Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

1dent1al nomination has been
materially modified during the
l. present month. Gov. Franklin
Roosevelt of New York is still
far in the lead. Whether he will go
on to success depends more upon one
man, ex-Gov. Alfred E. Smith, than
upon any other man or group of men.
Smiths decisive position weighs more
in this situation than any other politi-
cal force whatever. If Smith at this
moment favors the nomination of Roose-
welt, then Roosevelt at this moment is
as good as nominated. If Smith at
some future time comes to favor Roose-
welt, then at that future time Roose-
welt is as good as nominated. 1t will
not matter whether Smiths support of
Roosevelt arises spontaneously within
his own mind or whether Smith, for
various reasons, comes to the conclu-
sion that the Democrats had best take
Roosevelt-in both events Roosevelt will
be the nominee.
In all events. Smiths favor. for what
ever reason, will secure Roosevelt's nom-
nation, and Smiths open opposition, fol-
whatever reason, will prevent the nomi-
nation Of Roosevelt. Smith, together
with the other Democratic leaders who
| believe with Smith and have faith in
Smiths Judgment about party matters,
will command very much more than
the third OF the delegates. who in a
Democratic national convention are
able to veto nomination.
What Does Smith Think?
In a condition in which ex-Gov.
Smith has for practical purposes the
power to veto or to 0. K. the Demo-
cratic nomination, it is obviously i'm
portant to know what is in Smith,
| It'd INYY I1n a fin11
| the course of the party in all respects.
To make gueSseS about what Is in
another mans mind is repugnant to
any one who cherisheS intellectual &C
| curacy, or who seeks concreteneSS in
writing, or eXactnesS in the thinking
that ought to precede writing. Yet to
make assumptions about a public mans
| intentions and motives Is practice
substantially universal in political and
historical writing, and similarly COM
mon in political debates in Congress or
on the stump.
Zones thinks" or Zones believes, u
or Jones intends" or Zones wishes.
is type of phrase used with complete
| freedom by writer's and arguers who
would be surprised to the point of in
| dignation if asked to state whether
they had actually made inquiry within
the mind whose contents they so care
| Y.
motives is a matter about which the
facts reside wholly within the skull OF
the man. Often they are not known
clearly to the man himself; always they
are in the nature of the case impoSsi-
BILE to be known accurately to outsiders
With this preface, it will be under
stood that what is here said about ex-
Gov. Smiths relation to the next
Democratic presidential nomination i
1 IyvA1 Iole ~ tAof
is in Smiths mind, and is said with
recognition that Smith or any other
man has a right to be indignant al
statements which purport to express
his attitude of mind. The fact is
Smith is scrupulous to give no justifl-
| cation to persons who attribute inten-
lions or judgments to him.
Party Men Baff1ed.
Some Democratic politicians who
| have tried to find out what is in
Smiths mind about the party's presi-
Dental nomination have been bafned
| They report that when they adroitly
| steer the course Of conversation toward
| Gov. Roosevelt and the presidential
nomination Smiths manner becomes
noncommittal, a poker face veil drops
| in front of his features, his words be-
| come cryptic. 1t is safe to say there Is
no Democratic leader. and certainly nc
! newspaper writer, who has ever heard
Smith say any words detrimental to the
political fortunes of Franklin RooSe-
welt.
If there are any exceptions, they
must be confined to not more than
three or four national Democratic lead
ers of the highest rank. There may be
no exception at all. Smiths lips ano
Smiths writing hand have preserved ar
open record on the subject of Gov
Roosevelt. Smith, in short, has done
nothing which would make it impossi-
BILE for him to come out in favor Of
ooSevelt-nothing that would prevent
his fundamentally supporting Roose-
welt.
Nevertheless, as Smith must know
and every experienced politician must
know, Smiths actions, the very shades
Of his voice, the actions and words Of
his intimates are intently watched by
every Democratic politician for a sigr
OF Smiths present feeling about Gov
Roosevelt or a clue to Smiths future
actions For such signs or clues Smith
and all his associations are watched
with tie acute intelligence of success
full politicians-and that intelligence ir
the fiel3 in which it functions is as the
keen1eSs and sharpness with which the
hawk watches the ways of the bird.
Platform Held Prime Concern.
To be able to guess correctly the
present and future attitude of Alfred E
Smith toward Roosevelt is a matter
almost of political life and death fol-
nearly every Democratic politician. II
Smith is or is going TO be for Roosevelt
then Roosevelt will be nominated. In
that event 1t is indispensable to every
Democratic politician to get on the
Roosevelt band wagon. On the other
hand, 1t Smith is opposed to Roosevelt
then nearly every Democratic politician
wants to avoid or postpone commit.
merit to RooSevelts fortunes.
A summary of what Democratic poll
ticians believe to be Smiths attitude
toward Roosevelt, the differences which
they accept so fully as to chart theil
own courses by them, begin with the
conviction that Smith does not want
the nomination himself. Smith as 9
rival to Roosevelt or as an alternative
to Roosevelt is an idea that does not
exist in the mindS of any important
| Democratic leader, national or local
AS to Smiths judgment about RooSe
welt, the Democratic leaders guess con-
Roosevelt as the best possible nominee
but they guess with equal confidence
that Smith regards Roosevelt as ar
acceptable nominee.
The Democratic politicians think that
Smith is less concerned at this stage
with the candidate than with the plat
form, especially the part of the plat
form that deals with prohibition.
On this point the Democratic poll.
ticians think Smith has strong convic.
tons. They think Smith loathes the
idea of the party "straddling' on pro-
hibttion. They credit him with hold.
ing that the party should take the
completely wet position; that the plat.
form in 1882 should be as wet as Smith
himself was in his role of candidate in
1928 For a wet plank in the platform
they think Smith will fight, and fight
hard