Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-11

It has been said that the greatest as
set OF the Republican party Is the DEM
ocratic party. The cynicism is a shaft
at the Democrats well known capacity,
amounting TO a talent. for doing the
wrong thing at the right time. In 1874.
for example. they had. in the opinion
OF friend and foe alike. as fat ma
tional issue as any party in our time
was ever observation-disclosures cor
ruption in the administration then II
power. They had as attractive can
didate as any party ever nominated
for the presidency But they had. IN
addition. Madison Square Garden. II
is nearly four years since that san
culinary event, yet only now have the
bleeding and battered battalions seen
AT even To think of harmony" To
achieve II they are here, III ther hope
full hosts, this week.
Can the rift In the Democratic lutte
be mended2 The answer Is mainly in
the keeping OF one man. His name Is
William Gibbs McAdoo. VIII McAdoo.
when he addresses the Jackson day dim
ner, demand that he who was s!angh-
tered in 1924 now be reVenged by the
suicide OF his lord high executioner. Al
Smith2 Or will the Californian, In a
beau geste OF historic magnificence. call
ii quits, recognize the validity Of the
Smith movement" and summon his
once lovai cohorts to Join il in a spirit
OF party duty? McAdoo OF 1928 Is not
McAdoo OF 1924. No 500-odd votes in
the next Democratic national conyen-
ton are his, 10 have and 10 hold. But
the McAdoo influence Is not negligible.
Those whose views he personlileS, rather
than those who are now his followers.
Individually have 1t within their power
10 throw forked lightning into the DEM
ocratic heavens. And. conversely. they
can line the party clouds with silver. II
they will. IL will be weighty words
which fall from McAdoo'S lips Mt the
Jackson feast They may make or mar
Democratic fortunes this year.
AL Smith may, or may not, have made
a strategic blunder by absenting HIM
self from Washington. Opinions on that
score are AS diverse as pillows of IN,
sea. What Is positive and certain Is
that the Smith candidacy utterly dom
mates the Democratic situation in The
national committee, now assembled
here. and among the thousand and
more party leaders whom Jackson day
has drawn to the Potomacs shores
Whether men and women are Tor smith
or against Smith, they know II Is smith
versus the field at this hour. and they
recognize, AS freely. that II Is dis
,ointed, disorganized and somewhat de-
morallzed iieid
Hotel Hobbies and clubs where Demo-
Gratis are congregated buzz with eN-
plantations and specuationa m tn the
cause Of Gov. Smiths boycott OF the
harmony fest, Smith supporters de-
clare their idols absention is In full ac~
cord with his practices, Whenever hc
has run for Governor ot New York, they
recall Jealous adhcrents were uniform
ly Ia the fore with the lament that he
was not eager enough III the pursuit
of his own ambitions, They wanted
him To do this OF to do that. and Ia do
10 then, there and lheatlicaily. Smith
thinks he knows thing OF two ahou.
politics, and has aystematica resented
being stampeded into campaign tactics
Of the forward looking type. He be
lievea IL would have been rushing
things. at this relatively early stage
Of the 1923 business, 10 come down
To Washington. star III Il presidential
bench hHoW, anu MAKE d hpcctH tiab
might, or might not, have Eat well on
party chests.
Smith has Indicated pretty clearly
10 the country. HIS friends insist. that
hs h receptive candidate ioi sI'F
presidential nomination He hopes Ia
win IL, He VIII take II II II Is nnniis~
taknbly he viii ~ ihe party Ia con
yentlon assembled ana II this IL bis
and authoritative II At comes Ia hltd
early ~ the convention Smith wants
10 San Francisco 1920 forty fourth bat
lot nomination He decidedly Nsli linye
no New York 1924 i0dtd ballot nom
nation He Graves To be the patlFa
ehDIne ~ the very real sense ~ that
term, and under no other conditions,
A Smith Spokesman nov on the aeeile-s~
man 0f nnaueatinnabie authority
stands sponsor for this epitome ot The
smith 'DAyCnOlORvn Ate ss4asY -. =.