Evening star., 1928-10-15

Events which Democratic leaders be-
lieve are destined to have a decisive
influence upon the presidential election
are just over the horizon. They con-
Germ Senator George w. Norris, Repub-
lican of Nebraska. Circumstantial re-
ports credit "the greatest living Pro-
gressive" with the intention of for
mally coming out" for Gov Smith be-
fore the end of October. Norris is un-
derstood to be delaying his pronounce
ment only until his bipartisan speak
ing campaign on behalf of seven Pro-
gressive candidates for reelection co
the Senate is ended. Then, ACCORDING
to the program now thrilling the
Democratic camp, the inheritor- -in-chief
Of Fighting Bob" La Follette's mantle
will pitch into the eleventh-hour battle
to elect Smith. Norris crusade is ap-
parently planned as part and parcel of
the Democratic whirlwind finish in the
three principal fighting areas-East,
South and West.
Senator Norris bolt to Smith-if such
there is to be-Will undoubtedly throw
forked lightning across the Republican
heavens. The Nebraskan has made TO
bones about his opposition to Hoover,
mainly on the water power issue, but to
date he has refrained from any out
right Endorsement of Smith. A fiat
footed Norris campaign on the New
Workers. behalf is counted upon by the
Democratic management to swing a
solid block of five Northwestern States
into the Smith column. These are Ne
braska, North and South Dakota. Min
nesota and Wisconsin. With Montana.
earmarked as being also susceptible to
Norris influence, they comprise total
OF AZ electoral votes. They could easily
turn the tide in close election. There
Is terror enough in such a prospect to
send cold chills running down even so
impervious spine as that of DR.. Work.
X X X x
All six of these Norris States" went
Republican in 1924, but in every one
except Minnesota, Coolidge won only
by plurality. In the other five the
combined La Follette-DaviS vote out
stripped the Republican vote. The Pro-
gresSive total altogether was l,125,953.
1t reduced to comparative inSignif1cance
the Democratic total of 336,194. If
Senator Norris could mobilize any con-
siderable proportion of the 1924 La Fol-
lette strength in Smiths favor next
month, it's plain as pikaStaff that it
would play havoc with the Hoover
Curtis ticket in the Northwest. The
Democrats are jubilantly hopeful that
this is exactly what's going to happen.
1t was 8:57H2 o'clock pm, central
time, on Saturday October 13, that the
Democratic partys ancient and honor
able position on the tariff was dumped
overheard and sunk. At that hour,
Gov. Smith, speaking at Louisville, did
the historic trick. AS matters now
stand, the Democratic attitude on the
tariff is about as different from the Re-
publican attitude as tWeedledum from
tweedledee. In particular, Smith sent
the Underwood law--the Democrats
last crack at the tariff-to Davy Jones
locker. Now that 1t can be told, certain
old-line Democrats frothed at the
mouth in Houston over the tariff stand
taken at Smiths inSistence. 1t was re-
lated that Champ Clark'S son sat in the
resolutions committee and lamented
me voting for this plank, he'd choke
mel" In other words, to go as far as
the Democrats go in hugging protection
to their bosom Is tantamount to party
treason, in the opinion Of many Jeffer-
sonianS, JacksonianS and Clevelandites.
Gov. Smith chose rather inappropriate
ground for his tariff heresy. 1t was
none other than "Marse Henry" Wat
terson who first thundered in the Louis
Vile Courier journal that slogan,
Tariff for revenue only!" which, un-
til 1928, was Democratic gospel.
X
prosperity" is bounding into the
picture with a vengeance, as the cam
paign fumes to it's finish The Demo-
cratic argument on prosperity has been
set to music by Gov. Smiths Jazz lau-
reate, Irving Berlin. The latter's an
them, which recently had a maiden