The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-04-22
(Official City, State and County
Newspaper
Foreign Representatives
I SMALL, SPENCER, BREWER
QncorporatedD
CHICAGO NEW YORK boston
Roosevelt Visits the West

Roosevelt Visits the West
Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt's west
ern trip recalls Woodrow Wilson's
swing around the circle when he was
governor OF New Jersey. Wilson's pre-
convention campaign was much more
elaborate than Roosevelt's, carrying
him from coast to coast. 1t was
handled without curtailment OF ex-
penses. With Wilson was a coterie
OF newspapermen and some high
pressure press agents.
Roosevelt is repeating political his
tory. From Albany to st. Paul he
met hundreds of prominent political
leaders and his reception, generally
speaking, was good. His address,
while not an outstanding political
utterance, made no enemies. It was
q mild, easy-going Introductory ad-
dress dealing mostly in generalities.
In other words, it was typical DEM
ocratic political speech. deliberately
ATTENDED to leave pleasant impress
sion and not to say too much in adj
vance Of the national convention
which must write the platform.
Overshadowing everything else was
Roosevelt's rift with Smith. Political
interest focused on that incident. Gov.
Roosevelt sought to smooth 1t over
and minimize its political significance.
Close friends of Smith declare that
the break with Roosevelt is final.
They contend that Smiths pique IS
chargeable to the fact that Roosevelt
has ignored him in making his plans
for the presidential nomination. The
inference given by Smith hackers Is
that Roosevelt never told Smith he
was to become a candidate but rushed
into the fight, stealing some thunder
which Smith has cherished as his
own. There Is an intimation that
Roosevelt's friends have even raised
the religious issue to make Smith
less available and Roosevelt more so.
This Is the gossip cleaned from the
columns OF the New York Times,
which seems to favor Smith over
Roosevelt. With strong Democratic
1eanings, the New York Times is prob
ably the outstanding newspaper of
the nation espousing the principles
of that party. It is significant that,
editorially, The Times has seen fit
to criticise the recent political utter
ances Of Roosevelt. This newspaper
took Roosevelt to task soundly for
his radio utterances about the "for-
gotten man." declaring that he was
resorting to class appeal. With more
skill and diplomacy than Smith at
the Washington Jefferson day ban
quet, The Times voiced practically
the same criticism Of Roosevelt's re-
cent statements.
Roosevelt's candidacy now faces
the severe test OF the primaries in
Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania on
April Is. The break between Roose-
welt and Smith will doubtless increase
the bitterness Of the contests in these
two states. Success or failure of the
Roosevelt candidacy may be linked
with the results in these important
political centers. Certainly the re-
turns will reflect whether Smith has
any political strength. If he fails in
states where he has always beer
strong, Roosevelt's candidacy will be
strengthened considerably.
But across Roosevelt's path is the
handicap of the Democratic conven-
tons two-thirds rule. Many can
didate strong in delegates and ir
high favor with the masses has suf-
fered defeat at the hands of the po-
litical bosses under the application
Of that rule.