Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-20
The Flies in the Ointment.

The Kansas City and Houston con-
ventions both left sore spots. Repub-
iicans and Democrats alike are expert
encing a certain amount of discomfort
4herefron. Out in Des MONIES the
corn belt committee, which includes the
leaders of 81 farm organizations of the
Middle West. has denounced the farm
plank of the Republican national plat
form and has spoken unkindly Of both
President Coolidge and the G. o. P.'s
nominee for President. Mr.. Hoover,
While the committee did not declare
for the election of Gov. Smith. its reso-
buttons can only be regarded as friendly
IN the New Yorker. This action on
the part of the corn belt committee Is
characteristic of the canker in the Re-
publican party in some Of the Middle
Western States.
The Democrats may look with glee
to Des Moines and the corn belt COM
rnittee, But the smile is on the other
side of their faces when they look to-
ward Asheville, N c., and Texas. where
the Southern dry Democrats are up In
arms over the manner IN which Gov.
Smith and his campaign manager.
Raskob. have interjected the wet ana
dry issue into the campaign, with the
Democratic national ticket pledged TO
the wet side. The dry Southern Meth
odists and Baptists have just met in
North Carolina to devise some means OF
keeping the Democratic party straight
on the prohibition issue. Many of them
are out-and-out against the election OF
smith as President. There is PROBABLY
stronger feeling among the Southern
dry Democrats against Smith than
there is feeling among the Republican
farmers of the Middle West against
Hoover
So far there has been no indication
that a third party movement VIII De
undertaken. Neither of the disgruntled
groups is anxious to split the opposi-
ton to Smith. on the one hand. or to
Hoover. on the ether The indications
are. indeed. that the battle viii be
fought out along the lines now develop
ing, with Smith representing the wet
and Tammany view, and Hoover repre-
sentine the dry and Republican side OF
the issues involved.
The farmers Of the Middle West,
reuresented By the corn belt committee,
may not like Mr.. Hoover. but there IS a
lingering doubt in the minds OF many
observers whether they ike Gov. Smith
any more. The Democratic farm plank
which the corn belt committee has now
Endorsed merely says that the party,
il placed in power. viii give earnest
consideration to the principles under
lying the McNary- Haugen farm biii'
which President Coolidge vetoed ana
which Mr.. Hoover has opposed. II
makes no pledge that 1t viii support
those principles. The Republican ma
tsonal convention more frankly went on
record In opposition TO those principles.
and did so Overwhelmingly. The Demo
cratic nominee for President has not
hesitated 70 throw into the discard the
Democratic plank regarding prohibition
and TO substitute plank of his own,
now backed up By his campaign man
ager. Perhaps the Republican farmers
of the West may have their doubts about
Gov. Smith and the farm plank OF the
Democratic national platform, In view
Of the cavalier manner In which ne
tossed aside that other plank.
Il is early in the campaign, too early,
% predict with any real degree Of Ger
ta.nty what the results Of the election
viii be. But there is good reason to
believe that, notwithstanding the action
Of the corn belt committee and the ac-
ton Of the Southern dry churchmen at
Asheviile, the farm States Of the MID
die West will be found in the Repub-
lican column and the States OF the
solid South will in the end line up for
Smith. The race issue in the South Is
more potent, and has been for years,
than any other An Al Smith makes
mighty little appeal 10 the Republicans
Of the West