Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-01
Smith and Politics.

Alfred E. Smith of New York is at
work again in his most familiar field
politics. The former Governor of
New York and Democratic nominee for
President in 1923, after two years of
comparative quiet, is back in the arena
again. His entry took place yesterday,
when he nominated his friend, Gov.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, for Governor at
the Democratic State convention of
New York. His address to the conven-
ton was typically an Al Smith address.
The kind that the people of New York
have come to know and applaud There
was comedy and fight running all
through it.
Mr.. Smith indicated in his address
that he intended to be very active dur
ing October in the political campaign.
Outside of New York, as well as with
in its boundaries, the former Governor
said, he would have abundant oppor-
tunity to deal with the Republican ad-
ministration. 1t has been reported that
Gov. Smith would go into Massachu-
sets to deliver one or two addresses
for the Democratic candidates for Gov
ernor and Senator in that State, State
which deserted its allegiance to the
Republican party two years ago and
gave its electoral votes to Gov. Smith
He is slated to speak during the cam
paign over a national radio hook-up in
the interests Of the Democratic party
generally.
The former Governor of New York
clearly indicated in Syracuse yesterday
that he has lost none of his facility
for public speaking The crowd roared
its approval of his sallies. He waded
into the Republicans and sought to an
swer their criticisms of the Democratic
State administration. He chided the
Republicans with going only part way
in their right-about-face on the ma
tional prohibition issue.
The prohibition issue, source of
weakness to the Democrats in their 1928
presidential campaign, is vastly diff
ferent thing for the Democratic party
in New York. 1t is quite clear from the
speech delivered by Gov. Smith yester-
day and from the utterances of Gov.
Roosevelt that the Democrats intend to
cling to this issue, even in the face OF
the Republican platform declaration for
the repeal Of the eighteenth amend
ment. The Democrats have sought TO
make their own platform far stronger
in their demand for repeal. The general
impression prevails in New York, how
ever, that the Republicans have by their
adoption of a repeater platform and the
nomination of Charles H. Tuttle, who
demands repeal, effectually taken this
issue out Of the campaign.
How far Gov. Smiths incurSion into
politics this month of october will take
him remains to be seen. Much will de-
pend upon the reception which is given
to his campaigning in the national field
Roosevelt today Is the most-talked-of
presidential possibility of the Demo-
cratic party for 1892. But there is the
chance that Gov. Roosevelt may not
make the grade in this election; that
ne may be defeated by Mr.. Tuttle. If he
should suffer such defeat his chances
for the presidential nomination would
shrink greatly.
Everywhere during the present year
Democrats who deserted the Smith
standard in 1928 have been disciplined
by their party associates. This has been
true in the South particularly. There
are followers of Al Smith who insist
that were he to become the Democratic
standard bearer again in 1882 he would
fare far differently in all parts of the
country than he did in 1928. Gov.
Smith has never said that he would not
be candidate for President again. He
has declared, indeed, that any man who
undertook to say what he would or
would not do several years in the future
was fool.
--s-SNS-A--