Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-19
The Political Mill
BY G.. Could Lincoln.

ment to the New York State constitu-
ton dealing with forest conservation
which has been sponsored by Gov.
Franklin d. Roosevelt. At last, the
goSsips say, the break" between for
mer Gov. Smith and Gov. Roosevelt,
now leading candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for President, has
come into the open. The New York
Times commenting editorially on the
circumstance under the caption when
Political Friends Part" takes seriously
the suggestion that the former Cover
nor has come to the parting Of the ways
with the present Governor Many a
between party leaders, it says, has arisen
first over a comparatively trivial mat
ter. The Times says:
This Is local controversy (the re-
forestation amendment). 1t can hardly
be turned into a national issue. It is
not probable that many Democrats
from other States could be stirred by
convention oratory about the Adiron-
dacks. But 1t is the history Of politics
that II two men, especially those who
once were fast friends, are on the point
of cleavage they find quarrel in a straw.
Mr.. Smith has said nothing publicly
against Gov. Roosevelt. 1t is too early
To assume that his attack on the re-
iorestation amendment means an anti
Roosevelt movement in the national
convention headed by him. But If he
Is casting sb-ut for an excuse for OPP
position, this will serve as well as any
thing else for a beginning"
X X
Gov. Smith has withheld all public
comment upon the Roosevelt boom for
the presidential nomination. When he
was in Washington attending the meet
ing OF the Democratic National Gem
mittee last March, Gov Smith Uss
asked point blank whether he approved
the Roosevelt candidacy. His reply was
that he did not consider that fair
question" At the time he decried the
water power issue as an issue to rouse
the public. although 1t is an issue that
Roosevelt is considered bound to raise.
And furthermore. Gov. Smith insisted
that prohibition was to be an important
issue in the next national campaign:
that the interest of the voters could be
aroused far more over mug Ct beer
than over kilowatt hour or a horse
power.
Perhaps Of equal Importance from
the point Of view of national politics
with his break with Gov Roosevelt
over the reforestation amendment was
Gov Smiths appearance at the big
Tammany rally in Tammany Hall last
week, when he went to the front for
the Tammany candidates for ONCE in
the coming election and demanded the
election OF a Democratic Assembly in
Albany. A Democratic Assembly would
soon clip the wings of the Republican,
controlled Legislative Committee which
has been raising such hob with Tam
many offlceholders in New York City.
The revelations made by the Legisla-
1--WE Committee showing up the bank
ing by Tammany officeholderS of huge
sums while they have received compar-
atlVely small salaries has not sat we'll
on the rest of the country. no matter
what the view of the New York voters
may be. II Gov. Smith aligns him
sell with Tammany under these con-
dltlons, his own chances for renomi-
nation take serious tumble. However.
there was no doubt that the rank and
f1le OF Tammany look upon Al Smith
as their candidate for the Democratic
presidential nomination next year. If
the break between Tammany and
Roosevelt comes. as come it may at
any time, the organization may be ex-
pected to do all it can to prevent the
nomination Of Roosevelt for President.
x +
The Governor of New York. who, is
just back in Albany after rest in the
South. where he received word that
the Democracy of the Southland was
modifying for him, will have to give
serious consideration in all probability
to the cases of Tammary officials in
New York City who have, apparently.
been feathering their nests. AS Gov
ernor he has the power of removal
A demand may come to him at any
time that he turn out Of Office Sheriff
Thomas M. Farley and James A. Nc
of
insist that if the cases of the Tam
many officials are brought to him he
will act promptly. When he does the
! fur is likely to fly.
X
The Democratic National Committee
through its Executive Committee
| headed by Jouett Shouse, has put for
ward comprehensive plan for raising
fund to pay off the deficit of $400 900
| coming over from the 1928 campaign
and to conduct G pre-convention cam
paign and give the party a start on
the national campaign next Summer.
1t is we'll thought-out plan and calcu-
lated to bring in the funds if they can
be brought in at all in these days of
depression. incidentally, If the national
organization, presided over by John j.
Raskob and Mr.. Shouse, is effective in
this matter of fund raising, it is likely
delegates to the national convention
assemble. Money means power and in
| f1uence. The rumor still persists that
Mr.. Raskob has no liking for the candi-
dacy OF Gov. Roosevelt for the presi-
Dental nomination. Mr.. RaSkob is
wringing wet and he wants a wet
plank in the party platform. Gov.
Roosevelt prefers. to make the cam
paign on economic issues-the depres-
sion. Furthermore, Mr.. Raskob Is the
personal appointee of former Gov.
Smith. If Smith really breaks with
Roosevelt the Raskob opposition will
tie in with the Smith movement against
the New York Governor.
None can say at this juncture wheth-
er Al Smith wants the nomination for
himself or whether he will oppose Gov.
Roosevelt. But it has been freely as
serted in many Democratic quarters
| that Smith could scarcely afford to turn
away from Roosevelt for any other
candidate for the presidential nomina-
ton without being classed as an in
CRATE. OF course, this does not apply if
Smith determines to become a candi-
date himself.
There has been a lot of sentimental
twaddle about putting Mrs. Dwight w.
Morrow in the Senate seat which was
occupied by her famous husband, the
late Dwight W. Morrow Very properly,
Mrs. Morrow is not going to accept the
appointment, even If it be offeed her it
is now reported. II Mrs Morrow had
not happened to be widow of the late
Senator from New Jersey, who would
have suggested that she be appointed to
fill Senate vacancy? The answer is
that no one would have suggested it.
Mrs. Morrow MY have admirable
qualifications for office. But she has
never been called upon to show them
She has no experience outside of little
campaigning for her husband when he
was a candidate for Office last year.
Friends of the Morrow family say that
Mrs. Morrow has not the slightest de-