The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-26

TO TURN over
PARTY TO AL
He Will Be the Platform as
Well as Nominee and
Sole Hope.
TRY OUT A NEW MOSES
Leave Smith Free to Shape
Issues in His March to
Promised Land.
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
United Press staff Correspondent

United Press STAFF Correspondent
HOUSTON. Texas, June ga
blank check nomination is to be
handed to Governor Alfred E. Smith
at the Democratic national conven-
ton opening here today.
He will be able to go into the con-
vention a relatively free man so far
as any action of this convention is
concerned.
The nomination is to be made
Thursday or Friday at the latest.
It will be preceded by platform
discussion which appears somewhat
important now but which will soon
be forgotten.
The fact is that the. Democratic
party is choosing Smith for it's can
didate, platform and sole hope.
Prejudices Suppressed
The dry South and West which
has followed. Bryan for a political
generation has no sympathy with
some of the things Governor Smith
stands for. 1t was dry long beforo
the country heard of Andrew ].
Volstead. Governor Smith believes
the Volstead act was unwise. The
South and West strongly disagree
with him.
The South and West has been
educated to view Tammany Hall
with suspicion. Time after time the
Great Commoner with the cheering
Democrats of the prairies at his
back has defed and defeated Tam
many Hall in Democratic national
conventions.
Now this large section Of Democ-
racy is suppressing such prejudices,
beliefs and principles and is falling
in behind a man whose outlook on
life is in many respects alien to its
own.
Democratic leaders like Governor
Moody Of Texas, Senator Harrison
of Mississippi, Senator George OF
Georgia and Senator Robinson OF
Arkansas, differ fundamentally with
Smith but they are prepared to &C
cept him here this week and to
campaign for him this summer.
Free Hand to Be Given
Some say Smith is taking the
nomination by default, because of
a lack of any leader capable of
Selling the mantle of the late
Bryan.
On the other hand, the section of
the party which massed behind
William G.. McAdoo four years ago
and held him close to a majority
through 403 ballots while beating
down Smith, has dropped McAdoo
by its failure to gather around an
other candidate. 1t has permitted
the nomination to gravitate toward
Smith. In other words it has
decided to give Smith trial.
The South and West could have
blocked his nomination by holding
367 votes out against him. That they
have not done this is proof that
they have tacitly decided to let him
have his chance.
With this chance goes e freer
hand than the party had usually
given its candidates.
Apparently Smiths hands are not
to be tied on prohibition, the most
fundamental political issue between
! Smith and the western democracy.
He is not to be bound by a plank
opposing modification of the Vol
stead Act.
He will be free in the campaign
to shape this issue as he chooses, If
the convention adopts the platform
plank now in prospect.
Writing Own Platform
Smith not only will write his own
platform on prohibition, but he will
write it on corruption, revision of
election machinery to insure more
honest campaigns, and on water
power, the economic issue which is
heading toward an important po-
sition on the political stage.
The party has wandered helplessly
for the last eight years quarreling,
stumbling and laundering. Now, in
desperation, it has decided to sign
over its power of attorney to new
figure, somewhat of an alien to a
large section, but a man whose per-
sonality has inspired sufficient con-
hdence to win this important trust.
Under these circumstances the
sweltering hosts in Houston are
about to fall in line. They have
called in a Moses.
But woe to him If he fails to
make the Promised Land.