Evening star., 1932-06-25

HOOVER AID SEEN
IN CHICAGO ROWS
Democrat Fights Clearing
Way for Republicans,
White Believes.
BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.

BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO, June IS CN.A.NA).-
The Democrats are beginning a long,
hard, uphill fight to re-elect President
Hoover. For three days they have
been laying out the lines for difficult
battle.
The fight will occur on three fronts,
and each front will be bitterly contest
ed with the obvious objective-a Re-
publican victory.
Not since 1924 has animus in Dem
ocratic convention been so well organ
lied and so permeating. The three
battle lines are:
First. the fight to overcome Jouett
Shouse and control the convention in
the interests of the Roosevelt candi-
dacy Second, to abrogate the two
thirds rule in the interest of the Roose-
welt candidacy and, third, to nominate
both ends of the Democratic ticket in
the interest of the Roosevelt candl-
dacy.
In the bright lexicon of the Demo-
Gratis there is no such word as "har-
mony" Al Smith wrung the neck Of
the dove of peace when he landed in
town and answered the reportorial ques-
ton as to his loyalty by declaring that
il was too early to promise to support
the Democratic nominee.
Liberals Alert for Bolt.
On the other hand, the Liberals,
headed by such fighters as Senator
Wheeler of Montana, since Smiths pro-
nouncement, are forcing the Roose-
velt fight to a place where II Roose-
velt fails they can bolt with consistency.
There can be no doubt that a major
bolt will follow either the nomination
or the defeat of Gov. Roosevelt. Mayor
Hague of New Jersey put out state
ment which former Gov. Smith had
indorsed before it was given out.
Hague demanded that Roosevelt with
$40 conCede delegates withdraw If
Smith. with possibly 100 delegates,
would withdraw.
The Hague statement declared that
Roosevelt could not be elected. 1t is
equally obvious that Smith cannot be
elected, but the Hague declaration put
the sword in the vitals of the Roosevelt
organization and since then the Roose-
veltians have been fighting a mean Of
fensive fight. 1t is they who propose
to overthrow Shouse It Is they who
propose to abrogate the two-thirds
rule, and they are going to nominate
Roosevelt or break up the convention in
row.
The abrogation Of the two-thirds rule
makes the Smith -RaSkob- -Ritchie people
particularly wild. 1t is that rule upon
which they are depending for a dead
lock and for the overthrow of Roosevelt
but, curiously enough, the abrogation
of the two-thirds rule finds adherence
in strange location.
Defense for Future.
1t is in the South and West. where
Roosevelt is strong, that the delegates
from the rural sections of the country
under the Roosevelt banner are seek
ing to do away with the rule that will
in future conventions be their main
stay and defense
1t is evident that urban States are
coming into greater and greater power
in the Democratic party in every dec
ade. Along the Atlantic Seaboard, from
Baltimore to Boston, the city delega-
tionS control the States Just West
of the Alleghenies-Ohio, Illinois and
Michigan-the States are developing
into urban industrial civilizations. Min
nesota, with her twin cities; California,
with her two great seaports; Florida,
with her villa cities, are slowly forming
an allied and associated unit to vote
in Democratic conventions Their
power Is growing as induStrialism
spreads through the land
By letting either the West or the
South into their councils, these urban
States can control a majority of the
convention, but not two-thirds. AS the
West and South can take only a few
city States into their camp and make
two-thirds majority, certainly politi-
cal interests point to the wisdom of
the two-thirds rule for the West and
South.
Yet the West and South are giving
up their ultimate good in this conven-
tion for immediate victory under Roose-
velt. All through the Western and
Southern delegations one hears the cry:
Afraid of Deadlock.
Don't let's have a deadlock like the
deadlock of 1924. It's bitternesses that
bar us from victory. A quick majority
nomination is our only hope"
Under that reasoning one finds an
almost solid South and a united West
biting off their own political noses to
spite the urban democracy under the
leadership of Smith and the various
urban Tammanys that range across
the land.
The first fight will come for the over
throw of Shouse. Shouse, who once
was a Kansas Congressman, but who
has been employed by the Raskobized
National Committee, Is the number one
dragon whom the Roosevelt forces pro-
pose TO slay. If they defeat Shouse
the Roosevelt chairman-ShouSe'S VIC
torious opponent-will proceed to ap-
point a Rules Committee that will
bring in rule abrogating the two
thirds rule
After that, Roosevelt, with a proved
strength, lacking less than so votes of
a majority, will go to majority nomi-
nation without serious opposition.
Upon a fourth sector-the prohibition
repeal skirmish-the fighting will not
be so difficult. That contest will come
after Roosevelt has either been wiped
out with two defeats or strengthened by
two victories-the RooSevelt-ShouSe
issue and the two-thirds rule question.
Both of these battles will come en-
the floor of the convention and RooSe-
velt, if he wins either, will be able to
write the platform and his dictum will
be taken. Opposition already has
unified the RooSeveltians. Their unity
should give Roosevelt power to say how
far the repealers shall go.
A cOnSIQerdDle DOOy Oh OpullOn Is
forming in the convention Just now to
state the repeal question simply and in
plain words, but taking the country no
further than the Republican plank has
taken it.
Here's the big show-the Republican
sideshow! The laughing showl The
donkey playing dead dog before the ele-
phant. Come on, see the big show-the
laughing show Walk right in and take
your medicine. A picture Of Mr. Hoo
yer with every ticket at the big show"
At which point public opinion. in the
blue coat of the law, grabbed the last
surviving exponent of personal liberty
and hustled him down the street.
copyright, 1892. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Inc)