Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-17
The Roanoke Convention,

The strength of the anti-Smith DEM
ocratic organization in Virginia is to
be tested tomorrow. At Roanoke the
Democrats who bolted their national
ticket in the Old Dominion are to meet
in convention. They must decide
whether they will put a candidate fer
governor of their own in the field.
whether they will return to the old
party allegiance and support the cam
didate of the regular Democratic or
ganization. or whether they will form a
coalition with the Republicans and sup
port Republican nominee for governor.
The strength of the anti-Smith senti-
ment in Virginia last year was amazing
to Democratic party leaders. Further
more, it was we'll organized-so well or
ganized that on election day the State
went against Alfred E. Smith and for
Herbert Hoover by more than $4,000
majority. The anti-Smith leaders up
to the present have been unwilling to
have anything to do with the national
party organization, which they claim
is still dominated by former Gov. Smith
and by his selection for national chair
man of the Democratic committee, John
J. Raskob of New York, pronounced
wet. The anti-Smith Democrats in
their opposition to the former Governor
of New York have included Virginia
Democratic leaders who gave their sup
port. to Mr.. Smith after he was NOM
mated for President. They are after
the political scalp of the regular Demo-
cratic organization of the State. Their
problem is to find the most practical
method of achieving their end. Many
of them, perhaps nearly all of them,
desire to remain Democrats. They wish
to purge the Democratic party, they
say. If possible, they wish to nominate
one of their own members for governor
and bring about his election over the
Republican nominee, If the Republicans
put UP candidate, and the nominee of
the regular Democratic organization.
The Republicans of Virginia, who, al
though they have never had a ma
jority, have an appreciable vote in the
State, are DESTROYS of strengthening
their position in Virginia. They have
no hope of winning the gubernatorial
race unless they can have the support
of Democrats who voted with them last
Fall for Mr.. Hoover. Their problem is
to bring about union between them
selves and the Hoover Democrats in
support of a regular Republican nom
inee for governor or to join the Hoover
Democrats and support a candidate
from the ranks of the latter.
The regular Democratic organization
of the State has been saying little for
publication about the anti-Smith Demo-
Gratis. 1t does not wish to see the split
IN the party broadened or mad6 perma-
nent 1t would gladly welcoms a return
OF the anti-Smith Democrats 70 the
party fold. 1t realizes the danger to
the regular organization which would
come from a real coalition between Re-
publicans and anti-Smith Democrats.
whether that coalition was supporting
Republican nominee or an anti-Smith
Democrat for governor. It's hope is that
the opposition will be split on election
day, with the Republicans following
their own candidate and the anti-Smith
Democrats following their man. Under
such circumstances, however, they must
face also the danger of Democratic
split of such large proportions as to
enable the Republicans to win the cleo
ton. The convention at Roanoke, there
fore, is filled with political dynamite.