Montgomery County sentinel., 1932-05-20
Party Riffs GROW.

The pre-convenuon curtain-raisers to the
1882 campaign is ending. as it began. with
the Republicans still arguing what to do
ahout prohibition. and the Democrats still
disputine what TO do about candidate.
Recent developments appear to have
deepened. If anything. the bitterness Of
feeling within the parties on these two
prime questions. The present mood Of the
contending factions foreshadows that neith
CT of the June conventions can be called
alovefeast.
Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt continues to
pfess strongly for the Democratic nomina-
ton, and so do his rivals. The Ohio pri-
mary has stifened the hopes Of the wet
Republicans. and the resistance Of the dry
Republicans. And so it goes, just month
before the big two-act convention thriller
begins in Chicago.
fakins into account the normal expect
ancy Of both sides. the Democratic no.
man's land Of disputed delegate strength
% growing very narrow. Neither the Roose-
welt camp nor the opposition, when they Get
night down to counting noses. claims any
great margin Of safety. 1t comes down to
comparatively few delegates, most of
them temporarily pledged to favorite sons.
Roosevelt not only added three States to
MS column last week. but he did il impres
siveiy, With an unquestioned display Of
driving power. Arizona and Wyoming
Instructed for him despite previous signs
OF hesitancy. 10 the West Virginia pri-
mary he overwhelmed "Alfalfa Bill Muir
ray. 10 to 1.
AZ the same time two favorite sons were
receiving the formal pledges of their home
states and The whole paddock Of dark
horses was paraded again before the eyes
Of the voters.
In gathering in Ohio, Gov. George White
has q delegation whose ultimate destina-
tion no one knows. Maryland g instructions
for Albert C. Ritchie was coincident with
revived activity for him as second choice
10 many States. There was great stir
meantime among the friends of Owen D.
Young. Newton D. Baker, Harry F. Byrd
and Melvin A. Traylor. and a split de-
veIoped In Illinois, forecastine division Of
votes between Roosevelt and Traylor on
tho breakup.
In actual figures, Roosevelt remains so
faI ahead that no one else is in the same
class. OF Instructed. pledged and claimed
delegates chosen to date. he has $50; Jas.
Hamilton Lewis. So; White So; Alfred
E'Smith. 4o; John N. Garner, "A; James
a. Reed. S6; Murray. 20; Richie, Ie.
On the Republican side. President Hoover
continues to pile up delegate strength long
after he has passed the number needed to
nominate. but life as a candidate is not all
roses for him at that. The pressure on
nim to approve this or that prohibition
plank grows more and more insistent as
tne convention date approaches.
Within the week the Republican modjfi-
cat1onists have swept Ohio's primary for
Senator and Governor. the American Min
'stef TO Sweden, John Morehead, has ap-
peared with State Department approved
before committee Of Congress TO advocate
the Swedish system OF liquor control, and
somewhat similar scheme has been given
public approval by Senator David Reed Of
Pennsylvania, stalwart Of the stalwars.
There is no indication Mr.. Hoover is do
ine anything directly about this, but some
very important party leaders are working
hard at Il. At least. some Of them have
chosen to make the FIRST approach through
the drys rather than the modificationists
to see how fer the dry organizations will
90 and try to draft plank which will
keep their support.
II 10 still the plan Of most party leaders
not to 30 az far toward modification as the
Democrats do, even though some conces-
sion may be necessary.