Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04
BY GEORGE VAN sLYKE.

NEW YORK. October 3.-The first
signs Of definite opposition to Frank
/ lin D. Roosevelt, Governor of New
York, as the majority candidate for
the Democratic nomination for Presi-
dent have begun to appear in the ad-
vancement of the favorite son and wet
Eastern States, but the movement lacks
cohesion of effective leadership. The
| Democratic contest has reached a static
| condition, where 1t is likely to renal in
with little change until the preferential
| primaries get under way early next year.
| The significant development on the
Democratic side is new tendency on
the part of many State organizations
| to await further action before making
| FORMAL commitments. Those unfriendly
| to the New York Governor have come
| to realize that they must begin to
operate If they hope to head him of,
| but as yet there has been no positive
determination to undertake such a
movement.
! The Roosevelt boom is now seen by
his opponents as having reached the
maximum strength that 1t can attain
under its own momentum and with its
present management. States represent
| ing more than one-third of the voting
strength of the convention and exer-
cising q veto power over the nomi-
| nation are now disposed to sit tight
until the Governor formally declares
| his candidacy and his position on the
| prohibition issue. Unless the opposition
| does organize, there is every prospect
| the Governor will sweep the party off
| its feet and take the nomination by
| reclamation. If stubborn opposition
develops the Roosevelt boom will need
some hard pushing to cross the two
thirds mark.
Mr.. Roosevelts warm reception in
Virginia and Georgia this week. when
| ne went on his vacation, gives further
| evidence of the enthusiastic support
he may expect from the South Added
| information comes that he is gaining
| steadily in the Far West. the North
| west and in some of the Midwestern
| States. Those hostile or lukewarm to
| his candidacy admit that the Gov
| ernor has developed amazing strength
in view of the fact that he is not Off
cially candidate. His boom has gone
ahead on its own momentum, but also
it has encountered so far no organized
| opposition.
There are two main forces in the
| against him II the decision is reached
to oppose him in the convention,
| namely, the favorite son States and the
| extreme vets of the East. Roosevelt
! covers geographically much more than
| half OF the Nation, but his support
mostly is from the States with small
votes. An effective combination Of the
| favorite son and wet States under
| strong leadership might easily exercise
q IN PnncnVolf 40
big question now is whether that oppo-
sition really is to function or let the
New Yorker have the nomination with
out battle.
The Governors attitude on the pro-
hibition plank probably will determine
whether or not there is to be a fight.
If he is wet enough to meet the chal-
lenger Of the wet East, the opposition
will crumble The danger therein to
Roosevelt is that he would lose some
of his dry support in the West and
South. but the wet gain would far Offset
such loss.
The present management of the ma
tional organization is not for Roose-
welt. John j. Raskob, the chairman,
and Jouett Shouse; executive chair
man, have given Roosevelt no aid or
comfort and probably will not. Alfred
E. Smith is titular head of the democ-
racy in the Nation by reason of having
been the latest presidential nominee,
and has given no hint that he Is for
Roosevelt His silence is ponderous and
on1inous. He is the acknowledged
leader of the wet wing and will lead
the fight for prohibition repeal If it
reaches the stage of combat In the con-
vention. Many are urging him to be
q candidate. Those States which are
not enthusiastic over Roosevelt look to
Smith for leadership. Unquestionably
he could make a lot of trouble If he
wished. The party and its candidates
await with suspense and anxiety his
announcement of his position, and he
probably will not say word for months
to come.
The possibility that forces are now
moving under the surface to effect the
veto, combination OF one-third Is fore
Swallowed in the new attitude of sew
eral of the State organizations which
all of a sudden have indicated that
they are going to await the decision
on the platform before declaring them
selves or that they are going to the
convention with favorite son booms,
nursing the old hope that something
may happen and the dark horse win.
Six States, possibly seven, with 232
VoCeS, may DC nelo III lAIle py laVoIlIe
son delegations. The are Missouri,
which has just declared for James A.
Reed and refused permission for
organizing Roosevelt club in that
State; Maryland, which is strong for
Gov Ritchie Ohio which will go for
Newton D. Baker or Gov. White, with
the hope that Baker, as second choice,
has a good chance of winning;
Arkansas, with the sincere belief that
Senator Joe Robinson is a winner;
Oklahoma, for Gov. Alfalfa Bill"
Murray on the chance he may win
second place; Illinois, which will stand