Evening star., 1932-06-28
RULE BATTLE LAID
TO SNAP JUDGMENT
Roosevelt Did Not Approve It
Specifically, Campaign
Aide Says.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO, June 28.-Roosevelts
calling of the fight against the two
thirds rule can be accepted as IN COM
plete good faith. 1t can De taken as
done in the interest, as he says, OF good
sportsmanship and harmony, AT the
same time completeness of the record
must include the statement that in the
Judgment of most observers Roosevelt
was destined to defeat on the fight to
chance the tWo-thirds rule. He was
also destined to suffer detriment to
his chances in the fight for the nomi-
nation bv the loss of his preliminary
fight on the rule
Even as things stand he has lost a
pood deal He has absolved himself
from the charge of poor SportsmanShip
or of using a steam roller, but he has
incurred in the minds of the delegates
the detriment of making an impression
of having attempted a very important
act in an impulsive and ofhand
manner.
How the Fight Started.
Persons in the inner circle of the
Roosevelt management here explain
that Roosevelt personally did not initi-
ate the fight against the two-thirds
rule and did not specifically approve it.
The way it came about was this:
On Thursday one of Smiths asso-
ciates, Frank Hague Of New Jersey,
gave out a statement publicly attack
ing Roosevelts candidacy The pur-
pose of Hague's maneuver was to get
a rise out Of the Roosevelt forces.
Hague got the rise.
The Roosevelt forces felt they must
do something bellicose. They met and
decided to oppose the two-thir6s rule
so as to minimize the power of Roose-
velt's opponents They called Roose-
welt out of bed on the phone at mid
night to tell him their intention.
Roosevelt is quoted as merely having
said something to the effect that that
might be a good idea. The Roosevelt
management and leaders here did not
take It under advisement nor postpone
it for later decision. They decided at
once to do it and so announced.
That Johnny on the spot type of
quick decision is a thing on which the
Roosevelt forces seem rather to pride
themselves. People of one tempera-
ment are pleased by that kind of quick
dectsiveness. People OF another tenn
pcrament are disturbed by it. 1t is a
fair Judgment of the present state Of
mind of the Roosevelt leaders here to
say they wish they had given the idea
more thought.
The episode has been seriously detri-
mental to Roosevelt. 1t hurt him among
persons who are disturbed by the fact
that a man at Roosevelt's present stage
of elevation should seem to do an i'm
portant step in an offhand way. Every
body knows that throughout all organ
lied society a good many ancient rules
are just now under attack Conserva-
tive folks are disturbed by the spectacle
of an offhand attempt to scrap GEN.
tury old rule of the Democratic party.
That disposition applied to the form Of
government might be alarming.
Smith Can't Stop Him.
The uneasiness is increased by the
fact that those Democratic leaders who
seem able to get closest to Roosevelt
include a number of progressives or
radicals who are not averse to the
wholesale scrapping of ancient rules in
government and in organized society.
1t is still fair to say that Smith can
not prevent the nomination of Roose-
velt Some other leader standing in
Smiths shoes and having Smiths force
of personality may do it. Smith cannot
do it because any expression of judg-
ment from him adverse to Roosevelt is
weakened by the suspicion that Smith
has motives of self-interest and other
personal reasons for his attitude.
1t is being reported since early last
week that Smith will make a powerful
speech, declaring that the nomination
of Roosevelt is undesirable, and giving
reasons for that Judgment. Such
speech from Smith, if it is made, will
merely solidify the disposition to name
Roosevelt. If that speech, however,
should be made by some other leader
having Smiths prestige and force of
personality, Roosevelt might be dropped.
Such a speech if made by Newton D.
Baker, for example, might swing the
convention away from Roosevelt. Nom
ination of Roosevelt is by no means to
be taken for granted. 1t is true he has
a minimum of about $50 delegates,
which is 70 more than a majority and
within 120 of the necessary two-thirds.
or ITO. 1t is true that to defeat man
with this strength would be unprece-
dented and sensational. Nevertheless,
he can be stopped by 1856, provided
those stopping him are sufficiently de-
termined and sufficiently willing to
stand fast. There are at least 450
delegates who seem to the writer of
this dispatch to be pretty determined
to stop Roosevelt.
(Copyright 1922
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