Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-06
CANDIDACY
HELPED BY DEBTS
Fitness of Preparations Ex-
pert Gives Democratic
Thought to His Nomination.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

The centering of national attention
for the past two weeks on German rep
arations and intergovernment debts has
been accompanied by an armistice in
American politics. The Democrats, in
a spirit of showing national unity when
confronted by an emergency involving
foreign relations, have deliberately and
more or less officially abated criticism
of the President, not only about foreign
debts, but on ordinary issues as well
Throughout this silence there has
gone on among leaders much discussion
about what changes may have been in
PRODUCED into the American political
scene by events since the middle of
June. One idea sometimes put forward
is that these happenings have suggested
the ACCESSIBILITY of the Democrats CIV
ing their presidential nomination to
owen D. Young.
The reasoning underlying this sug
geStion begins by saying 1t has now
been proved, and will be proved further
during the coming year, that American
business well-being is inevitably associ
ated with the state of Europe From
this 1t is argued that Mr.. Young, as an
author of the Young plan of repara-
tions settlement. and for other reasons.
is the one Democrat most qualified to
that seem indispensable.
Baker Prominently Mentioned.
BY much the same reasoning, an
other suggestion is that under the
changed circumstances Newton D.
Baker is the most appropriate man for
the Democrats to nominate. The argyll
ment for Mr.. Baker runs that he Is the
one former member of the cabinet of
Woodrow Wilson who is now outstand-
ing and available for the Democratic
nomination. Underlying this is the as
sumption that the world can be healed
only by accepting Woodrow Wilson's
principle that America as the most
powerful Nation in the world must &C
cept responsibility for cooperation and
even leadership toward world stability
and peace
In all this speculation there is one
tangible fact having concrete relation
to what the Democrats will actually do
about their presidential nomination. 1t
is fact that the most powerful DEM
ocratic leaders cite what has just hap
pened as proof OF the desirability of
keeping the door to the nomination
wide open until the time when action
must be taken, which is just about
year from last week.
Even before the recent events these
leaders were already committed TO that
course. What has now happened con-
firms their conviction. They hold that
nobody can know as OF today what may
emerge as the principal need of the
country or the principal political issue
by July of next year. This conviction
is entertained by Democratic leaders
having such power and leverage as to
enable them to hold the decision In
suspense.
Roosevelt Movement On.
They are enabled to do so, however,
only by the unusual fact that in Dem
ocratic conventions it takes two-thirds
to nominate II the Democrats nomi-
mated by majority vote, as the Repub
licanS do, 1t would almost be possible
to say today that Gov. Roosevelt of New
York would be the nominee. He is the
only candidate in behalf of whom there
is real activity. The fact that there Is
movement associated with his candi-
dacy enllstS numbers OF local leaders
who, as the presidential year ap-
proaches, feel an urge to take a hand
IN the fascinating game. So many
loyalties and local commitments are
being built up in behalf of the New
York Governor that he is certain to be
far in the lead. Hardly a day passes
but something develops in one State or
another OF nature likely TO further
Gov. RooSevelt'S fortunes. Last week
the Legislature Of Georgia invited the
New York Governor 70 address it at
any time convenient to him. Such evil
dence of sporadic sympathy for Gov.
RooSevelt's candidacy turns up in the
South and West with convincing fire.
Quency.
If it were certain that Gov. Roose-
welt would have the New York group
of States meaning in addition to New
York, New Jersey, New England and
most Of PennSylvania-in that event
Roosevelt would be very close to the
nomination, even taking into account
the rule requiring two-thirds Of the
convention.
Smith Holds ReinS.
Whether the New York group Of
States" will be for Roosevelt depends
more upon ex-Gov. Smith than upon
any other one man. So far it seems
safe to say that eX-Gov Smith Is one
of those Democratic leaders who deem
1t wisest not to foreclose the nomina-
ton until the convention arrives. The
wisdom and expediency of this course
weigh so heavily as to insure 1t will
be followed by leaders of sufficient