Evening star., 1932-01-09
what he said about prohibition and

what he said about prohibition and
sectionaIsm.
Mr.. Davis divided the last 10 years
of Republican rule in this country into
three eras: First, The era of dark be-
trayaP'; second, ''the era Of SNUG COM
placency', and third, the era OF wild
dismay." The first referred to the
Harding administration, the second TO
the Coolidge administration and the
third to the Hoover administration.
Speaking of the ERA Of wild dismay,
Mr.. Davis said:
"Finally the house Of cards blew
down overnight, and CONSERVATION
came to fill the seats where compla-
cency so long had sat enthroned. Alas,
and alas the third era-the era of wild
dismay had arrived. Betrayal, COM
placency. dismay-these words sum up
the history. Behind such leaders the
country has been trudging these wan
and weary years"
Mr.. Davis made plea for party
harmony on the part of the Democrats,
Great events lie before U.s." he said,
"Gread opportunities await us; great
responsibilities are ours Let us con-
front them with that harmony out of
which alone can success or victory arise.
all his wishes gratified or all his views
expressed either in his candidates or
our platform. But when one wishes
companionship on large scale he must
be content with those who agree with
him in most things"
Raskob Presents Bowers.
The dinner last night, which was
given under auspices of the Democratic
National Committee, was presided over
by Chairman John J. Raskob, who In
brief speech presented as toastmaster
Claude G. Bowers, newspaper man and
historian, and keynote speaker at the
Houston Convention of 1928. Mr..
Bowers took the Republican party to
task vigorously for having promised
prosperity and having failed to deliver.
He declared the real tragedy Of this
depression finds us without adequate
leadership in the seats of the mighty.
In the leadership of the administration
there has been too much of the oracular
and not enough of the articulate; for
the statements of responsible officials
almost invariably have been followed
bv ioint debates amCng thes sdevotees of
the oracle over the Interpretation OF
the meaning.
They wire in, and wire out,
And leave the people in a doubt
Whether the snake that made the track
rs going South or coming back.
"It is an amazing spectacle In the
closing hours of the administration to
find Senator FesS urging upon his party
the necessity of selling the head OF the
administration to the people. There is
something humiliating to an American
in the thought of selling an administra-
ton; it smacks too much OF bank
ruptcy sale"
The speakers did not fail to attack
the Republican tariff, which they said
had injured the foreign commerce OF
this country and helped keep prices
high. The Farm Board was severely
criticized as the Mad Adventure" Of
cost the taxpayers s50o,00o,000 OF their
money.
Roosevelt Not Present.
Democracy's son most prominently
mentioned for the presidential nomina-
ton was not present, Gov Franklin D.
Roosevelt of New York, who had sent
his regrets. Nor was Newton D. Baker,
nor Gov. George White of Ohio. But
Gov. Albert c. Ritchie of Maryland,
who Friday cast his hat in the ring,
was on hand with a large crowd OF
Maryland Democrats. He was cheered
as he entered the dinning room. Other
potential candidates were Gov. Al
Smith, Senator Joseph T. Robinson of
Arkansas, Democratic leader of the
Upper House; Speaker John N Garner
of Texas, former Gov. Harry Flood Byrd
of Virginia and Melvin Traylor, Chi
cago banker
At the speakers table, when the
addresses began, were the three prin-
cipal speakers, Smith, Cox and Davis,
Chairman John j. Raskob of the Ma
tional Committee, the toaStmaster,
Claude G. Bowers; Mrs. woodrow VIII
son, Senator Robinson of Arkansas,
Speaker Garner, Mrs. Nellie Tayloe
Ross, former Governor of Wyoming and
vice chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee; James j. Gerard Of
New York, treasurer of the Democratic
National Committee Mrs. Farley,
Mayor Frank Hague of Jersey City;
Scott Ferris, former Representative
from Oklahoma, and Jouett Shouse.
chairman of the Executive Committee
of the Democratic National Committee.
AS soon as the dinner was over, the
tables we're removed from the main
dining hall and the guests who had
been served in the room across the
hotel corridor ranged themselves in
rows until the whole room was filled.
In addition to members of the Demo-
cratic National Committee, scores of
other prominent Democratic leaders
were present. John F. Curry, leader of
Tammany Hall, was a guest.
The speeches of former Gov Cox, Mr.,
Davis and former Gov. Smith were
broadcast over the radio.