The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-11-13
Will It Be Ritchie?

Although his stauneh friends declare that the presidential nomination boom for Gov ernor Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York. is gaining momentum every day influential members of the party indicate by their silence that all is not as it should be. For example right here in New England the enthusiasm that the New York governor evoked few wears ago when even then he was of presi- dential calibre is somewhat missing. We can't ascribe it to anything except perhaps too early start. We don't agree with his critics that there is anything to the split between the Roosevelt and Smith forces Tn New York state. In the first place we don't admit breach of relations between the two. There may be difference Of opinion on some subjects. but that happens in the best of regulated families.
 There is an undercurrent of feeling in democratic circles that maybe Mir Roosevelt won't be wet enough to satisfy the North. His present status might win him the South and West, but how about wet states. important ones, like Ohio. New York. and Massachusetts? Would his own state desert him as it did Smith in 1928! It IS in the face of such startling eonjeetures that dem- acratic leaders may turn from the ever popular Mir Roosevelt to just as well-known citizens of the type of Albert Cabal Ritehie of Maryland, its famed chief executive. May we recall that Governor Ritehie abdieated in favor of Alfred E. Smith in 1928?
 There may be chance for Smith to reciprocate in l932. Perhaps he won't think 1t necessary, as we doubt even if Gov ernor Ritehie had made a fight of 1t at Houston he would have lasted through many ballots. The Texas convention was too thoroughly sold on Mir Smith to forget him for long. Still we believe that when the convention opens next year there will be decided Ritehie tinge to it. It may be the last opportunity that this staunch defender of states rights will have to regard the presidential nomination with glowing eyes, Time has habit of running amuek with presidential candidates Too many delays are fatal.
 Maryland, naturally will create the most noise in the interest of the Richie candidacy. It will ignite its first bomb on January $. le32, when Ritchie for president drive IS launched at the annual Jackson Day dinner of the Concord Democratic Club. the largest political organization in the state. For qualifications Governor Ritchie need not go a-begging. He is wet enough to satisfy the North. He is such an espouser of those democratic principles which the South holds near and dear that we doubt if he will be knifed there. In the West he might have trouble. They probably won't find Ritehe as liberal as Roosevelt. especially after some of the formers remarks on governor owner ship. !. Senator George w. Norris. republican. ot Nebraska says the West will vote for a liberal like Roosevelt. But Senator Norris speaks as an insurgent republican who open ly supported Governor Smith in 1928. We can't believe that he speaks for the western democrats what few of them there actually are. Ritchie is more or less an unknown quantity out there. If he can be sold Sue- \ cessfully, there he could win the nomination hands down. as we believe that in the North and South he would battle Roosevelt on even terms. If it came to a deadlock. we might ; witness another Madison Square Garden scene of 1924 with perhaps ex-Governor : Smith or Newton D. Baker becoming the compromise candidate. We sincerely hope } not.