Evening star., 1928-11-04


and into. the heavenly canopy where
sunbeams bathed the earth
i And now there followed an episode
tinged with rare drama One factory
whistle blew small yelp, and then a
mighty blare burst from steamboats,,
factories, engines and autos. StenOg-
rapherS deserted typewriterS, mechanics,
firemen and spike drivers emerged from
all the Sooty crevices and amidst the
deafening din of the whistling chorus
cheered and hurrahed the Happy War
rior. AL looked out on those grease
stained faces the sledge-hammer
men the spike drivers, toil-stained,
grim-faced and muscular. A hundred
white handkerchiefS f1uttered from CT
| flee windows. And when the train left
| the yards the mighty symphony was
heard as faint whisper, and all that
could be seen from st. Nicholas was
the giant column of steel rising on the
site of the new State Capitol Building.
It was q mountain of steel girderS.
THE governor is in great health"
his personal press representative an
nounces to the press. @-s
x X X X
THE New England reception was
surely one of the most awe-inspir-
ing events in the history of campaign
ing. From start to finish there was a
generation of spontaneous enthusiasm
that served to move all the many who
lined the long parade.
With his affable manner and brown
derby raised aloft the people saw the
| nominee seated on an autos folded
umbrella. Children knew no bounds
or leashes to their youthful wild jubi-
lation. It was continual CAL" as If
prodigal son had returned from the
Jaws of death. God love him, our
AL" cried a high school girl in high
| glee.
The cops themselves joined in the
demonstration and forgot their duty
of keeping boys off running boards and
bumpers. The youngsters swarmed like
| armies of ants and it is one of the
miracles of Stumping that none of them
was reported killed.
New Englanders never forgot them
selves so completely as when the Happy
Warrior waved his brown bonnet and
marched down highways connecting
half dozen cities.
AS the train passed along the New
York, New Haven g. Hartford Rail-
road waiting groups of townsfolk gath
cred at the smallest hamlets, franti-
cally waving flags, banners and home
made posters. A reverberating blast of
whistles and locomotive bells rose from
all sides.
For the nominee and his retinue the
visit to Boston was more massacre"
than tea party" Leading the parade
down BoSton's historic Milk street and
the Common, the governors car was
the target Of such powerful crush
that the motor was stopped and brakes
applied. During most of the parade
the motive power was human.
Arrived at the Statler Hotel the offi-
cial party was separated. Mrs John
"A. Warner, the governors daughter,
was lost in the jam of humanity. Be- |
tween her and the entrance was a. wall |
OF packed people. She appealed to d |
policeman: I'm AL Smiths daughter.
Can you get me back to his party?"
Bunk" exclaimed the blucoat. "Ain't
heard that same speech 80 different
times today?"
In the great Arena that night, the
Happy Warrior stood before $4,000 full
throated rooters and slipped nonchalant-
ly from a glass of water When he
waved his hand it was the signal for
those admirers to swell the chorus un-
whistles in New York Central round
house.
A snapshot of Articulate AL in action
shows his massive jaws working with
crunching motion. Rubber-like muscles
line the belligerent mouth. He can
throw venom and deep sincerity in
speech. His powers of oratory are in
finite and it Is hard to say what effect
he would have on an audience were he
disposed to exercise his full talents.
AS microphone artist he is more
unruly than Hoover. AL is used to a
stage, and fCrgetS himself SO much as
lerieS and then at the sides. He can
not be made to talk directly In the tym-
panum.
In his youth he was an actor and,
coupled with his long legislative expert
ence, fully understands the subtleties of
votcing rhetoric effectively. His speech
is rarely smooth. He makes frequent
pauses for effect. And at other times
hangs his sentences together so close
ly that he will permit no opening for
an interruption by applause.
The hilarity at AIS political rallies
always necessitates a word of censure.
The Happy Warrior reprimands impolite
| members at the beginning, and with
| such 'hrmneSs that there is no inter-
ruption aside from the usual applause.
| He will say:
Now, If the orators in the gallery
will allow me to talk, I'll listen to them
| later"
A LTHoUGH not inclined to be too
informative, Al is a good source
| OF news at press conference. Certain
| questions he refuses to answer. Some
times he confesses ignorance on issues
| and does so bluntly. He is always at
ease, yet strictly on guard. His an
swers are very carefully spoken and, to
/ insure that he will not be misquoted, an
expert stenographer records the whole
proceedings, supplying newspaper men
monographs.
The governors first lady feels wor-
ried over mobs. Somebody might get
hurt, she says. Notwithstanding the
months of hard travel. Mrs. Smith looks
as fresh as her Happy Warrior.
II haven't missed one of his cam
paign speeches for 25 years." she told
the press. And it doesn't matter to
me whether he gets in the White House
SO long as I am with him always"
| While on tour she calls her Albany
family every night by long-distance
phone.
Asked whether the whispering cam
paign hurts her husband, she said SIM
ply, why, no, never think of it,"
Mrs. Smith says little. She would
rather have the governor do the talking,
for, In his own language, Il am not SO
silent myself"
Stumping with the Quaker Engineer
is less strenuous than with the Happy
Warrior. First, because Hoover makes
fewer addresses, and, secondly, because
they are written far enough in adj
vance to give the newspaper man
ample time to write his account at
leisure. Whereas, the Happy War;
rior's eloquence is first dictated by him
to a stenographer, frequently at the
eleventh hour and under high pressure
Notes are then transcribed, mimeo-