The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-20
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

body of jim Reed.
That may not stop the New
Yorker, but there is going to be
a bitter fight at the Houston con-
vention. Those who talk of nom
mating Smith on the second ballot
are far from the facts.
These and similar sentiments
come sparkling from Reeds cam
paign managers, on the return to
Washington of the fiery Missouri
Senator, fresh from his western
campaign tour.
The political wise men are not
taking much stock in the claims
that Reed will win. They are in
clined to attribute much Of the
new excitement in the Reed camp
TO the big gains of Smith in the
last fortnight, especially in Okla
homa and Iowa.
But they are impressed with the
NIissourian'S determination to chal-
lenge the leader till the last con-
vention roll call.
Reed has many enemies. But
none call him gutter, and none
doubts he can fight. He is almost
an army in himself, and never was
he more determined to fight than
now.
Reed is tremendously sincere
about this thing He believes the
big national issue is what he calls
Republican corruption" He be-
lieveS his record in the Pennsylva-
MIA and Illinois slush fund inves-
legations makes him a logical can
didate on such a platform.
He points to the Mayor Thomp-
son defeat in the Illinois-Chicago
primary the other day, as evidence
that the country wants ito clean up
politics."
Though wet, he does not want
a wet plank in the platform.
After his contact with the West
on his stumping trip, he is more
certain than ever that the success
full candidate must be agricultural
minded" must be for farm relief.
AS a Westerner himself, he resentS
and denies the popular Democratic
slogan that the party must pick a
New Yorker to win.
But jim Reed is throwing no mud
at Smith, because Of religion or any
thing else. He will fight clean, be-
cause that is his style and because
he believes he is the better candi-
Gate. Here is his argument:
The Democrats can carry every
State west Of the Mississippi, de-
pending on the candidate nomi-
mated and the platform adopted by
the party. or we can lose all but
three Of those States, depending on
our platform and candidate"
Senator Heflin, dry Alabama Dem
ocrat and arch-opponent of Cath
Ole candidates, tells the Senate he
wants an investigation of how much
money is being spent to get the
nomination for Smith.
THE common people are getting
L sick and tired of being ham
strung and hog tied" in the
opinion of the gentleman from
South Carolina, Mr.. Blease.
Don't fool yourself" he warned
the Senate, keep it up and just
as sure as God sits on his throne,
all respect for law is gone. Juries
won't convict guilty men today be-
cause they know the prosecutor
and judge are guilty Of the same
crime for which the criminal is
being tried"
Because there are so many laws
telling people what to do, they are
losing interest for the Government,
from the President on down, he
said.
A MOTHER Senate oil investiga-
/ n ton is proposed by Senator
Norris (RepD Nebraska, author of
the resolution under which the Tea
pot Dome Committee is functioning.
In a new resolution, he asks that
the same committee probe charges
Of Irregularities in connection with
leasing Of Government lands in the
Salt Creek field during the Wilson
administration.
Well-known companies are said to
have obtained their lands illegally
The field, which adjoins Teapot
Dome in Wyoming. is one Of the
richest in the country.
Similar charges Of corruption
were made by Government investi-
gators at the time of the leases.
but the Interior Department found
them to be without foundation, &C
cording to the companies involved.