The Daily Alaska empire., 1928-01-11
Gov. Sm.,i, s Silence.
tNew York World.)

Gov Smiths strength among the Democratic politicians has increased greatly within the last few months and there is general disposition among the prophets and experts to eoneede that he can be nominated They seem to be right It is less than six months to the convention, and six months are a very short time in which to rally an opposition which is now dsheartened and divided and to find candidate sufficiently strong to cut down Gov. Smiths immense lead. Ii probably cannot be done.
 The growth of Gov. Smiths strength is due in considerable measure to recognition or his virtues in some measure to the confusion o1 his opponents, in some measure to general feeling that the Democratic prospects for 1928 are noor and that he is a good gamble in some measure to his protracted silence on national is- sue sand the careful work of his active support CTS in exploiting that silence. This situation might be good enough if the political campaign ended with the nominating conventions. It does not although the Democrats often find this hard fact to remember They become so absorbed in the pre-eonvention fight of the factions that they rarely have breath or energy left to wage campaign against the Republicans
 Now Gov Smith is much too important 6gure in American life to be wasted on mere struggle for control between different factions of the Democratic Party. Unless he can pc nom mated under circumstances which put nm lhto a nositlon where he wage an effective cam naian against the Republicans, it would be much better that he should not be nominated at all There is of his running 1T he S not eer- tain of the united and enthusiastic support of inc whole Democratic Party There is no use his running if, as his advisers are now Insisting, he must muffle and deaden the impact of the issues with which he is identified Gov Smlth is great campagner. But nationally the Demo- crats are normally the minority party They start every campaign with the handicap ol havlhs at least 10 per cent. less votes than the he- nublicans No campaigning, however brilliant, no personality, however magnetic, can overcome tbis lead if part of the Democratic organization sulks in it's tents and if the candidate In order to obtain the nomination has to compromise hls beliefs.
 The great questions before Gov. Smiths sup norters is not how to obtain the nomination at any price but how to obtain it under conditions which will permit him to make good use of it. The first thing do, in our opinion IS to dlspei inc impression created by Gov Smiths silence that he will take the nomination at any price, The way to dispe that impression is for the GOV ernor to break his silence and speak out ciearN on the larger domestic and international ques- tions His record in New York and his person. alty are enormous assets But they are not a nlatform They have made him nationally known. put they have not made him national leader. Continued silence may help him toward the nom nation But if persisted in it will make paa nolitical situation and bad impression It VIII he interpreted as shrewd politics. Ana pohtlcs which is too shrewd is no longer good poitics' And if is not statesmanship.