Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-11
Favorite Sons Among Obstacles
Yet to Be Crushed by Roosevelt

the platform completely wet. 100 per
cent wet These leaders will COM
mand-as respects this one question,
though not as respects the nomination
"a full half of the delegates. And as
respects platform, the majority rules.
The time will surely come when the
Democratic leaders who think this way
will demand heart-to-heart talk with
Roosevelt. They will ask him il he,
with his following in the convention,
Is wiling to let the platform be as wet
as the wet leaders want it. They will
ask him If he is willing TO take the
nomination on a platform thus wet.
Roosevelt's answer TO that question
will be important. If he SHES away
from having the platform wet, many Of
his own delegates may step out from
under him. The very heart of Roose-
velt's strength, the big delegations that
Is extremely wet-New York, MaSsachu-
sets, Pennsylvania. Refusal by Roose-
welt to be as wet as these wet States
wish might lose him the most loyal OF
his supporters.
Unless-and this Is distinctly possible
unless the wringing wet leaders and
the wringing wet delegates should con-
! clude that success Is preferable to wet
ness, that getting a Democrat into the
White House is more desirable than any
particular brand of wetneSs in the
convention meets next June, the pros
! pect seems distinctly favorable to
Democratic success in the ensuing
election. in that event the vets who are
now determined to have a 100 per cent
wet platform, may lose their ardor In
the prospect Of party success, and may
abandon their fight for a wet platform
in the interest Of avoiding a party row
In politics, prospect Of success, expecta
denaturant Of convictions, however
strongly held.
The other alternative. dangerous "a
/ Roosevelt, lies in the possibility of the
/ wet leaders demanding that the plat
form be completely wet and of Roose-
! welt consenting If he consents to a
wet plant, plank as wet as Chairman
RaskCb has been planning, in that
event the New York Governor will en-
counter serious OBJECTIONS in the dry
/ South. Most of the Southern dry lead
/ ers favor Roosevelt and substantially all
! of them are willing to have him as the
candidate. Many indeed are enthusiast
| tic for him, They know he is wet, but
| not extensively wet. If. however, Roose-
welt under pressure from the agrees
sive wet leaders in the Northern cities
! should consent to have the Raskob wet
/ plank in the platform-that would be
! extremely disturbing to the spirits OF
/ some Of the Southern dry leaders now
! loyal to him.
| There is one other danger ia
/ Roosevelt, comparatively small one
/ Apparently the money question" i,
| likely to figure in next years political
| picture in both parties. 1t is possible
| that in the West there may arise. as
| there arose in 1896. a demand fol
some kind Of cheap money. About
! money or silver, or perhaps on some
subject other than currency, there NAV
arise considerable body of radica
sentiment in the West where farm
mortgages and other forms of debt are
! burdensome. The Western wing of the
Democrats may be more radical thar
! Roosevelt is willing to be. ard more
radical than New York is willing tc
agree to. Such a development might
lead to embarrassment to Roosevelt.
The net Of it all is. though. that
nothing succeeds like success. Roose-
welt goes steadily on toward the Demo
cratic nomination. After he has gone
everywhere, potential delegates, are
likely to feel that the invincible pro-
cession has begun and that they had
best jump on the bandwagon while
seats are to be had.
Also, in another sense, success breeds
success. Practically all Democratic
leaders believe. as of today. whether
| they are right or wrong. that their
party is sure to win next years cleo
ton. Thinking that. they will 90 a long
way toward sinking their convictions
avoiding rows and letting the nomina-
ton go to the obvious man. Repub-
licans would do that certainly. Demo-
Gratis have tradition to the contrary.
But the urge toward harmony. a color
less platform on prohibition. and Roose-
welt as the candidate will be very
strong.