Evening star., 1932-09-07
'SM|TH STATEMENT
SPECULATED UPON
Ex-Governor of New York Ex.
pected to Voice Opinion
on Coming Election.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

Ex-President Coolidge's commenda-
ton Of President Hoover, coupled with
the announcement by the Saturday
Evening Post that this declaration by
the leading Republican in private life
will be balanced by a corresponding
statement from Mr.. Coolidge's equiv
alent in the Democratic party, ex-Gov.
Alfred E. Smith. has excited interest
among politicians in both parties.
Next to statements by the two presi-
Dental nominees and almost more than
these, the largest curiosity in the cam
paign is about the question whether
Smith will make any allusion to Gov.
Roosevelt, either in his forthcoming
Saturday Evening Post article. or in
the Outlook that is shortly to be under
his editorship, or otherwise.
There are intimates Of Smith who
pretty well know his mind about
Roosevelt. There are none. however,
who know surely whether Smith will
make public allusion to Roosevelt dur
ing the campaign. AS each day passes,
the Judgment tends to grow that Smith
will keep silent. Democratic leaders
primarily interested in party success
wish that Smith would speak, provided.
of course, that any statement by Smith
take the form Of Endorsement Of Roose-
velt.
Little Advantage Seen.
Many OF the leaders, however. whose
judgment is not too much Influenced
by their wishes. have come to the point
where they believe that any indorse-
ment of Roosevelt by Smith, even a
perfunctory one, coming at so late a
time and after so much has happened,
could do Roosevelt little good and might
do Smith harm.
Smiths strong standing with his fol-
lowing rests much upon his fortnight
ness and candor. Upon the preserva-
ton of that reputation depends much
of Smiths great potentiality for public
usefulness in the future. Any indorse-
ment of Roosevelt by Smith for the
sake Of party harmony, coming after
the public has learned or surmised the
relations between the two, would be
likely to sadden most Of Smiths fol-
lowers without inducing any Of them to
be enthusiastic for the presidential can
didate, whom they regard as privately
disapproved by Smith.
A few of Smiths friends. whose devo-
ton to him exceeds their concern for
party harmony, think Smith owes 1t to
ment of Roosevelt, but in explanation
Of the reasons for his disinclination to
approve Roosevelt. These friends OF
Smiths feel that the public generally
thinks that Smiths drawing away from
Roosevelt is due merely to political
feud of the ordinary kind. Such belief,
some of Smiths friends feel, does in
justice to him.
Speculation on Resentment.
Some of the public surmise that the
rift between Roosevelt and Smith Is
due to resentment against Roosevelt 8
grasping the presidential nomination
without consulting Smith. consid-
cradle portion of the public thinks
Smiths silence Is due to his resentment
of the fact that Roosevelt's nomination
was brought about, as respects the flnai
coup. by Smiths two most important
enemies in public life, William RAN
dolph Hearst and William G. McAdoo.
Such a feeling on Smiths part would
be as justified as. and not inferior in
dramatic dignity to, the personal feuds
which hundred years ago kept from
the White House some Of the largest
figures of that day, such as Henry Clay
and John C. Calhoun.
Some of Smiths friends feel that even
so humanity justified a basis for his
drawing away from Roosevelt. so far
as 1t Is accepted by the public. does
injustice to Smith. They surrcise that
Smiths opposition to Rooses cit has been
based from the beginning upon a con-
viction Of Roosevelt's inadequacy for
the Democratic nomination. It is
from this fundamental cause, they
think, that all the rest flows. Feeling
this way. few at least Of Smiths
friends think that in justification to
himself he should arrest the impress
sion that his attitude toward Roosevelt
is merely a personal or political feud.
No Overt Step Expected.
However sound all this may be as
argument. there is little expectation
among experienced politicians that
Smith will make any formal declara-
ton or take any overt step embarrassing
to Roosevelt. The limit Of Smiths dis
approval. they think, will go no further
than silence. They do not know
whether Smith will be silent to the
end, but they are confident that any
interruption by Smith Of his silence
about Roosevelt will be more likely to
take the form of perfunctory indorse-
ment Of the party nominee than out
right public disapproval Of him.
Meanwhile there are many estimates
Of the extent to which followers of
Smith. normally Democratic, will re-
main away from the polls. Most Of the
estimates probably exceed the actual
likelihood, for the wish for party VIC
tory is a strong counter balance. Even
a comparatively small and easily pos
sible number might be decisive in sew
eral doubtful States.