The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-13
John J. Raskob
 Hits Traducers
(Continued from Page 1.)

handful of democratic party leaders are quietly undertaking to lay a
 banana peel in the path of Governor Franklin b. Roosevelt of New
 York. who has been regarded as one of the chief contenders for the nom- ination, and that the way is to be cleared for Owen ID. Young of New
 Also 1t has been asserted that National Chairmanp Raskob, multi
 millionaire anti-prohibitionist who went into politics hoping to elect his friend Alfred E. Smith in 1923, has underwritten the democratic party and intends to exact the right to name the next candidate.
 This charge. in substance, was put into print recently by Frank R. Kent, political correspondent of the Baltimore Sun. Though the Sun is a democratic newspaper, Kent is one
 Of President Hoover's Journalistic 1ntimates and because he is often credited with reflecting White House views democratic politicians watch him closely.
 Raskob now has turned oYi Kent in an open letter to him, intended to stand as his answer to the crop of whisperings now current in Washington.
 ''When you liken the democratic party to a common harlot that can be bought and sold, used and abused at will" Raskob wrote to Kent, You tramp on the toes of millions of democrats who are proud of their heritage, glory in the traditions of their party and resent your insults"
 As to the charge that he intended to hand-pick the party presidential candidate, Raskob said:
 'The democratic party is not and will not be controlled by any man, or small group of men. Nomina- dent will be made by the democra- tic national convention and not dic- tated by any clique. tS
 When this great party bows to the. control of one man or small group of men as does the republican party, | it will cease to be democratic, will cease to exist and will not have me. l a true liberal in every sense of the l world, as it's national chairman. | "Unselfish, patriotic service to ones country can easily be viewed < by selfish suspicious people as a II prize paradox but thank God the selfish, patriotic citizens who are only awaiting the 1892 national elec- 1 tions to follow leader carrying l banner"
 Rasl1ob denied he has stood per- ! sonally responsible for party debts of nearly $1,000,O0O.
 You charge" Ee wrote in answer 10 Kent that I have taken over all the liabilities of the democratic | party, assumed all its debts; that I am the only endorser on it's notes: | hot charge and am paying all operating expenses including several large salaries, and have made great reduc- 1 tion in the party debt; in short, that i have bought and paid for the par l ty. None of these statements is l true."
 | Raskob said close friends of Smith had reduced the party's deficit and that the money he loaned to the national committee was to be re- paid. He said plans are being made for Q nationwide money raising cam ! paign.
 The democratic chairman also de- l nied ever having been a republican. as had been charged when he left his post as one of the directors of General Motors to manage Smiths 1 presidential campaign. He said he had generally voted the democratic ticket. though he had been an inde- 1 pendent until he affiliated with the l party. He said he never had, affiliated with the republican party and never I participated in its primaries, but had voted flor a republican president | and belonged to the Philadelphia | Union League club, which he de- ! scribed as a "social club.' Though it is popularly regarded as largely of republican membership, Raskob said he told the membership com | mittee when he was elected that he | had voted for Woodrow Wilson and \ had not been asked to resign when
 he became democratic national | chairman. | Raskob declared it had been al- 1eged that he changed to the demo- cratic party because former Gov ernor Smith was Roman Catholic
 He charged strong group in the republican national committee" had
 been "fomenting religious and class hatreds during the past two years J