Evening star., 1928-05-06
SMITH FOESFACE
VIRGINIA SETBACK.
prys Have Fight on Hands to
Dictate instructions at
State Meet.
Nr..,sl n.srsleA = = s..

Npstssl DssrsttA 80 The star.
RICHMOND. Va, May - Anti
eaA>on League leaders. who hsve an
rounced that they viii ask the State
Democratic convention az Roanoke 70
instruct The Virginia delegation TO the
Houston convention 20 vote against
smith. Reed and Rltchie. may have
greater fSht on their hands than they
expected. u now appears resSonaoS
certain thst such resolution WOULD De
defeated. ana there is now q possibility
that a resolution inStruclng the dele
sat.on for Smith would be adopted. In
oicauons are. however. that the dele
satlon will be uninstructJed.
OpnanertS Of Smith are likely to fnc
themselves on the defensive, whereas
until lately they have been on the o.
ienSive. Straw ballots conducted oN
Richmond an6 Norfolk newspapers for
the last few weeks have shown. IN each
instance. such an overwhelming smith
sentiment that even the supporters OF
the New YORK executive have been sur
p-ise6.
Even more significant is the rlSlns
tide Of Smith support IN the ninth con-
gresslonal district. which takes III all
Of southwest Virginia and IN which
more votes are cast than IN several
other congressional districts OF the State
combined.
outSpoken for Smith.
Il Wise County. which casts the
heaviest vote Of any county, political
leaders. such as John W. Chalkley.
State Senator; Judge r r. Parker,
member of the House Of Delegates. and
Charles Davidson. commissioner OF the
revenue and chairman Of the Demo-
cratic party IN the county. have within
the last week been outSpoken in favor
Of the New York Governor.
In quoting these leaders. Crawfords
Weekly q newspaper of Wise County.
gives the names Of business and pro-
feSrinnal leaders of the county who
have openly declared for Smith. and
Eavs: "Bascom Slemp Virginia Repub-
iicsn lesderl doesn't know his Wise
County any more. He recently pre-
dlcted that Smith need not expect any
support IN Virginia"
OF all the leading citizens quoted by
the paper. only two. both Methodist
ministers, stated that they we're op-
posed 70 Smith. and one Of these said
t14GL AZ EARSSACO C2-AA4A X 1C uULl4lld bSG
an6 elected.
Although It vas generally believed
that the 'unoercover' campaign
against Smith on account of his relig-
tous faith would initiate against the
candidacy Of the New York man. the
contrary seems TO have been the case.
much TO the surprise Of Smith men as
well as Smith opponents. The religious
issue campaign seems TO have awak-
eze6 sympathy for Smith even in This,
q strongly Protestant State.
Popular Outburst Seen.
Prominent Virginia Democrats of the
KIND who usually direct the actions of
the State conventions have been figur-
ing how they could secure an unln-
structed delegation 10 Houston and In
ci0entally defeat the Anti-SaloOn
League resolution instructing against
wet candidate II now seems cutie
possible that the entire matter may be
taken out OF their hands and that by
. popular outbursf the Virginia dele
cation NAV be instructed for Smith.
Only few Of the counties have vet
elected their delegates 10 the State
convention but in the List Of those so
chosen il is noticeable that men who
because OF wet" or independent lean
tnFs have been tabOoed as delegates In
the last u wears are again emerging
E1to the political irnelignt.
r. l. c. BARRET.