Evening star., 1932-04-15
Political Delicacy.

Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt Of
New York has determined that he will
not go as delegate to the Chicago
Democratic national convention. Ad-
mitting that he is candidate for the
presidential nomination. the Governor
said that it would not be in accord
with political delicacy" for him to be
included in the list of delegates attend
ing the convention. The New York
Governor has at least called attention
to the fact that there should be GER
tain amount of "delicacy" In politics, a
fact that has almost passed out of the
ken Of the modern politician. 1t is q
fact, however, that leading candidates
for presidential nominations in both
parties generally speaking. have alb
stained from attending as delegates the
national conventions destined to make
the nominations.
Gov. Roosevelt's decision may or
may not effect the decision of Alfred
z. Smith in the matter of becoming
delegate to the Democratic National
Convention. Today the Democratic
State Convention of New York is to
pick a slate of delegates large to
the national convention. Mr.. Smith,
| who has admitted that he is recep-
tive candidate for the presidential nom
| ination, may have determined long ago
that he will not be delegate, or vice
versa. He has said that he Is tre-
mendouSly interested In the form and
contents of the Democratic national
platform to be adopted at the conven-
tion. II he is to have effective part in
framing the platform, Mr.. Smith may
feel that he must be delegate to the
convention. At least, he would have to
be on the ground in Chicago at the
time the convention wreStles with the
platform.
When he was a candidate for the
presidential nomination in 1924 and
again in 1928, Mr.. Smith was not a
delegate to the national convention
either in New York or in Houston. He
remained away from the New York
convention until after John w. Davis
had been nominated. He did not go
to Houston at all, but sent a telegram
Of acceptance after he had been NOM
mated by the convention there Today
MI Smith, if he decides to seek his
own selection as delegate to Chicago,
must admit that he is not really q
candidate for the presidential nomina-
ton, or he must violate the political
delicacy" mentioned by Gov. Roosevelt
and depart from his former practice in
regard to national conventions.
What Mr. Smith does in connection
with the delegate selections in New York
is a matter of peculiar interest in view
of Gov Roosevelts announcement that
he himself would not be a delegate and
in view Of the fact that Smith has pro-
claimed himself utterly antagonistic to
the nomination of Gov Roosevelt. If
he should go to the national convention
as a delegate, Mr.. Smith as former
Governor and former Democratic presi-
OClllIdl llOiiilIlCt dIld dS lIIlldI 1lCdO
of the Democratic party today might
well head the delegation, although that
honor might cOnceiyably go to one Of
the United States Senators from New
York
The personal conflict between Mr..
Smith and Gov. Roosevelt has become
the great focal point VI interest in
Democratic politics today. When Mr.
Smith, evidently hitting at Roosevelt,
i declared at the Jefferson day harmony
dinner that he would take on his coat
and vest and fight 10 the last any man
who sought to array the masses against
the rich and TO arouse class hatred. the
conflict was at last dragged into the
open. Mr.. Smith used the word per
I siSts' indicating as some think. thas
/ he might be willing 10 overlook Gov
! Rooseyelt's recent radio address about
| the forgotten" man, the little man,
! provided Gov Roosevelt did not repeat
! the performance. But the antagOnism
| between Mr. Smith and Gov. Roosevelt
( HAS NSCh AalAAieu 4Il"o 4i"HHS ny DPPo-
nents OF Roosevelt's nomination TO such
an extent that there seems little chance
| for peace between the two Whether Mr.
Smith and Gov. Roosevelt will kill each
other of in the presidential race Is
the question uppermost in Democratic
minds today. Gov Roosevelt already
has apparently killed off Mr.. Smith. To
many it looks as though Mr.. Smith was
intent upon dragging Gov. Roosevelt
down with him.
The Disarmament Of Hitler.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg Is
giving Geneva a practical example in
i {, --li IL