Evening star., 1932-04-24
BY GEORGE VAN sLYKE.

NEW YORK, April 23.-Next Tues
day will be a decisive day in the excit-
ing contest for the Democratic n0mina-
ton for President. With the test of
personal popularity and political ex-
pedieney drawn sharply and clearly.
Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Alfred
E. Smith on that day will come TO
showdown in Massachusetts, and Penn
sylvanis. as those two States, in direct
primaries, elect 112 delegates to the
National Convention.
II Roosevelt cleans up In these con-
tests, coming out with majority of the
two delegations, he will have more than
one third of the voting power of the
convention behind him and the one
third veto power in his grasp. Politi-
clans pretty well agree that q smash
ing victory next week would give Roose-
welt such a lead that he could not be
stopped in June.
But If Mr. Smith springs the surprise
which his friends predict and holds the
Governor even TO a standstill, he will
remain a determining factor in the con-
test and go into the convention with
sufficient backing to assert real lead
ership, In platform making at least,
even il not formidable contender for
the nomination. 1t is a critical day for
Al Smith. Overwhelming defeat may
mark his passing rs q great national
figure in the Democratic party.
-
Democrats everywhere sense that his
tory is in the making for their party.
This fight for supremacy between the
Frank and Al OF other days Is taking
rank with the notable battles Of the
Democracy. Partners in politics for
score of years, the two conspicuous
Democrats of the Empire state come
now to the final parting of the ways.
Both can't rule One must pass out Of
the picture or take second place.
Clash of two such strong personali-
ties as Frank and Al must throw of
sparks and fire. For 20 years Al was
the dominant force in his State. Four
times Governor. with the biggest plu
ralities ever cast until his day; three
times a candidate for the presidency
ano once nominated, AL Smith cannot
accept the idea that another star is
transeending his own in eclipse On
that election night two years ago when
Frank Roosevelt piled up a bigger plu-
ralfts for Governor than Al Smith had
ever reached there was born rivalry
which has grown into a national prob
lem for the Democracy. Is Frank in
debted TO AL or Al to Frank for political
service. Men quarrel over the snswer.
Is Frank ungrateful or AL selfish? Men
come to blows over it In political club
houses
And so they come at last to- the show
down. The dramatics stir the popular
interest, set the blood of politicians
racing 1t smacks of the famous old
struggles of Samuel Tilden and Tweed's
rTNar II nv1A
David b. HILL of William j. Bryan and
Murphy's Tammsny.
Democrats see a new deal in the
making 1t may not be too much to
| anticipate that the outcome of those
two big primaries next week may de-
termine the result Of the National Con-
Vention In June.
Massachusetts will elect 36 delegates
Al Smith has q unique position in that
State. 1t is one of the two Northern
States he carried in 1928. He is stronger
there than in New York The DOM
inant faction in the State organization
is led by Gov. Ely and Senator Walsh
and Is supporting Smith. Mayor Cur
ley OF Boston is head OF the Roosevelt
forces. Curley is fighting for State con-
troll. State politics much involves the
| situation.
Because of this mixup the Roosevelt
men insist that If they get six or eight
| delegates over the opposition of the
powerful Ely-Walsh machine 1t will
score as victory for their side. That is
the mark they set for themselves. Should
Smith make clean sweep of the state,
| it would halt Roosevelt and give the
former Governor the victory he needs
to stay in the picture II Roosevelt
should get popular majority or half
the delegates, it would mean the eclipse
of Smith.
Pennsylvania will elect 76 delegates.
There too, is a partisan mixup, with
Roosevelt and Smith standing for the
two factions. Joseph F. Guffy, former
State leader, jumped the Roosevelt
bandwagon early in the contest and is
| trying to recapture the State organiza-
ton. The regulars are for Smith
Guffey Is claiming at least 60 delegates
If Smith should prove surprise and
| pick up handful of delegates, it would
| jolt the Roosevelt candidacy all the
way to the Coast
Balancing the opinions and estimates
| of the experts ON both sides in the two
| States, the general forecast seems to be
that Roosevelt has the better chance
| to come out with ma jority of the total
LIZ QclcBdtcs. ne IlAS Debtef CHANCE
| in the bigger State for his majority.
| The political effect of the two primaries
will be weighed together. A majority
| of the combined vote of the two dele
| cations would run Roosevelt's total of
pledged and committed delegates to
| 1874, or nine above the one third point.
| The Democrats require a two-thirds
vote to nominate In their conventions.
=
Decisive defeat for Smith In the vital
| primaries next week would seriously
handicap him in any further attempt
to stop Roosevelt or to dictate the
| party's platform. The democracy will
pass into new phase of the pre-con-
vention campaign next week, according
to all present indications. which may
much clarity the whole situation.
Without a substantial backing Of
DELEGATES, Smith would not be In