Evening star., 1932-04-17
BY GEORGE VAN SLYKE.


the Democrats find that the dramatic
developments incident to their jefferson
day celebration in Washington and the
outcome of the several State primaries
have not brought about any major or
fundamental change in either the status
of the candidates or the position OF the
party
While the sensational event Of the
week was the open declaration by Alfred
E. Smith at the Jefferson day dinner
that he was ready to fight to the bitter
end" to stop the nomination Of Gov.
Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York, the
latter went on his way cleaning up in
three primaries and gathering in all the
delegates in sight.
The definite break between New York; S
two leading Democrats, the titular head
of the party and the leading candidate
for nomination this year, is regarded as
potentially dangerous to the party. Yet
its effect is being appraised, now that
the excitement is all over, in relation
to the election in November rather than
the national convention in June.
y
Fear of a knockdOwn fight between
Smith and Roosevelt, which might throw
the convention into afdeadlock, is not
cheering those Democrats who believe
their chances of success depend on
harmony and unity of action. Many
are doubtful where their party is head
ing and foresee another disastrous con-
vention which will cancel hopes OF WIN
ming.
While the Democrats have been sup
plying the political fireworks and thrills,
President Hoover has gone on winning
without interruption or serious trouble
in State after State, assuring him almost
a. unanimous nomination. The subject
of grave political consideration to the
Republicans is The evidence Of drift
from their party to the Democratic
candidates in Western States, register
ing what is feared may be a protest
vote growing out of the discomfort
caused by economic conditions.
Little partisan advantage has been
recorded in Washington by either side.
The President and Republicans from
Capitol Hill have gone about seeking
economies in Government, meeting the
growing popular demand for retrench-
ment, and the Democrats have shown
disposition in the House to be more
traetable in dealing with the tax prob
lem.
But the dramatics of the week were
all Supplied by Al Smith in the Demo-
cratic peace parley, which bristled with
threats of discord and talk OF hight.
Smith made the text for his address at
the jefferson dinner the recent radio
speech of Gov. Roosevelt, wherein the
latter took his stand with the forgot
ten man" Dissecting and parallelmg
that speech with his own, Smith de-
nouneed it as demagogic and cheap
cleass appeal declaring he would fight
to the end any Democratic candidate
who reSorted to SUCH tactics.
At the same time, Smith presented
four important planks for the Demo-
cratic national platform, thereby indi-
eating that he expects to have some
thing to say about the issues for the
1882 contest as we'll as the selection of
candidate. He called for 20-year
moratorium in a new debt deal with
foreign powers on the basis that we
write off from their debt 25 per cent OF
what they pay us each year on the
gross value of their purchases of Amer
lean products He believed that would
stimulate trade and furnish us markets.
He also is for a real wet platform, for
issuance of large sums of Federal bonds
for public works and reorganization OF
the entire Government machinery.
While his proposals attracted much
attention and started wide discussion, it
was his open break with Roosevelt
which startled the Democracy and cast
a shadow across the future.
Reduced to the simplest possible po-
litical formula, the politicians believe
that what Smith said in effect in his
warning to Roosevelt was this:
IF I am not nominated, Roosevelt
can't be, and what is the use of nomi-
mating any one am against knowing
he cannot be elected If do not support
him"
Smith did not go to the extreme of
threatening I'D bolt the national ticket
If Roosevelt should be named. Few be-
lieVe he would go that far, for he is
grounded in organization politics and
has been regular in every test in his
long career. The Roosevelt leaders point
out that Smith did not even declare
unequiVoeally that he would fight
Roosevelt's nomination. His statement
may be subject to Interpretation, they
insist. What he said was that he would
not support a Democrat who won the
nomination by demagogic appeal. Roose-
welt has mace no Suen appeal, they In
sist, pointing out that the Governors
defense of the farmer and the forgot
ten man" goes no further than did
Smith in many speeches in 1923. He
must have meant some other fellow,
they say.
However qualified or modified, the
fact stands out like the pFoverbial sore
thumb that the Frank and AZ days
are ended; that there is no longer any
Suspicion as to a secret understanding
between them; that Al is going to do all
in his power TO prevent Frank from get
ting the nomination in Chicago, and
that II successful Al will have a lot to
say about the selection OF the compro-
mise candidate.
y
The undetermined question which
will be fought out in the weeks TO come
Is whethef Smith can hold one-third of