Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-08
SMITH STUMBLING.
BLOCK IN VIRGINIA
Appears Popular Choice,
but Enemies Exert Heavy
Pressure.
Special Dispatch to The star.

to the presideDlidl nOfn5HdIiOHs ~ 10
thought that ma jority n
the rank and file Of the Democrats
the state favor the noni-
nation Of Gov. Smith of New York
At The same time, there II every iDdt-
cation that the political leaders Of the
party I'm Virginia desire Gov. Smiths
When the views Of the
and the masses coincide
as TO a nominee, IL would be natural
to predict that the candidate so Ia
vored would receive an instructed
from the State.
Nevertheless. as a Iong-range fore.
cast, IL looks not only like the States
will not be instructed for
Smith. but that IL will actually be In
structed against him. The reason for
this is that the Smith support in this
State is not organized, while oppo-
nents Of the nomination Of the New
York executive are orga nized In that
they are functioning through the
An,i.Saloon League. the ku klux
Khan and allied fraternsi organizs-
tions, and various church associations
and conferences.
Hungry for Patronage.
Political leaders. the men who sit
behind the scenes and control the cleo
ton of delegates to the Democratic
State convention. are disturbed over
the situation. They are rarely con.
cerned about issues Politics Is busf-
ness with them. They have been
barred from the Federal pie counter
for q long time and they are hungry
for patronage. Most Of them at heart
favor the nomination OF Smith, he
cause they are confident that his noni7
nation means Democratic victory,
and they fear that the nomination OF
any other Democrat means only H
repetition Of the campaigns Of James
NJ Cox and John W. Davis. .,
Smith sentiment among these lead
ers fairly dubbed six months ago. de-
spite their efforts to restrain them.
ca ndidacy so far in advance They
talked some to their friends and this
talk was favorable to Smith.
Lately there has been a change
These leaders are sim. very still. They
yet hope that Smith will be the
party's nominee. They would Ike IN
give him the vote of virginia's deIegs-
ton in the national convention and
50 place themselves in position for.
political preferment in the event that
he Is elected. but they fear TO do 50.
Pressure has been brought TO bear
on them In some instances. pledges
not TO support Smith have been ex-
acted from them. In. general. how
ever, the pressure has been OF an in
tangible kind. They have been made
to feel that any aid given the Smith
cause by them viii cause such a re-
sentiment that they will he men mark
ed for punishment. This has taken
the heart out Of them
No Political Test. .
While IL seems that majority II
the rank and file Of the Democrats
OF Virginia favor the nomination az
Smith. IL is possible that the situation
in this respect Is more apparent than
real There has been no political test
In this regard. Straw votes Ia this
state have Indicated . preponherant
smith sentiment. much larger than
can really Be the case. hut straw
votes are Of doubtful value.
What causes this writer to believe.
that Smith Is favored by the larger
number Of Democrats in the state il
that no other candidate Is being ZEN
orally discussed In the hotels. trains.
buses. country stores and other phacps
where men talk. IL Is rarely that Won
hear the suggestion OF any ether mar,
than Smith. This situation mae
change at any time. Opponents ~
smith may unite upon a candidate.
rms may lead To open expressions In
favor OF such q eandidares The Smith
support In Virginia at present Is suf-
1erinE from lack OF q definite cam
paign orka nixataa. The 1nti.Srnith
movement in this State is suffering
from lack Of agreement onI an anu.
Smith candidate.
This much now seems virtually
certain. Unless headed ei0 hy q
miracle OF political STRATEGY. there
win Be presented at the Skate con.
vention resolution tnstructinx the
states delegation To the national CON.
venticn To vote against Gov. Smith.
Gov. Ritehss and Senator Reed. Those
behind this resolution do not care 80
much about an instruction against
Richie and Reed, hat these names.
will be included 50 as 10 give an APP
pearance OF consistency 10 their
claim that they are fiSlttiuS Smith
heraase ot his sn,i.prehieitien views.
rather than because ~ his religious
belief.
Religious Question. :.
As matter fact. the war that Ia
being waEcd on Smith In Virginia Is
mainly because he il Roman
Catholic In private. conSersa ton.
everyone admits that. His Religion
gtveS his foe&. in state raascalfy
Protestant, \ powerful weApcn. Save,
The Nation frosn neress" Is a. mech
\ rastying cry In Virginia to-day as
Il MAS in EnStsnd wears AxSN
There has eeen little discussion q
The RepNhiicaa presidential Sstastjea
IN Virginia. asiaeN perhaps. h<caNSs
there are rev Republican newSlap~ss,
IN the State, The parts, OUTSIDE cg,
sne congressional asstrtet, the ninth,
has not nesn In aghting shape in
TOR many wears. aud eNen
IA the ninth district IL has ksst rs
asst three congressional SAaslAasgns
after 70 years Of Republican swers.~
sentAtian by o. Rase0sn Saesap ANA
,ss father Campnell SseMp How the
state Delegation viii vote IN the
City convention viii ~ ~.
ertnsned entirely hS the vNNstttaa
which g. kasceM Steasp and csheF
Marty headers take At the State c>a,
tSatecn er SUBSEQUENT thereto
ore M the Rassst Is<easaeas SeposN
isanS Vt the state said tc me 4 few
lsNS axNs
We are w In the air t'yeSitteat
',eoltlge se~,ns Differentiated nes ~ ~
candidate amt has asked that IN
Wishes b reSpeStesA hsS ttect>soa
ipset rs and the sltIeatlNa han ret
cleared Secretary hNeseF aPsseAFs
% have the sAeat, thessNh NOT active,
'arpast az the Administrations heSsNeF
NAY Ne aNr eAeasNsA hUs Il il easNec
~ early 10 tell
r. T. G RANRETr,
as=s~ss4~
ARSON CHARGE DROPPED.
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