The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-04-14
ATTACKS GOVERNOR
IN SPEECH MADE AT
WASHINGTON DINNER
Will Eight to Bitter End" Any
Candidate Who Makes
Oemagogic Appeal
MEANING is HELD EVIDENT
Quotations From Executives
Speech Make Clear OBJ
ject of Attack
MEANING IS HELD EVIDENT

Washington, April l4.-(P-The
opposition Of Alfred e. Smith, sud-
denly and forcefully expr se d.
Thursday stood across Franklin D.
Roosevelt'S path toward the presi-
Dental nomination of the Democratic
party.
"A stern challenge, with its object
unnamed but indisputably identified.
was Numbered out by the happy
warrior" of 1928 Wednesday nipht
IN his address to the jefferson Day
gathering of the party's great-a
gathering which had been heralden
as unity meeting to forward
Democratic success In November,
Roosevelt was not there. Other
business kept him in Albany, but
many of his supporters were in the
throng which heard Smith. after
quoting Roosevelt utterances, promise
TO take off my coat and vest and
hight to the bitter end any candidate
who persists in any demagogic ap-
peal to the masses of the WORKING
people OF this country to destroy
themselves by setting class against
class and rich against poor"
Word Roosevelt Used
II was Roosevelt who only last
thursday IN a radio address plead
ed the cause of the forgotten man"
at the bottom Of the economic struc-
ture, the farmer and the small house,
holder. In that same address he
labeled as a "stop-gap" the idea Of a
Dig public works bond issue to slim
ulate employment.
Smith. who sponsors just such a
project, quoted this word "stop-gap"
IN referring critically to exception
taken to his plan in the recent speech
OF leading Democrat whom he did
not name.
Thursday the Democratic leaders
were weighing the effect of this
startling development on the party
fortunes and upon the candidacy of
roosevelt who now is way beyond
any rivals on the road to nomination
with ZIG pledged and claimed del
egates. Immediate repercuss ions
were awaited. : :
smith flung into the meeting also
a proposal for settling the war debts
ana stimulating American foreign
trade by this governments offering
the debtor nations to forget" their
obligations for 20 years. meanwhile
reducing their total each wear bv %
per cent Of their purchases of Amer
lean goods. Considerably elaborated.
This plan received an uncertain re-
Spouse, with much less applause
tnan was volunteered many of his
utterances.
Virginia Offers Wet Plank
Earner the group had been startled
oy the proffer of compromise wet
plank from the dry state of Virginia.
FORMER Governor Harry Flood Byrd
proposed immediate amendment of
the constitution to make possible a
alrect referendum by the people.
Inns, with Smiths renewal of his
urging for a states rights plank. al
lowing states to remain wet or dry
as tney chose, vas one of the few
references to prohibition in the party
The gathering of more than 1000.
coming at the end of a day replete
win rallies, speeches and campaign-
planning. heard also Governor Albert
Z. Rltchie of Maryland, former Gov
ernor James M. Cox of Ohio. the
postmaster, and John j. Raskob. the
party'S national chairman. Senator
j. Hamilton Lewis, of Illinois. on the
for speech, was not able
20 attend. The general tenor of the
talks was an assault on the Republic
can administration, coupled with pre-
dictions Of triumph for Democracy in
the next election.
IN the text of his address, prepared
beforehand, Smith followed up his
promise to take off his coat and fight
with the assertion:
Fight All Summer
1T would be better that the con-
ventlon remain In session all summer
and give to the people a vigorous.
strong, clearly defined platform. and
candidates capable of fighting for It.
Than to hurry away from Chicago with
half-baked proposal to offer to the
people Of the country!"
But the sentence went unuttered
The paragraph and several others
were skipped in Smiths rapid deliv-
cry. 1t was understood that BYRD and
others, upon seeing the manuscript in
advance, advised the New Yorker to
tone 1t down."
He did, however, say:
Some Democrats say, give us a
short convention others say .nonin-
ate candidate against whom moth
ing can be said while there cannot
be much said for him. The DISPOSE
ton to gloss over controversial ques-
lions in an attempt to please both
sides Of the argument will bring forth
. meaningless document. colorless
candidate and weakened party. r.
perience viii win nothing for de-
A short convention Is the particu-
lar objective OF the Roosevelt forces.
although many not definitely In his
column join In wishing ct al costs
to prevent the type Of long deadlock
which occurred In the 1924 Madison
Square Garden convention.
BANNER STORY
REACTIONS DIFFE1
Praise and criticism mar6ed the
reaction on capitol hill 70 Smiths
speech.
Senator Wheeler (Dem.. Mont.), Z
fFAsaAin,s~A - saNn,n saAsaAN