Evening star., 1932-06-22

CHICAGO. June 22-Over the por
tails of Roosevelt headquarters in the
Congress Hotel hangs huge map OF
the United States As you approach 1t
from distance it seems to be one sim
gle blotch OF lurid red ana when you
are close enough to inspect the color
scheme you observe that the States in
red are Roosevelt territory. They are
the ones which have instructed for the
Governor or those in which Roosevelt
delegates are pledged. Half a dozen
other States are black, green, pink,
brown. lavender or purple, and indl-
cate favorite-son territory held by Byrd,
Reed. Lewis, Murray, Ritchie or White.
Three States, New Jersey, MaSSachu-
setts and Rhode Island, are in blue and
allocated to Smith California and
Texas, in pale and almost indistinguish-
able saffron tint, belong to Garner.
New York State. depicted in a neutral
white, is no mans land on the RooSe-
Velt map. 1t is an undeniably impress
sive piece of political geography. 1t ex-
actly conveys the idea that Jim Farley,
foxy Roosevelt manager, had in mind
when he had the map made, namely
that virtually the whole U. S. A. Is for
Roosevelt. No one can look at it and
escape the conclusion that the Cover
nor's convention strength is SO ma
ton wide, SO far flung and SO numeri-
cally preponderant that his rivals, singly
or combined, are of insignificant i'm
portanoe. Psychologist Farley may have
slipped cog IN putting Roosevelt In
the red. Nowadays, especially in i'm
poverished Chicago, the color is oml-
nous.
\ x
Only one question Is on all lips as
the Democratic fray approaches: Can
Roosevelt be stopped? Among dozen
observers, prognosticators or boosters OF
this or that aspirant for the pfesiden-
tial plum you will find a dozen differ
ent opinions. Manager Farley, who
staked out his claims before the Roose-
yelt shoppers pitched their various tents,
contrived to saturate Chicago pretty
effectually with the belief that the
Governor has the nomination in the
bag. Until the roll call is actually
over hardly any one Is, in position to
challenge the Farley boast that Roose-
welt will have SOL votes on the nrst
ballet That is uncomfortably close to
the ITO necessary to q choice. At least
two or three delegations now under IN
structions to support favorite sons are
notoriously full OF Roosevelt sentiment.
If Farleys nose count is accurate, only
10 favorite-son delegates viii need 10
slip their moorings to put the Cover
nor over early In the game.
y y y
But AL Smith is In town now ana
the rosy Roosevelt mirage Is Scheouieo
to be clouded up bit. If the Roose-
welt shoppers are going to do any Stop-
ping, to AL is assigned the role OF cnlei
stopper. That he will leave no stohe
unturned to play 1t successfully is Z
foregone conclusion. 'er tnere was
fight to the death in American poll
tics, Chicago is about to be its scene
The rival factions know 1t means po-
litical extinction for the losing sloe'
No quarter, therefore, is the cry VIII
which they will enter the arena sma.n lai
battle-scarred veteran that ne Is, arrived
this morning with his fighting blood
stirred to a boil He is ready Tor .
! combat to the finish and doesn't care
who knows it. Nominally. his own hat
is in the ring. Actually, AIS only am.
bition is to knock Eoosevelt's lid ouI
of the ring.
If it is not going to be Roosevelt
who will it be? That is the other
question on almost all lips and one tc
which, also there are widely divergent
answers. If Roosevelt is denied VIC
tory, he can hardly be denied the
power to thwart the choice OF any
candidate Objectionable to his follow
ers. Should the two-thirds rule pre-
vail, and it is generally expected to
| the Governor win almost certainly re-
| tain enough strength to veto any nom-
! nation he dislikes. He may, in othei
words not be able to force his prefer
ence on the convention which has re-
jected him, but can blast the hopes
of some pet aversion-Smith himself
for instance. Gov. Ritchie ranks fore.