Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-22
OWEN GIVES FIERY
REPLIES TO SMITH
Denies Charges of Bigotry.
Says Nominee Asked His
Aid in 1924.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ATLANTA, Ga, September 22.-For-
mer Senator Robert l.. Owen of Okla
homa on his arrival here late yesterday,
replied to Gov AL Smiths charge that
he was "insincere" in his opposition to
the Democratic presidential nominee
with a declaration that he never had
Disseminated against a man because
of his religion" and reiteration OF his
attack on Tammany Hail.
At the same time Mr.. Owen repeated
his denial of the New York Governors
charge that he had sought Tammany
support for the presidency in 1924 and
said that instead, Mr.. Smith had SOli-
cited his assistance with the Oklahoma
delegation in his memorable contest
with McAdoo. in the Madison Square
Garden convention.
Replys in Statement.
His reply to Gov. Smiths attack in
his Oklahoma City address Thursday
night was made in a formal statement
to newspaper men shortly before his
scheduled address here last night. The
statement, in part, follows:
alfred E. Smith at Oklahoma City
charged that my opposition to Tam
many and to the Tammany candidate
was IlOI uuE W ILIC III
record of Tammany, or to his being
his religion. With some violence, he
charged me with false pretenses and in
sincerity and charged all others of like
opinion with the base motives.
My answer is that no man in the
world has ever heard me say an I'M
kind word about the Roman Catholic
religion. My father was a Roman
Catholic. My brother-in- is a
Roman Catholic and my lawyer is a
Catholic. I never at any time in my
public life Disseminated against a man
because he was Catholic or because of
his religion, whatever it was.
Raps Corruption.
IT oppose Alfred E. Smith because I
regard him. as product of a corrupt
political system; I believe that the
Tammany system is, as DR.. ParkhurSt
has recently said, organized corruption.
Gov. Smith charged me with inSin-
cerity when 1 declared for Hoover and
expressed by discomfort with the Tam
many candidate. He told the country
that I approved Tammany in 1924 and
sought his assistance in having Tam
many support me for the presidency. I
made a courteous reply at the time
that he had an inaccurate memory.
Il was not candidate in 1924. I was
on the delegation instructed for Will
liam G.. McAdoo, which supported him
to the end. The idea Of Tammany sup
porting me was preposterouS and Gov.
Smith must surely himself have known
1t, because his patron, Charles F. Muir
ply. refused to attend the Jefferson day
banquet in New York because 1 was an
y nH1I L. Il
posed and denounced Tammany. When
Gov. Smith met me in the hall of the
Manhattan Club, New York, when he
was engaged in his contest with Nc
Adoo. he solicited my assistance with
the Oklahoma delegation and I did not
solicit his support with Tammany."
Letter Is Quoted.
In support of his assertion that Gov
Smith solicited his assistance, instead
of him asking the executive for support,
Mr.. Owen quoted a letter written him
September by Charles T. Lark, New
York attorney, whom he said was with
him when he and Gov. Smith met in
the Manhattan Club.
1t follows:
Dear Senator Owen:
Replying to your letter, beg to state
that Gov. Smith spoke to you in the hall
of the Manhattan Club in 1924 1t was
only short interview. He solicited
your help for him with the Oklahoma
delegation and he was at the time
fighting McAdoo. I was there with you
the entire time and certainly know that
you'd not solicit his support for your
self"
owens denied Smiths assertion that
he was a "bolter." Il deny I'm boil
ter" he said. I'm one of millions who
are victims of bolt by Al Smith. Al
Smith is the bolter"