Evening star., 1931-06-21
|CURLEY SUPPORTS
ROOSEVELT CAUSE
Boston Mayor Demands
Smith Espouse Candi-
dacy.
speeial Dispatch to the star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
NEW YORK, June 20.-Former Gov.
Alfred z. Smith continued silent today
as to whether he would support Gov
Roosevelt for the Democratic presiden-
tiaI nomination, despite the insistence
Of Mayor James M. Curley Of Boston
that he announce his support Of Mr..
Roosevelt at once.
Mr.. Smith, at Canoe Place Inn
Hampton Bay. Long Island, said that
he had read published reports Of Mayor
| Curley's demand that he make dec
laration which would pave the way fol
Roosevelt's successful campaign" and
expressing the opinion that Mr.. Smith
had had his chance" at the presidency
but could Lot be elected.
! "I haven't anything to say about It, >
was Mr.. Smiths comment.
Mayor Curley Is one OF the recent
converts 10 the Roosevelt cause. Priol
to Gov. Roosevelt's visit to Massachu-
sets week ago, Mr.. Curley had let II
be known that he favored Owen D
Young for the Democratic nomination
CurIey Boosts Roosevelt.
After half an hours talk with Gov
Roosevelt, however, the Boston mayor
announced himself as q Roosevelt
| booster.
It was the opinion Of Gov. Roose-
velt's friends here yesterday that Mayor
Curley's demand upon Mr.. Smith may
have helped the Governor in Massa-
chusettS. Mr. Smith still has q large
personal following in Massachusetts,
which ne could swing into the Roose-
welt column at once II he said the
word. Should Mayor Curley's demand
cause IL to appear to the Smith follow
ing In the Bay State that Mr.. Smith Is
hesitating to support the man who has
| fought for his nomination and election
| three times, some of Gov. RooSevelt's
friends believe many Of the Smith
people would desert and 60 over to the
| support Of Gov. Roosevelt Immediately
Because Of the close contact of the
Roosevelt and Smith sectors Of the
Democratic party in New York. how
ever, 1t was regarded as doubtful II
Mayor Curley had served the Roosevelt
cause well in the long run.
While there has been no open break
between the Roosevelt people and the
| Smith-RaSkob faction here, Mr.. Smiths
continued failure to indorse his friendS
candidacy has generated an undercur-
rent Of disappointment ana recruitment
| The existence OF such feeling was
accentuated some months ago when the
| Smith -Raskob faction undertook tc
place the Democratic National Commit
1 tee on record for repeal OF the eight
eenth amendment. Friends Of Mr.
Roosevelt felt that such a move woulc
be detrimental to his candidacy in the
dry States, and, accordingly, James
I A. Farely, the Democratic State chair
man, called a meeting of the New York
State Committee to protest. The Roose-
welt resentment became reciprocal when
Mr.. Smiths Friends felt the latter hac
not received proper notice Of the meet
ing.
| Anti Catholic Propaganda.
More recently the report has been
persiStently circulated that supporters
Of Gov. Roosevelt in the rural States
are reSorting again to the sort Of anti
Catholic propaganda which contributed
to the defeat of Mr.. Smith in 1928.
In the light of these rather strained
relations, a number of Mr.. RooSevelt'c
close advisers believe 1t may have beer
a mistake for Mayor Curley to have &C.
centuated the situation by his challenge
to Mr.. Smith to disclose his position
Gov. Roosevelt's friends in New York
express confidence that sooner or Later
Mr.. Smith will be found fighting fol
| the nomination and election Of Gov
| Roosevelt. The Smith people take thu
position that as leader of his party, by
/ virtue Of having been its latest pFeSi-
dental candidate, Mr.. Smith eanno'
| with justice to all declare himself II
| favor Of any candidate at this eArlN
| stage of the game.