyman-an answer which he
said must be considered final.
Declaring his legislative record
"as an opponent Of immortality is
fixed and secure" and that he was
satisfied thu people Of New York
state did not concur In the "slander-
Gus attack" the nominee assailed
the Republican National committee
for ''openly associating itself" with
q matter L. regarded as personal.
Raps White, Straton
He aimed the rejolnder principally
at the Kansas editor, but he intend
ed it to apply to his other critics, in
GLIDING DR.. John Roach Straton,
New York Baptist minister, who has
charged the governor with being the
greatest foe Of the forces Of moral
progress in the country today.
After taking up each bill covered
by White, the nominee denounced
the whole thing as unfair, unmanly
and un-American," and added
II have the satisfaction, however,
Of knowing that it is not concurred
in by the people Of my own state
who have year after year expressed
confidence il me, notwithstanding
that large part Of this matter here
in referred to was laid before them
in the past by agents Of my political
enemies"
He said he was "glad to have this
matter out of the whispering stage
and put in the open." He regarded
it as purely political" and said
"when the campaign begins do not
propose to have the issue Of that
campaign befogged by controversy
over irrel' Mt things, such as the
discussion Of my votes - . .legisla-
tor some 20 or more years ago"
CYiticizes Allen
mo one in all Of the 25 years Of
my public life has ever dared to
make the vile suggestions which
emanated from Mr.. White" with the
approval Of Henry J. Allen, publicity
director of the Republican National
committee the reply continued. Then,
referring to Whites cablegram from
Europe denying he had "retracted"
his charges as to gambling and COM
mercialized vice and which Governor
Smith said was given to the newspa-
pers by the committee as an Official
release" it went on:
Tackling first Whites charges
dealing with liquor measures, Gov
ernor Smith said there had been "a
deliberate attempt" to show that
"my votes dealt with . far greater
number Of so-called liquor bills than
in fact they. did," that the intent Of
many had been misrepresented, and
that almost invariably Republican
leaders had voted as he did on them.
As to commercialized vice, the
governor took up his vote against
q bill introduced first in 1919 and
which proposed to regulate the rent
ing Of rooms in hotels. this measure,
he contended, was "unquestionably
unconstitutional and unavoidable"
All Of the gambling measures re.
ferred to by White had to do with
race track betting, the governor said.
explainin.: that he had voted with
Governor Hughes against them, but
later, at . special session. voted
"the othe- way" as . protest against
the "unjustified action Of the gov
ernor in calling the legislator. back
into extraordinary session after the
matter had been fully thrashed out
and disposed Of at the regular ses-
ion.