Evening star., 1931-04-29
ROOSEVELT UNHURT
BY WALKER ACTION
Republicans and Democrats
Alike in View on Dismissal
of Charges.
Continued From First Page>

ton would be If this Legislative Com
mittee should turn up anything ex-
tremely damaging to Mayor Walker Is
another matter. It might be said. and
undoubtedly would be said, by enemies
of Gov. Roosevelt that the Governor
had acted. in dismissing the City Affairs
Committee charges, in the defense OF
Mayor Walker and had sought to cover
that the Legislative Committee, set up
by Republican Legislature. was about
to begin the inquiry into Mayor
walkers administration. 1t is not
clear, therefore, how his action of yes
terday can be attributed to a desire
not to have Walker investigated. The
Legislative Committee, by the way. has
selected as isz chief counsel Judge Sea-
bury. the man picked by Gov. Roose-
velt himself to inquire into the charges
made against District Attorney Grain
of New York City.
Future Possibility.
oilOAiu ltle LERISidtlNH 1t1IIliHlbttE
bring 10 light anything which directly
connected Mayor Walker with graft or
corruption i, might put up to the Gov
ernOr the question of removing the
mayor from Office. Then, indeed, the
situation would be difficult The re-
moval of Walker would arouse the en-
nifty Of Tammany, and Tammany will
undoubtedly control many of the dele
gates sent by New York TO the next
al
is TO pick a nominee for President. On
the other hand, vigorous action by the
Governor under such circumstances
would win him many friends in New
York and in all parts of the country
It does not appear that to date Gov
Roosevelt has done anything to impair
his chances OF winning the presidential
nomination
Franklin D. Roosevelt has never been
held to be closely associated with Tam
many, although he has twice been
aid of that organization. He has run
strongly upstate as we'll as In New
York He carried the Empire State
for Governor in 1923 when Al
Smith lost it in the presidential
race. He was reelected by upward
Of 100000 votes in the contest last year.
Efforts have been made to embroil Gov.
Roosevelt with Tammany They we're
made during the last campaign when
the Republican nominee for Governor,
Tuttle. was lambasting Tammany and
its government of New York City and
charging corruption. Some of the
Democratic newspapers in New York
City urged the Governor to break with
Tammany at that time. However. Gov.
Roosevelt did not have an open break
with Tammany and he was cverwhelm-
ingly reelected.
Smith Criticism Recalled.
The Republicans may be expected,
after the presidential campaign Eets
under way, to make as much of the
so-called Tammany issue as they can.
provided the nominee Of the Demo-
cratic party halls from New York State.
They did SO in the 1928 campaign. when
Al Smith. who had his political st1rt
IN Tammany Hall. was the nominee of
the Democrats. They will doubtless try
10 hook Roosevelt up with the Tam
many organization if he is the choice
q the Democrats. Elt unless a good
zeal develops in the Course Of the legis-
latye inquiry, and unless Roosevelt aft
er that development attempts to shield
Iammany, the effort to smear the New
mn Win ldulIndny is not
AEely to be particularly effective.
Roosevelt Is widely known throughout
the country. He has never been con-
Sldered Tammany man, either when
ne was Assistant Secretary of the NAVY
under Woodrow Wilson nor later when
he was running for Vice President in
1920, along with Gov. Cox of Ohio, the
party's presidential nominee. His
potential strength in the next Demo-
cratic national convention has been
shown to be great recently, if the re-
ports brought back from the West by
travelling Democrats are correct. He is
aiready strong in the South. and the
chances are he will have the New York
cetegation back Of him when the show
down comes.
There have been a lot Of rlImors
printed about coolneSs between for
mer Gov. Smith and himself. but so
Tar they lack real confirmation. A
good deal was made of the fact that
Smith. while in Washington to attend
the meeting of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee last March. would
net put himself on record as favoring
the nomination Of Gov Roosevelt for
President next year. Smith. wisely
enough, has never said that he himself
was cut Of the picture and would net
be a candidate for the nomination. II
ne did so. or announced his champion
ship of another candidate, he would
Immediately cut down his own political
influence. Why should he?