Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12
SMITH CAN SWAY VOTE
ON PARTY'S NOMINATION
Powerful Personal Following Is Held
Loyal and Decisive Factor in 80
for or Against Roosevelt.

! that he would improve his record he
might readily end by concluding that
he could not only better his record, but
actually win the prize, the presidential
office.
It may be that such things are in
Smiths mind, or may come to it. II
would be utterly easy for him, either
now or later, to so use the following
he has, and his personality and his po-
litical resourcefulneSs, as to put himself
in the front of the field Of Democratic
possibilities.
How About Roosevelt?
All that could be, and In the future
may be. AS 1t seems to the writer Of
this article, after some knowledge of
what Is going on. there Is no present
evidence that Smith is after the nomi-
nation. AS of today, 1t seems that if
the nomination should come to Smith,
it would be as result of stampede
in the convention, arising out of events
occurring after the convention is In
session.
The more pertinent query, the one
closer to reality, as the situation lies
today Is, what will Smith do with re-
Spect to Gov. Roosevelt?
Smith will make some use Of his FOL-
lowing and his power-he must use it
mere onlooker in the pre-convention
campaign, and no mere solitary dele
gate, one Of l,1o0 in the convention.
Would Need Smiths Aid.
To Gov. Roosevelt, Smith is alb
solutely Indispensable Smith Is indis-
pensable to Roosevelt for the nominal
ton, and even more indispensable for
the election. Mere refraining by Smith
g.
be enough. Mere tacit approval Of
Roosevelt would not be enough. If it
should be suspected by Smiths follow
ing that their leader was lukewarm
about Roosevelt, in that event Roose-
welt wouldn't have q Chinaman's
chance.
Many Of Smiths followers are going
to be little sullen about Roosevelt
at best. They are going to think that
Smith himself should have the nomi-
nation, perhaps that he is being I'M
fairly deprived of it. They are going
to reason that every argument for
nominating Roosevelt is an equally good
argument for nominating Smith. If
Roosevelt Is being nominated because
he is great vote -getter in New York
State, why so Is Smith. If Roosevelt
Is a wet, why Smith is wetter. If Roose-
welt is an anti-power fighter, why Smith
was one before Roosevelt took up that
issue.
The net Of which is that Smiths
following. If it Is to support Roose-
welt, must be perfectly satisfied in its
collective mind that Smith really wants
Roosevelt-genuinely, sincerely and en-
Enthusiastically wants him. And it seems
clear that Roosevelt must give Smith
no reason for not wanting him.
Must Be Convincing.
Smiths Identification with Roosevelt
his satisfaction with RooSevelts posi-
ton on the issues must be so conspic-
uous as to be convincing. There is one
way to make it convincing Three times
In Democratic conventions, Roosevelt
as o delegate made the speech putting
Smith in nomination. In the coming
convention the picture that would be
convincing to Smiths followers would
be Smith making the speech putting
Roosevelt IN nomination. II Smith is
not chosen by Roosevelt for that func-
ton, the lack will be political event
Of major proportions
II there Is any concession that Smith
may consider himself entitled to for
his support to Roosevelt, 1t is easy TO
as to which Rooseyelt's position must
be fully satisfactory to Smith, that issue
Is prohibition. Smith wants the Demo-
cratic convention to adopt a wet plank
To the furtherance OF that wish,
Roosevelt, it would seem, must commit
himself.
Some Of the dry Democratic leaders
are COMFORTING themselves with the
thought that they can have Roosevelt
as the candidate. but keep the platform
dry or silent. To the dry Democrats,
in their present state of mind, that
compromise would be not only salts
factory, but exceptionally agreeable.
1t would not be satisfactory to Smith
or to Smiths friends or to Smiths
following Roosevelt, taking the nomi-
nation on q dry platform or silent
one, would run counter to Smiths
strongest present political conviction.
It would seem as II Roosevelt, to COM
mand Smiths whole-hearted support,
must be willing to help the fight for
a wet platform.