Evening star., 1932-11-01
TURN
TO LOCAL APPEALS.
Roosevelt Bids for Smith
Supporters as Hoover
Hits at RadiCaIism.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star
NEW YORK. November With one
week to go, the two presidential nomi-
nees are about talked out.
Neither one presented any new idea
in the speeches broadcast last night
from New York and Boston. They both
continue to accuse the other of every
thing from misfeasance TO non-fea
sance. They promise a better world
but the listeners-in are too confused
by all the speech making To take it
too seriously,
Tactics and stage management have
made the speeches and their setting
seem as II the campaign managers We're
trying to win localities rather than
regions Thus. Gov Roosevelt tried
hard to win 10 his banner some Of
the disaffected Smith supporters in
Massachusetts,. His references to the
man who was standard bearer four
years ago were affectionate and pointed.
Mr.. Hoover sought to give the con-
servative New Workers a bit of fear
with reference to the group consisting
OF La Toilette, Norris. Hearst and Huey
Long, who. he said are supporting the
Democratic nominee 50 staunchly that
they expect to have voice in the ad-
ministration Of Gov. Roosevelt if he at
tainS the presidency.
Implies Radicalism.
This point is not new. but Mr.. Hoo
yer gave it emphasis in this section
where the alliance implies a radicalism
that is not palatable to business. As
for Gov. Roosevelt at Boston he struck
a glancing but nevertheless important
blow al the industrialists when he asked
them what they would think of a po-
litical leader who took reprisals at
them for their effcrt to intimidate their
employees on the matter of voting
Whether this is to be taken as a threat
or warning that Mr. Roosevelt would
consider it fair to try to get even with
these industrialists, if elected, is hard
to say.
Strange as it may seem, while the
Governor was talking in New England, a
list OF contributions to both Republican
and Democratic campaign funds was
filed in Washington, and it shows men
of wealth and big industry putting up
big sums OF money, some to the Dem
ocratlc and some to the Republican
party.
Whoever is elected. big business and
finance will have a finger in the pie.
Presidential candidates usually know
who contributes the big money. and they
feel sense of appreciation which is in
escapable. Corporations cannot, under
the law, give money to campaigns, but
corporation executives can do so per-
sonally. and the list shows they are
doing it. When the campaign commit
tees receive the money. they use it to
influence votes. That is what it is given
for, And in this campaign most Of the
money is coming from business men or
M Pfi iy, hf1c
ness. Their interests are far flung.
Fodder for Microphones.
So if it is assumed by Mr. Hoover that
the La Follettes and the Norrises and
the Huey Longs own Mr. Roosevelt. so
might it be assumed that the conserva-
tiveS will influence him if he is re-
elected. Even Mr.. Hearts, who rarely
appears contributor, gave $4,000
to the Roosevelt fund, along with John
J. RaSkob and Bernard M. Baruch, so
it is apparent the Democratic nominee
is going to have plenty of conservatives,
progreSsives and radicals with stake
in his future policies
All this is merely another way of
saying that in political campaigns for
the presidency nowadays ideas are
simply fodder for the microphones,
WllAlC lllC SICilSS ldlhS
and exercises its restraints against
radicalism or expresses its appreciation
for the conservatism that has favored
it in the past.
The pledges of the candidates are de-
veloping a striking similarity. Mr.
Roosevelt and Mr.. Hoover both think
relief is local problem and the Fed
eral Government must be brought in
only in an extremity. Both hope jobs
will come to the unemployed. Both
favor elf-liquidating projects and pub
lie works as far as practicable Both
promise in general terms to save the
Nation, and each thinks the other un-
warranted in the nnuendos and person.
ality attacks. The American people are
expected to umpire the dispute with
their ballots, while millions of people
are unaware of the disillusionment that
must come when it becomes apparent
after election that economic forces, big
ger than any group of radicals or con-
servatives, bigger than candidates, hold
the sway in the world
(Copyright, 1927