Evening star., 1932-06-28
ROUGH GOING FACED
BY ALL CANDIDATES
Ritchie Groomed as Early Foe Of
Roosevelt, With Baker Fol-
lowing if He Fails.
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.
,ectal Dispatch to The Star.

CptChl DBSpdlSt W AAC obaL
CHICAGO, June 28.-It looks more
and more like muddy going for the
favorites in this years quadrennlal
Democratic presidential nomination
derby as the time nears for the main
race.
Backers of dark horses and favorite
sons are under keen suspense today,
tense and nervous and eXcitedly busy
as they seek to get their starters in the
best of trim for rough going ahead. :,
Besides a muddy track, complicated
by the prospect OF bit OF possible olrty
work at the crossroads. There is likely
to be some bad tripping over the two
thirds rule, which James Farley,
manager of the favorite, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, today hinted in private,
might possibly upset the candidate.
Already one of the three known
starters, Alfred E. Smith of New York,
1924 nominee, is slipping as bets are
placed. 1t appears that he might not
even face the barrier when the contest
actually starts If Smith fades out. his
money is TO go back of Albert Z.
Ritchie, Governor OF Maryland.
Ritchie Picked to Set Pace.
Gov. Ritchie now has been picked to
set the pace in the first lap running
and is counted on to draw support from
18 States, If the break comes in the
Roosevelt set-up.
The old adage of political derbies,
that "you can't beat somebody with no.
body" never was better eXemplifled
than at this time Gov. Roosevelt as
..sornebodv" had the preliminary run
ming almost to himself. When Al
smith entered the ranks of contenders
late in the game, it was as a second
Thought and instead of dividing sup
mort tended to solidify the West and
South behind the New York Governor
Ritchie is groomed as the candidate
IN try to break that backing, particular
" in the South and Middle West. II
the mace gets too hot for him, then
managers of the field against Roosevelt
are prepared to press on oenlno LVo
dark horses, Newton D. Baker OF ONO
and Melvin Alvah Traylor of Breeding,
Ky. Hillsboro, Malone and BaInnger'
Tex. and Chicago, Ill.
At this moment opponents OF Gov.
Roosevelt contend that the New Yorker
is 1913 votes short of the ITO required
to win the race under the OLD rules.
They concede him 642 votes, or "a more
than a bare majority, but think that
by punching at the corners ana crowd
ing the favorites against the rail-, tney
can keep him from running up the o4z
TO ITO at any time during the proceed
ings. However, this strategy involves
stopping the plan of the Roosevelt back
ers to rig the rules so that they change
after the sixth lap TO permit victory by
q majority instead of two-thiros.
Baker Regarded in Running.
Many leaders among the RooSeVelt
opposition think that Newton BAKER
viii prove the man to best the present
favorite. If Ritchie is stopped, as ne Is
likely to be by the Roosevelt ounch
Maryland's Governor may be sacrihce
contender, entering the race with tne
knowledge that he may burn hnseiI
out by setting the pace.
But if the others fail and the race
keeps up. then the favorite sons gel
their chance and here the field is broad
Among these contenders are John
Nance Garner of Texas, James A: Reeo
of Missouri. Harry F. Byrd OF VIZ
ginia, Gov. William H. Murray OF OK
lahoma. Gov. George White OF ONO
and Gov A. Harry Moore OF New Jer-
sey.
Prom this group is likely to come
the winner of second money, carrying
with it the vice presidential nomina-
ton prize. There also are prospects
for one or more of the number to show
up in a cabinet in case OF eventual VIC
tory. AS matter of fact, the whole
outcome may depend on the action o.