Evening star., 1928-10-19

Gov. Smith, in accordance with his
time -honored campaign custom. will
wind up his fight for the presidency in
whirlwind fashion. "Al" has always
described himself as "a slow starter, but
strong finisher." He reserves his
knockout blows for the final round
There is never any lack of punch in
them. They usually contain surprises.
Many an antagonist. who has stood up
unfiinchingly in earlier portions of the
battle, has reeled under the eleventh.
hour jabs and joltS which Smith un-
failingly turns loose. Democrats close
to the managerial throne at New York
have been limiting for some time at
certain developments" which were to
be sprung at psychological moments be-
tween now and November 6. Perhaps
the Hoover British citizenship" myth
was one of them. AS to Gov Smith
himself. nc secret has ever been made
about his closing tactics. If he runs
true to form this time, therell be a
practically incessant speaking program
during the final week, a constellation
of some of the most forceful utterances
of the campaign, and generally super
lative exhibition of the Smith fighting
temperament Massachusetts, New Jer-
sey and New York are the prospective
arenas Of the governors parting shots.
X X X
Now that the country at large has
had liberal samples of Smiths oratorical
style, opinions differ widely as to its
effectiveness. The governors partisans
naturally are enthusiastic over it. His
opponents are as naturally critical
Many of them pretend to believe Smith
has done himself more harm than good
by his radio" performances. What
ever else the governor has or has not
done, he has not attempted to be any,
thing in the world except himself. He
has adhered faithfully to his opening
pledge at Omaha, to talk understand
able English" His appeal has been to
the common man and the common
woman. Smith does not waste much
time on details of controversial ques-
tions like the tariff, preferring gener-
alitieS that he can more easily put
across" The inevitable result is a lack
of preciseneSs in statement. which in
viteS rebuttalS such as Secretary Mellon
has just given to some of Smiths econ
omy jibes. This observer has heard
from both the West and the South that
Gov. Smith acquits himself far more
faVorably before his visible audiences
than the radio public may think. His
BILLY Sundayisms," as one commenta-
tor calls them, usually score.
X X *
Smith is entitled to feel himself high
ly complimented by the fact that the
Republican national committee is send
ing its biggest guns out to trail" the
governor. Senator Borah "trailed" the
Democratic nominee through the North
| west and now the Idahoan is following
him up through the South. Next week
another G. 0. P. l6-inch cannon will
bark on the Smith trail-Charles Evans
Hughes who will begin undoing AIS"
missionary work at Sedalia, Mo, where
! the governor held forth on October IS.
A tlay later-again in Smiths immediate
wake-Hughes will be heard in Chicago.
Then, pushing the governor into his own
native lair, Hughes will talk at Buffalo,
and finally in Massachusetts, where the
Democratic leader will have been shortly
before. Borah is undoubtedly poison
| to Smith. This observer can recall no
| deadlier refutation in a political cam
| paign than the gentleman from Idaho
unlimberS every time he tackles the gov
| ernor. The radio brings vivid evidence
of the delight Borah's actual auditors
take in his solar-pleXus thrusts at al"
x X X *
| Chairman Work and the other Re-
| publican managers had their own
troubles inducing Senator Borah to
campaign in private railway car. Plain
as an old shoe in his personal habits,
and modesty personified. the Idahoan
said in effect that private cars are too
rich for his blood, and bluntly expressed
a preference for day coaches. Finally
he yielded when the committee bosses
put it on the ground of conserving his
rest and his health When Calvin Cool
idge was campaigning, as vice presi-