Evening star., 1932-01-25
The Political Mill
BY C.. Gould Lincoln.


opponents of Franklin D. Roosevelt Tor
the presidential nomination this year
Is willing to take him on for rouno
in the North Dakota presidential pref
erential primaries? Perhaps some one
OF them will come forward, "Al1alla
Bill" Murray, for example. The North
Dakota Democrats, in state conFen-
ton, have already Endorsed the cahul-
dacy of Gov. Roosevelt OF new fofk.
One swallow does not make spring
nor does one State delegation mean
presidential nomination But the Noftn
Dakota situation Is rather typical. Ii
is in line with the Democratic SITUATION
in many other States, where hiucn
work for the nomination OF Gov hoose-
welt already has been accomplished.
Out in the State Of washington, loI
example, where Roosevelt has lou Oh
boosters; in Montana, ana iarCheE
East, In Wisconsin, the Roosevelt SEN
timent has been running strong lot
long time.
Gov. Roosevelt has finally come out
into thp omen as candidate for the
presidential nomination replying 10 the
request of the Democratic state COM
mittee that he run and enter the North
Dakota primaries. His hats IN tne ring.
Gov. Albert C. Ritchie Of M3ryland YVES
the first of the Democrats to MAKE an
announcement of his candidacy GOV
George White of Ohio, it has been ar
ranged by the Democrats OF the BUCK
eye State, is to have the support OF the
Ohio delegation at the national con-
vention on the first ballot. But Gov
White appears to be rather strlctly
"favorite son" candidate. Former SEN
ator Jim" Reed of Missouri has sslo
that he would be glad to have the MIS-
souri, delegation vote for hlm. buI Ills
candidacy, too, Is more or less local.
x x
What is AL Smith going to do? 1t
scarcely seems possible that ne can
delay much longer making some state-
ment of candidacy If he is TO De a
candidate and make a real showing
at the Democratic National ConVen-
ton. Up in New Hampshire Smltn
Democrats have asserted their inten-
ton of placing a slate OF Smith-for-
President delegate candidates IN the
fed Is the former Governor OF New
York to lock horns with the present
Governor? There are still those VINO
insist he will not become candloate;
But it looks as though there would
be some kind of showdown In rev
Hampshire on this subject before long,
Already some prominent Democrats IN
that State have announced their can
didacies for delegate to the national
convention pledged to Roosevelt. On
the other hand, Representative VII
liam N. Rogers, Democrat, recently
elected to represent the nrst Ne"
Hampshire congressional district, is re-
ported to have declared tnat he would
support AL Smith If the former Gov
ernor became candidate for the NOM
ination.
Alfalfa Bill" Murray. Governor oil
Oklahoma, may have his name nleo IN
the North Dakota presidential prl-
maries and thus provide contest tor
Gov. Roosevelt. Gov. Murrays orotner'
it is said, is merely waiting Alfalfa
Pnls" permission to do so. But unless
the political wiseacres of the State are
entirely at fault, Roosevelt will make a
runaway race against Murray, II the
latter goes into the contest. The anti
Roosevelt forces among the Democrats,
which include all the supporters OF
other aspirants for the presidential
nomination, would be glad to gee Mur-
ray make a good showing against the
New Yorker. They might even try TO
throw some support to Murray In the
North Dakota primary. But that Is
difficult feat to accomplish.
X
The latest estimate of the Roosevelt
strength in the National Convention Is
676 delegates out of total OF 1,l54.
Under the two-thirds rule of Demo
cratic National Conventions 1t will take
ITO votes to nominate, with every dele
gate present and voting. If the esti-
mate of Roosevelt strength Is correct,
then the Governor already is only 90
votes shy of the number necessary to
nominate him on the first ballot. The
Roosevelt managers place 100 votes for
sother candidates, including Ohio's So
for Gov. White, and 286 votes are put
down as doubtful" Despite the boom
for Speaker Garner of Texas, the Texas
delegation i3 listed as doubtful. AS for
Pennsylvania delegation, Roosevelt is
e;ven 3s, or one-half of the total, in
The estimate and 38 are placed in the
doubtful column.
The table of Roosevelt strength put
out by the Roosevelt managers follows
State. Roosevelt. Others. Doubtful.
Alabama ............ p -