The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-05
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY
NTAsH1NGTON, Oct. 5.-wha


WTASHINGTON, Oct. 5.-What
w has become of that Smith
attack on Republican foreign policy
about which there was so much ad-
vance ballyhoo at convention time?
Why hasn't it materialized?
Two groups of politicians are
trying to find answers to these
questions, the G. o. P. strategists
and a Democratic minority.
Smith has run out" on the for
eign policy issue, critics in his own
party charge.
Two possible answers are sue-
gested. Either Smith has discoy-
cred that he and his party leaders
are not as far from accepting the
fundamentals Of Republican policy
as he originally supposed. or else
he has decided that the admins
trations foreign record is not sufl-
GENTLY unpopular with the voters
to make an attack expedient.
apart from such speculation re-
garding the cause of Smiths atti-
tude, it is a fact that:
l. After starting out with a plat
form and an acceptance speech
which made foreign policy a major
Issue, the Democratic candidate has
campaigned for six weeks almost
completely ignoring the subject.
Z. The Democratic party is split
over foreign policy. Smiths run
ming mate, Robinson, is part of the
wing close to the Republican posi-
ton, as shown by Robinson's record
while Democratic leader of the
Senate. This split is also revealed
by the conflicting views of such
Democratic leaders as Senator
Walsh of Montana and Senator
Reed of Missouri
CMITHS original COMPLAINT
~ against the administrations rec
ord, and criticism which was ex-
pressed in the Houston platform.
may be roughly exressed bv the
word imperialism. It was on this
alleged basis that he objected to
Republican policy in Nicaragua and
the Caribbean countries generally.
Another name for this alleged
imperialism is dollar diplomacy"
And now Smiths critics within the
party ask whether his general bid
for support of big business" exem-
plified by his public appeals and
appointment of Raskob of General
Motors as his campaign chief, means
also that he has developed new SYM
pathy for the protection of Ameri-
can foreign investments which is
the basis Of Republican policy in
Central America?
Concerning American interven-
ton in Nicaragua, Haiti and other
Caribbean countries, it is recalled
that this policy was at its height
under President Wilson and under
Assistant Secretary Of the NAVY
Franklin Roosevelt, whom Smith
has just picked as New York guber-
material candidate.
Party leaders are now irving tn
get Smith to devote one or more
campaign speeches to committing
himself irrevocably to his accent
ance speech pledge:
L personally declare what the
platform declares: Interference in
purely internal affairs of Latin
American countries must cease and
l specifically pledge myself to fol-
low this declaration with regard
to Mexico as well as the other Latin
American countries"
n
THOUGH these critics appear
L most hopeful that Smith viii
reState again this general position.
IL now seems improbable that the
candidate will pledge himself 10
immediate and unconditional with
draWal of American marines from
Nicaragua and Haiti.
Smiths party is split also over
the kellogg multilateral pact to
outlaw wal with reservations, which
is expected to be ratified by the
next session of the Senate. This is
recalled in connection with Smiths
campaign failure so far to deyelop
his apparently critical attitude, ex-
pressed in his acceptance speech
Then he supported all "reaP'
steps toward arbitration and out.
lawry of war but deplored the res
ervationS of this and foreign gov
elnments which materially i'm
haired" ey1cb traa +iee