Evening star., 1932-01-24
BY GEORGE VAN SLYKE.

NEW YORK, January 23.-While
| waiting for New Yorks two leading
Democrats to make known their po-
| litical plans and purposes, party leaders
| in all sections and factions anxiously
focus attention on the Empire State,
fully aware that the history of the 1882
presidential campaign Is now being
made here.
Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt will an
nounce his candidacy within a few
days in letter to North Dakota
Democrats, entering formally the con-
test in (which he already holds first
place. His campaign then will be
started with a national organization
and in all States. New England Is
insisting that Alfred E. Smith consent
to enter the primaries in Massachusetts,
and New Hampshire, and his answer
will determine whether he Is to become
openly q candidate for denomination.
The conviction grows daily that
Smith Is bent on defeating Roosevelt
for the nomination. How he will go
about it Is the question OF the hour.
The Democratic national contest Is
narrowing to struggle between those
two New Workers
1IC ltpCulCu llIddC pliASS
the recent meeting of the National
Committee In Washington to coax or
force Smith into showing his hand
have failec completely and he still re-
mains the enigma of the party. The
New York situation Is more Of puzzle
than ever. He is credited with being
determined to hold open the nomina-
ton until the convention meets. He
does not propose to have Roosevelt
forecloSe on 1t in January. The RooSe-
velt forces are becoming more con-
vinced daily that Smith may not be
strong enough to stop the New York
Governor and they contend that if
Smith cannot do 1t 1t cannot be done.
~
The Western and Southern Demo-
Gratis, who look to Gov. Roosevelt as
their strongest candidate and best bet,
apparently have accepted the propa-
ganda that, regardless of what AL
Smith does, their man is certain to
have New York's delegation when the
critical hour arrives in the convention
for counting the ballots
If that is known to the Roosevelt
managers as something already de-
termined, they have a monopoly on the
| information. Tammany bosses in New
upstate half of the party and close
| Tammany allies In other Eastern States
still are far from decision as to their
future course; are today as uncertain
| Of what lies ahead for them as at any
| time In the last six months.
| Il X X
The Democratic situation In New
| York Is complex, confused and subject
| IN phanUa without rntipa in, q
generation has national party's poll
tics centered SO completely in one
| State. The leading candidate Is the
| Governor of the State. The titular
head of the party and acknowledged
| leader OF the strong wet wing Is the
four-time Governor and last presiden-
tial nominee. The national chairman,
in the drivers seat on the party ma
chine, Is John j. Raskob, big business
man Of New York. Owen D. Young
and John w. Davis, two possible cam
didates. are New York men. The
party's biggest unit vote is New York's,
and that is free and unpledged.
AS definitely as the States scrambled
| factions and forces can be outlined at
present, the party is split into three
camps.
There Is the straight Tammany ma
| chine, which dominates and in the end
| will control silent, Watchful and threat
| ening. John F. Curry, the boss, is
| stronger today than ever, in spite Of the
| fact that his organization and the city
! administration have been under fire
continually for year.
X \
The Roosevelt unit, militant and con-
! fident, is operating alone, quite willing
and anxious for Tammany support, but
not seeking 1t openly nor caring to
| have too much fuss made about 1t for
| fear of being linked too closely with the
| organization SO cordially hated by
| States now In line for the Governor.
| This is the official faction, and 1t is
| operating through the State Committee
| and the new Democratic Union" which
Roosevelt men have started upstate
James A. Farley, State chairman Is the
Roosevelt field manager, but not strong
| in Tammany.
Then there is the Al Smith faction,
lacking organization and cohesion, but
| possessing real strength through the
| popularity and vote getting proWess of
the brown-derbied hero of the masses
| The New York populace is skeptical
about Rooseyelts sincerity on the pro-
! hihltion issue. 1t has no doubt about
| Smiths.
"
Each Of the three groups Is an entity,
quite detached and operating alone.
Smith and his little coterie of devoted
and enthusiastic hackers, who believe
he Is entitled to another try for the
presidency, have no point Of contact
with either Tammany or the Roosevelt
group. His friends believe he will have
the veto power If he cannot win for
himself. Once the idol of Tammany,
he is out of touch with Tammany and
out of sympathy with the Walker ad-
ministration. His support is derived
from the man in the street, and that
may not have much influence on dele
gates in national convention. His
occasional meetings with Gov. Roosevelt
] are brief and formal; there LIS no po-
htical afhliation between them.
The Governor Is doing business with
Tammany and the city administration,