Evening star., 1932-08-18
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

FALMOUTH, Mass, August 1S.-
Probably nothing has emphasized more
sharply the desperate need OF the
Roosevelt-Garner ticket for the support
OF Alfred E. Smith in the coming cam
paign than the call paid by Speaker
Jack" Garner on Smith during his
recent stay in New York. Mr.. Garner
emerged from his hours conference with
Mr.. Smith expressing the hope that Al
Smith would get into the campaign for
the national ticket. Mr.. Smith said
nothing" What he said to Mr.. Garner
in the privacy of the conference room
remains to be revealed. One by one the
Smith leaders in Massachusetts, New
Jersey and other States have announced
their intention of doing their best for
the Rocsevelt-Garner ticket next Fall.
But the Roosevelt leaders continue to
sit ON hot griddle because AL himself
keeps right on saying nothing" The
bitterness Of the feeling existing on the
part OF Mr.. Smith and his family to-
ward Gov. Roosevelt Is no secret to the
intimate friends Of the Smiths. The
passing weeks may soften this feeling,
but there has been no such indication
yet. 1t is reliably reported that one
member of the Smith family, when
recently talking with stanch New
York Democrat, who said it did not
seem possible to vote for Roosevelt and
that it might be better to remain away
from the polls next November, advised
that Democrat to vote for Hoover. 4"
For" said this member of the Smith
family, mot to vote is really a vote for
Roosevelt" Under these circumstances,
the hope expressed by Mr.. Garner
~
Mr. Garner has been at pains since
his advent to the East following his
months vacation in Texas to tell all
the Smith Democrats that he stood
loyalty by Smith in 1923 and to
emphasize his opposition to the eight
been very wet"-in his remarks. As
nation Of Gov. Roosevelt possible on
the fourth ballot of the Democratic
National Convention in Chicago, cut
ting the ground from under the feet
Of the Smith people, 1t does not seem
possible that Mr.. Smith and his i'm
mediate followers can feel very kindly
toward the Speaker Mr.. Garner and
his first lieutenant in the national con-
vention, William Gibbs McAdoo, GER
tainly spilled the beans for Mr.. Smith
and all the Roosevelt opponents. 1t
is true that Chairman James A. Far
ley of the Democratic National Com
mittee and Roosevelt convention leader,
has asserted there was no deal" with
any one to bring about the nomination
of Gov. Roosevelt on the fourth ballot.
But this does not register with many
of the Smith Democrats. Mr.. Gar
,,&f inn fnr Dr.
ident by the Roosevelt forces is the
answer, they say.
To those who attended the Chicago
convention it is known that after a
third ballet had been taken and Roose-
welt was still short of the necessary
two thirds vote by about 80 votes a
hurried conference of leaders was held
in a sun-filled, not smoke filled. hotel
room soon after the adjournment OF the
all-night session OF the convention and
then and there 1t was fixed up"
II the election were held today. or
tomorrow, Roosevelt would carry New
hampshire or Michigan or any one Of a
number Of other States, is the oft re-
peated assertion Of Democratic leaders.
They seem to be leary about declaring
that these States, ordinarily Republican,
will 20 for Roosevelt in November.
The truth Of the matter is that these
Democratic leaders do not know what
is going to happen next November. In
the first place, the upturn in business
in many places and the improvement in
the bond and stock markets has them
guessing. Then there is the Smith fol-
lowing to be reckoned with, not to
mention the case of Mayor Jimmie"
Walker OF New York City, which Is
agitating Gov. Roosevelt and lot Of
Democrats these days.
Unless the courts should make 1t i'm
possible for the Governor of New York
to decide this case before election day,
it looks now as though Gov. Roosevelt
would soon oust the wisecracking
mayor. If no such action is taken by
Gov. Roosevelt, then his candidacy is
likely to receive severe jolt in places
where Mayor Walker Is not so highly
regarded as he is in New York City.
1t has been suggested that II Walker
Is ousted from the mayoralty he will
seek the Democratic nomination for
Governor. If he were nominated for
Governor to succeed the man who
turned him out of office, and run on
the ticket in November along with Gov.
Roosevelt. one Of the strangest situa-
ton in politics would develop. Imagine
the enthusiasm with which Walker, the
gubernatorial candidate. would work
for the success of the Democratic ma
tional ticket, or vice versa.
OF course, it would be one thing for
Walker to seek the gubernatorial nomi-
nation and quite another for him to
get it. On the other hand. 1t may be
recalled that when the last ballot was
taken in the Democratic national con-
vention for the presidential nomination,
a majority OF the New York delegates
cast their ballots against Roosevelt and
for Smith, and Mayor Walker was one
Of the delegates voting against Roose-
welt. If Roosevelt has to bear the
enmity of both Smith and Walker in
the coming campaign. his victory in
New York State may be decidedly
doubtful.
4 \
wild Bill Donovan, who commanded
the 165th Infantry, the old Fighting
Sixty-ninth," during the World War
and who made q record for himself in
France. has at last made formal an
nouncement that he is a candidate for
the Republican nomination for Gov
ernor OF New York. This will not be
his first essay in politics. He was an
ardent Hoover Republican back in 1928
and was assistant to the Attorney
General in the Coolidge administration
For some reason or another he dropped
out Of the picture after Mr. Hoover
became President. 1t has often been
said that he wished to be Attorney
General but did not receive the offer
of the appointment. But now he Is
seeking to stage comeback. Col. DON
ovan has many friends in New York.
He probably would make a very strong
candidate for the Republicans if he
were nominated. But he has con-
siderable opposition for that nominal
ton.
The Hoover opposition is hoping
against hope that the dry Republicans
will get behind a third, strong and dry,
i,,J