Evening star., 1932-09-20
VALUE OF ROOSEVELT'S TRIP
TO WEST FOR VOTES DOUBTFUL
Democratic Candidate, Although the Bet
ter Mass Mar" Is Not Drawing Over
whelming Crowds to His Speeches.
Special Dispatch to The Star

Special Dispatch to The Star
ABOARD THE ROOSEVELT SPE-
CIAL, SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sep
tember 20 (NANAD.-"It'sn not acres,
but people, that count"
When Alfred E. Smith was in Chi
cago carrying on Ills determined but
unsuccessful battle to block his old
friend Franklin D. Roosevelt, from
getting the Democratic presidential
nomination, he made that observation
concerning map in the Roosevelt
headquarters which was colored to show
the territory the Empire State Governor
controlled in delegates, as compared to
New York, Massachusetts,. New Jersey
and Pennsylvania, where Smith was
strong.
1t was a sage observation about the
sage brush country. Travelling as we
have through the alkali regions, the
prairies and hills of which stretch out
in a panorama Of brown desolation, and
then over the rocky, mountainous
States, one cannot help but wonder
whether this long trip of Gov. Roose-
velt's is worth while.
The total number of electoral votes
involved thus far is 26. whereas Massa-
chusetts alone has IT, New Jersey Is
and New York At.
Due 20 Smith Menace.
TIE menace of the man in the brown
derby largely is responsible for the at
tention being paid to the States great
in area but small in votes. I'VE can
WIN without New York Massachusetts,
or New jersey" was the word we were
given at Democratic National Commit
tee headquarters in New York at the
outset of this trip, but one is led to be-
lieve that if the managers were sure
of it, this hard, exhaustirg trip would
not have been undertaken.
Now that the first week of the 5000
mile Stumping tour of g States is a
matter of history, it might be interest
ing to survey the results.
Has the candidate won support as a
result of his personal appealing he
made a hit with the crowds? How is
he standing the trip physically after
the strenuous months preceding his
nomination, his hurried airplane trip to
Chicago to accept the nomination, his
day and night sessions on the Walker
case? Is he being heckled?
An effort has been made toward
cold, calculating appraisal, with the
thought in mind that one of the great
est dangers of any one travelling with
a presidential candidate is that he may
go stable blind" Turf followers some
times find to their sorrow that they
have been blinded by the idea thai
only the colors of a certain stable can
be carried to victory. Others win.
Presidential races are like horse races
in some respects.
There is a perpetual parade OF the
Pollyennas to the special train of every
candidate. PartiSans bring him tiding.;
of great joy. They tell him, and they
tell every one around him. what they
think the candidate would like to hear,
so one must 60 afield to get a proper
perspective. That IS what has been
attempted by this writer, and these
are his conclusions:
There is no evidence that Gov Roose-
velt has any more votes in the Middle
West than he had before he started on
this trip. One has the feeling that
the day has gone by when great masses
of people are won to man because
they may see him smile, wave hat or
say a word of greeting from the plat
form Of train. The radio gives them
an impression Of their own and so do
the newspapers.
The crowds at the larger cities
through which Gov. Roosevelt has
passed have been good. but not Still
pendous. In Topeka his first majcr
speech was made. When he startsd
he had $4,000 standing before him. A
few minutes later the crowd began tc
melt In the midday sun. When he
finished he had, perhaps. 5000 left.
The applause at the conclusion of his
farm relief speech lasted exactly 40
seconds.
Better "Mass Man"
Gov. Roosevelt undoubtedly is bet
ter mass man than Herbert Hoover,
but he does not captivate the crowds as
did his famous namesake, T. R, Neither
does he cause men to stand on their
chairs, throw their hats in the air and
yell as. they did for William Jennings
Bryan, and William Jennings Bryan
found on three distinct occasions tina;