Evening star., 1932-06-27
ROOSEVELT ERROR
SEEN HOPE OF FOES
Governors Opponents Must
Wait for Chance If They
Would Defeat Him.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

CHICAGO, Ill, June 27.-T1le only
chance-and it is slim one-of
Roosevelt being defeated lies in Smith
and the allied opponents taking dra-
matte advantage Of some opportunity
arising in the convention. That is
the only plan, If it can be called a
plan, that the opposition has.
The opposition has no program, no
candidate and no real organization
They think that at some point in the
convention the Roosevelt forces will
make a mistake and that Smith will
take swift advantage of it to over
whelm Roosevelt. That the Roosevelt
forces may make mistake is not an
unreasonable probability. They have a
proneness to hasty judgment and ex-
cited action such as disturbs some of
the moderate Roosevelt followers.
Smith Handicapped.
Smith, however, is under fatal handi-
caps for taking advantage of Roose-
velt's mistakes. Under the conditions
other men might be able to do it, but
not Smith. The fact that Smith is the
spearpoint and symbol of opposition to
Roosevelt is help to the latter. If
Smith should attempt to exercise here
tion-rousing speech--he would find a
full third of the delegates actively
hostile and full half cold to him
Some other leader, such as Newton D.
Baker, might convince the convention
that 1t is undesirable to nominate
Roosevelt.
If Smith. however, should attempt
recital of imperfections in Roosevelt's S
equipment, an instant answer in the
minds of most OF the delegates would
be, He was good enough when you
drafted him to run for Governor of
New York in order to help you in your
campaign for the presidency" A score
of such arguments and emotions in the
minds Of the delegates operate to neu-
trallze Smiths opposition to Roosevelt
Many of the delegates assume that
Smiths motive is jealousy or a wish
to have had the nomination for him
self.
Also, to most of the delegates. Smith
is the symbol of Tammany, and they
hate Tammany. This is unfair to
Smith, for the fact is Tammany is more
hostile to Smith than to Roosevelt
Smith when he was Governor had a
f1rmer rein over Tammany than Roose-
velt has.
Tammany DisIiked.
Few of the delegates know this, how
ever. They think of Smith as the sym
Dol of Tammany and of New York City
and the mass of delegates dislike both
They think Of Roosevelt as the anti
thesis OF Tammany ana New York City
They think of him as representing the
ideas and traditions OF the part Of
America lying west Of the Hudson River
A major reason for unreSponsiveneSs
on the part Of the convention to any
appeal from Smith is their feeling that
Smith and his present attitude mean
strife and cleavage. They associate
him with the grief they had in 1928
and In 1924 when Smith had his long
further, that Smith was given his
chance in 1923 and that now he should
be willing to play the game" They
think of Smith as the symbol Of trou
BILE, and the delegates want avoidance
OF trouble even more than they want
Roosevelt. They think the best way to
avoid trouble is TO agree upon Roosevelt
and do it quickly.
That outcome is decidedly the pres
ent probability. If Smith were now and
had been out Of the picture the conven-
ton might more readily be held to de-
liberation about the comparative quail
ties of candidates. 1t should be added
that nearly half the delegates are for
Roosevelt for Roosevelt's sake. They
reflect discomfort and distress through
out the country, and they think Of
Roosevelt as the symbol Of new deal.
Copyright, Ie37.)