Evening star., 1932-03-09
New Hampshire Leads the Way.

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hold primary elections for the choice
OF delegates to the Republican and
Democratic National Conventions, has
given its preference to President Hoover
on the Republican side and to Gov.
Franklin D. Roosevelt OF New York on
the Democratic. President Hoover was
unopposed in the Republican primary.
But Gov. Roosevelt met sharp opposi-
ton from the supporters of Alfred (.
Smith, whose, announcement a month
ago set his friends to working feverishly
line up delegate strength for the former
New York Governor and Democratic
standard bearer in 1928. The Roosevelt
victory over Smith in New Hampshire,
however. was sharply defined in yester-
days primary. The cold weather, which
was expected to aid Smith because his
principal strength lay in the cities,
made no material difference.
This is the first political battle cf
the campaign in which the former
Democratic comrades in arms, RooSe-
welt and Smith, have been at grips. 1t
Is true that Roosevelt was first in the
field in New Hampshire and that many
Of the party leaders there had lined up
for him months before Smith made
known the fact that he was receptive
candidate for the presidential nomina-
tion of his party. The fact remains
that the Smith supporters went into
the campaign believing that they had
8 chance to win; that at least a split
delegation would result. Furthermore,
Smith has for years had big follow
ing In the White Mountain State In
1924 the State delegation was about
evenly divided between McAdoo and
Smith and in 1928 the delegation was
Smiths.
The Roosevelt supporters among the
Democrats have maintained that once
the primary elections got under way
the Governor of New York would show
his strength as q vote -getter-a strength
which would conv nee the Democratic
party that he was the best candidate
they could put forward IN the general
election for President. Today they are
tubilant.
One weakness Of the Smith candidacy
up to the present time has been q per-
ststent belief on the part of many
Democrats that the former Governor of
New York cannot be nominated at the
coming national convention in Chicago.
IN addition to this has been the rumor
that his Is not a bona-fide candidacy,
but merely q part Of q plan to stop
Roosevelt. The voters are not anxious
TO support a candidate who they do
not believe can win, nor are they as in
terested in halting the nomination of
Roosevelt as are some of the leaders OF
their party.
The first blood in the Democratic
contest for presidential nomination has
gone to Roosevelt. The Roosevelt
Democrats will maintain that the cleo
tion Of Roosevelt delegates in New
Hampshire does not mean that Smith
will not triumph over Roosevelt in
Massachusetts,, in Connecticut, in Yer
mont and in Rhode Island, where the
Smith forces are intent upon selecting
delegations to the national convention.
Nevertheless, there was chagrin in the
anti i-Roosevelt camp today. Nor does it
appear that Smith, despite his un-
doubted strength in Massachusetts,, will
make clean sweep of all the delegates
In that State
The defeat Of Smith in New Hsmp.
shire may spur his supporters to great
er efforts. But at the same time it is
likely to give impetus to the Roosevelt
campaign in New England, which some
OF the Smith followers had maintained
was on the wane. In another week the
results Of the North Dakota primary
Will have been received. In that State
Roosevelt is running against Alfalfa
Bill Murray, Governor of Oklahoma
Should victory perch on the Roosevelt
banners there, too. the Roosevelt tide
will swell still further