Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-04
Politics at Large

The national political campaign Is
In the making. There Is talk today
about what the managers, the chair
men Of the Republican and Democratic
national committees, may or may not
do. In the final analysis, the cam
paign will revolve around, and to
very large extent will be managed by,
the heads of the two tickets, Herbert
Hoover and Gov. AL Smith. Mr.. Hoover,
for example, has reputation for abil-
| ity as an organizer and administrator
! second to none In this country. Gov.
Smith Is accredited with great ability
as an administrator and unusual po-
litical acumen It Is not likely that
either OF them will relinquish to any
very great extent the direction OF their
campaigns for election to the presi-
dency.
The Hoover preconvention campaign,
as results have shown, was no ILL
managed affair. The Smith precon-
vention campaign-beginning months,
and even years, ago-had all the ear
| marks of political genius. There was
never time at either convention when
there was real chance of stopping"
Mr.. Hoover or Gov. Smith. = Is
| noticeable, even at this early date, that
Republican leaders in the farm States
| of the West are lining up for Hoover
and Curtis, and that for the most part
the Democratic leaders In the dry
! South are getting behind the Smith
Robinson ticket. Brookhart Of Iowa
Smiths carrying that farming State
Is at a low ebb. johnson of California.
1t has been announced, will take the
stump for Hoover, and California ap-
pears SO safely In the Republican col
umn that 1t would be courageous
Democrat who suggested that Smith
had chance there.
Borah of Idaho made his position
very clear at the Kansas City conven-
ton, where he had no small part in
framing the platform along dry lines,
anti-corruption and farm relief. He Is
a tower of strength in a campaign.
Some of the leaders of the farm organi-
cations are declaring that the Demo-
cratic agricultural plank is superior to
that of the Republicans. But those
who are Republicans have yet to an
nounce they will undertake to support
Smith rather than the Republican
ticket. They have their own con-
stituencies to consider and their own
influence among the farmers OF the
Middle West.
| Up in Wisconsin, which has been a
hotbed of revolt against the Republican
Old Guard for years, Senator Robert
M. La Toilette, jr., is to run for re-
nomination on the Republican ticket.
The probabilities are strong he will win
| the denomination and that his name
| will 60 on the Republican ticket. 1t
| does not appear at all credible that
| Senator La Toilette viii ever declare
support for the Democratic national
| ticket under such circumstances or that
he will commit himself to the Tammany
head of the Democrats. A La Toilette
/ on the Republican ticket will do no
harm to the Republican cause in the
election next November.
Turning to the Democratic side of
the picture. the leaders In the South
| generally have announced their sup
| port OF Gov Smith for President and
| Senator Robinson for Vice President.
| They do not intend, Ii they can help 1t,
1 that the Democratic party shall be dis
rupted further. Gov. Dan Moody OF
| Texas, who because of the dry senti-
ment in his own State held the fort
longer than any other leader Ia the
| Houston. convention for the adoption OF
/ a plank in the platform committing
| the party to the eighteenth amendment,
! Is getting into the Smith band wagon.
/ Josephus Daniels, dry-exceedingiy dry
and Secretary of the Navy under Presi-
dent Wilson, has announced his support
of the Smith ticket Il has long been
| understood that Senator Simmons,
leader for 80 years of the North Caro-
lima Democracy. once Smith was nomi-
mated. would function with the organi-
cation In support Of the party national
| ticket. Pat Harrison OF Mississippi has
gone back home to work In the interests
Of Smith and Robinson and doubtless
! will be of much value to the ticket In
the coming campaign.
So far there has been no suggestion
| from Republican leaders or the ranks
| OF the q. q. p. that any, of the Re
| publicans who resisted the nomination
| OF Mr.. Hoover, either because they were
| for the nomination of some other cam
didate or because they believed In the
McNary- Haugen farm-aid bill, are TO
| be 'ousted' from the party Indeed
! the plans OF the Republicans are very
different. They will seek to show the
disgruntled Republicans OF the Middle
ana North West that their real hope
! of farm aid lies with the Republican
party and not with the Democrats.
/ From Democratic sources, on the
| other hand, comes a declaration that
! Democrats who do not see At to sup
/ port Smith are to be thrown out OF
the party. An Associated Press report
from Dallas. Tex, quotes Jed c. Adams.
Texas Democratic national committee.
man, as saying that Democrats who do
not support whole -heartedly the Smith
| ticket will find themselves out of the
| Democratic party and In the Repub-
| lican In the Lone Star State, 1t hap
| pens that In Texas. where Smith was
| nominated. there are several Demo-
cratic leaders-among them Tom Love.
| former national ommitteeman--who do
not approve the nomination of the New
! York governor, and who say so. Mr..
| Love is a candidate for nomination as
| lieutenant governor. The Texas pri-
| maries, under these circumstances, will
be followed with interest. This decla-
| ration OF war against anti-Smith DEM
| ccrats does not appear to be good poll
| ties. Whether It will be encouraged at
Albany remains TO be seen. The Demo-
Gratis have sought harmony assiduously
| this year, and to q remarkable degree
| were successful at Houston. II they
| are to start fighting among themselves
| all over again In the coming campaign.
what matters the supreme effort at the
| national conventions?
y
Owen d. Young OF New York Is
mentioned prominently as the probable
selection OF Gov. Smith as his cam
paign manager II Mr.. Young can be
prevailed upon to accept the job. the
| Democrats will indeed no forfvpata