Evening star., 1931-12-28
hePolitical Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

presidential nomination. In a couple of
months all this will have been changed
and the lines of strife will have been
drawn. Now anything might happen.
For example, on the front page of one
leading New York daily is found yester-
day political story to the effect that
AL Smith may seek seat in the Senate,
possibly that now kept warm by SEN
ator Copeland OF New York, when Cope
lands term is drawing to a close, in
1884. To-day is published on the front
page of the same newspaper o story
which places Smith in the race for the
Democratic presidential nomination,
No one knows for certain whether the
former New York Governor has any
desire to run for either Senator or
President. But these matters are sub
jects for speculation.
Up to the present time Gov. Franklin
D. Roosevelt has been making a run
away race for the Democratic presi-
dental nomination. Unless something
happens soon to halt the progress Of
the Roosevelt band wagon, it may be
too late to halt 1t at all For that rea-
son 1t Is natural to assume that the
Roosevelt opposition will be very active,
more active indeed than ever, during
the next few weeks. Baker of Ohio has
been trotted out as candidate; SO has
Ritchie. Baker has SHE'D away, but
the Maryland Governor does not shy at
all when the White House is mentioned.
And now 1t is the redoubtable Al Smith
himself, who Chairman Raskob and
others close to the former Governor and
the Democratic National Committee
have insisted for months as not really
d string to seek another nomination at
all. Perhaps this bringing forward Of
Gov. Smith as a potential candidate for
the nomination Is an indication of the
straits to which the Roosevelt opposi-
ton has been put. No one doubts the
his party, particularly in the North and
East Democrats in Massachusetts,
Rhode Island and other New England
States continue to insist that Al Smith
can have their allegiance for the presi-
dency II he wants 1t. But that the next
Democratic National Convention can be
brought to nominate Gov. Smith, even
II there Is deadlock, is exceedingly
doubtful. There is exceedingly strong
opposition among Democrats to a re-
nomination Of the former Governor of
New York. That very opposition to
Smith Is perhaps making the path
easier for Gov. Roosevelt.
X X X X
The Democrats still cling to the two
thirds rule for the nomination Of pres
Identical candidates. This rule makes it
far easier to stop" leading candidate
for the nomination than it would be II
only a majority was required, as in the
case of the Republican National Con-
vention. The two-thirds rule is the
hope of the anti Roosevelt Democrats.
1t ruined the chances of William Gibbs
McAdoo, back in 1924 and Of the late
Champ Clark in 1912, when the Demo
Gratis assembled in Baltimore and chose
Woodrow Wilson after a deadlocked
convention.
The Democratic National Committee
is to meet here January 9 to pick a
convention city and set the time for the
national gathering next year. But the
meeting of these leading Democrats
from all parts of the country, with their
mterchangeS Of views on the availability
of the various candidates mentioned
for the presidential nomination, may
shed lot of light on the situation, now
somewhat beclouded by rumors. Gov.
Roosevelt Is not coming to the Jackson
day dinner, the banquet of Democrats
which is to be held here on the eve
of the meeting Of the National Commit
tee. In some quarters good deal has
been made Of the declination of the
Governor to come to the dinner at this
time. 1t has been said that Gov. Roose-
welt does not wish to come here because
Of the hostility of the chairman of the
Democratic National Committee, Mr..
Raskob, to the Roosevelt candidacy;
that the atmosphere of the dinner will,
generally speaking, be anti-Roosevelt
But that Is much to be doubted Gov.
Roosevelt is to attend a Victory Din
ner" in New York on January IA, and
is to be one Of the speakers at that
dinner, when Raskob and Smith and
other Democrats who are said to be
leagued against the Governor in the
presidential race are to sit at the same
board.
The drive to get Newton D. Baker
into the presidential race continues, de-
spite the fact that he has told impor-
tant Democrats in his own State that
he does not intend to be a candidate
and does not wish to be. A good deal
is being made of a letter which Mr..
Baker recently wrote to a North Caro-
lima editor in which he said that he was
prepared to carry a banner or march in
the ranks in the fight for the restora-
tion OF liberalism and idealism in this
country. This Is interpreted as Mr.
Bakers idea Of Democratic campaign
for the presidency. The truth of the
matter appears to be that MIR. Baker
does not wish to be a candidate for
President; that he is very happy right
where he Is in Cleveland, practicing law
One presidential boom, that for Gov.
Alfalfa Bill" Murray of Oklahoma,
seems to have fiattened out consider
ably. His candidacy, it was predicted,
would sweep across the Western prairies
like wildfire. But a week ago his pro-
gram OF tax reform and legislation for
Oklahoma was disastrously defeated in
referendum vote in his own State. A
candidate who does not have the sup
port of his own State is not likely to
get very far in next years Democratic
national convention. That convention is
out to pick winner The idea is being
spread that the Democrats can lick the
Republicans In 1882 no matter whom they
nominate for President. But the party
leaders are taking no chances, not yet
anyway.
Roosevelt, the leading candidate for
the presidential nomination by the
Democrats today does not face what
President Hoover, the leading candidate
for the Republican nomination in 1928,
faced In the close Of 1921 senatorial
coalition. In the Senate today there
Is just ono Democrat who is at ell
prominently mentioned for the presi-
Dental nomination - Senator Joe"
Robinson of Arkansas, the Democratic
vice presidential nominee in 1928. 1t
has been limited in some quarters that
Senator Copeland of New York has
aspirations; that as a
candidate for Senator he has carried
the Empire State in overwhelming style.
Bulkeley of Ohio has been mentioned,
too But, generally speaking, there is
no group Of presidential possibilities
among the Democrats of the Senate as
there was among the Republicans three
and a half years ago. Then there w2s
Curtis Of Kansas, Willis Of Ohio, Wat