Evening star., 1932-10-06
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, October s.
With the eleventh hour revival OF friend
ship between AL Smith and Gov. Frank
lin D. Roosevelt of New York undo the
harm which Mr.. Smiths refusal to say
anything complimentary about the
Democratic nominee for President has
done to Gov. Roosevelt's chances in
States Of the East and elsewhere? And
just how far does that reconciliation
60? Is Mr.. Smith to get actively into
the campaign for Roosevelt at last?
If he does, undoubtedly he will be a
strong champion and great aid to
Roosevelt in Massachusetts,, Connecti-
cut, New Jersey and New York and
several other States which have been
regarded as leaning toward the Repub-
licans.
Before Mr.. Smith called Gov. Roose-
velt "Old Potato" in Albany on Tues
day leading Roosevelt Democrats,
among them Senator Walsh Of Mon
tana, took the view that any harm
Smiths coldness toward Roosevelt might
bring about had already been accomp-
lished and nothing that Mr.. Smith
could say or do until election day
would have the effect Of changing the
Roosevelt sentiment which has
smoldered in the breasts of these
Smith Democrats. Probably the Roose-
welt Democrats will look at the matter
differently now. If there Is one thing
that the Democratic leaders in Massa-
chusetts and other Eastern States have
hoped for during many long weeks it
was a kind word for Roosevelt uttered
by AL Smith.
It will be interesting to know just
what brought Mr.. Smith to the final
decision to smile and be friends with
his old political friend Gov. Roosevelt
Perhaps Mr. Smith we'll tell the story
himself some day. Whatever the rea-
son. it certainly gives a more happy
impression Of Mr. Smith in the minds
of many people who have admired him
in the past. The alliance between
Roosevelt and Smith, if it sticks, may
make it difficult for John F. Curry, the
Tammany leader. Mr.. Curry has sought
to rule the roost in New York State as
well as in New York City He used
AL Smith to belabor Gov Roosevelt in
the Democratic National Convention
but when he sought to deny to Lieut..
Gov Lehman the nomination for Gov
ernor, Curry brought Smith and Roose-
welt together in the defense of Lehman
Lehman has been nominated Mr. Curry
has failed dismally in his effort to stop
the nomination of Roosevelt for Presi-
dent and Lehman for Governor Of New
York What he will do about nomina-
tion Of a Democratic candidate for
mayor remains to be seen. If he sticks
to his promise to Jimmie" Walker. his
promise to nominate the former mayor
Mr. Curry may be in for another bump
yal In
it is made, appear to be a signal from
Tammany Hall that Roosevelt was to
be knitted in the greater city, and per-
haps Lehman, too.
\ X
Mrs. Ruth Bryan Owen. daughter OF
the late Col William Jennings Bryan
IS out here in Minnesota campaigning
for Roosevelt and Garner She made
has been under Republican attack
Mrs. owen, a member Of the House
from Florida, praised highly the Demo-
cratic leadership of that body. and
took up the cudgels for Speaker Gar
ner's pork barrel" post Office bill. in
sisting that it would provide much
needed public works. Well, perhaps
the Democrats intend, after all, to put
through such a measure if they are
placed in power. The Democratic
high command has done all it can tc
muzzle Speaker Garner in this cam
paign, and to keep him in the straight
and narrow path and away from ad-
vocating more p-st otfice buildings at
this time. Mrs. Owen seems to have
escaped their vigilance.
The nomination of Col William Don
ovan for Governor b. the Republican
State Convention Of New York was tn
expected thing. Gel. Donovan vii
make a strong run, and doubtless vii
aid the Republican national ticket ir
that State What the Republican dry
will do in upstate New York. how
ever, remains to be seen. The Stat.
convention Endorsed President Hoover's
stand in support Of revision Of tbs
| eighteenth amendment so that wet
States may be wet if they vote thai
way. Senator Wagner. Democrat, mus
| face in the senatorial race in the
Empire State George S. Medalie, United
States attorney for the southern dis.
trict of New York. Wagner has beer
hard-working Senator and has made
his mark in the Upper House in thi,
4 his first term. To dislodge him viii
be difficult task for the Republicans
Not many OF the politicians believe il
can be done. Particularly is this true
\ if the Democratic party finally adjust:
its troubles in the State which Seems
more and more possible these days.
| So bitter was the fight waged In The
recent Wisconsin Republican primary
that the La Toilette progressives. fight
4 INV ,o1i
4 the Republican ticket in November
/ The attacks made on Gov. Philip La
| Toilette and his brother Bob" United
/ States Senator, have been so severe
1 that their followers are up In arms
| According to the stories the progressive:
tell, the" stalWarts," determined to rlir
the personal regulations of the two L.
Follettes, hired men and women fol
house toulouse canvasses and started 6
whispering campaign defaming tht
characters of both the Governor and tht
Senator. The idea. it is said by tht
! progressives, was to blacken the Ii
Toilette name from one end of tn,
State to the other. Stories were told il
these canvasses attacking the morals O
the La Follettes. charging them with
being atheists. ETC. Whether this kline
Of campaigning had any real effect OF
the voters remains mystery Blu
one effect contrary to that which tn,
stalwarts were desiring is now mani
Testing itself. These attacks have mad,
it all the more difficult to win tht
progressives to support the Republican
national and State tickets in Wisconsin
on election day.
/ X
The determination of Senator job,
j. Blaine, the La Toilette progressive
defeated for denomination to the Sen
ate in the Republican primary, not t,
become an Independent candidate wa
a blow to the hopes Of some of tn
progressives. They believed that h
might have won. Now they are sayin,
that if the Democrats were really wis
in the political game they would with
draw their senatorial candidate, Duffy
and substitute Blaine as their choice
Such a move, the progressives say
would insure the election of Blaine an,