Evening star., 1932-02-08
Dill Says Opponents of New
York Governor Have Played
Trump Card.
LEADERS, ATTITUDE
PUZZLES SUPPORTERS
Garner, Cox and Richie Are Out.
standing Possibilities if Con-
vention Is Deadlocked.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

With Alfred E. Smiths statement de-
claring his willingness to accept the
Democratic nomination for President
before them, the Roosevelt and anti
Smith Democrats today went right
ahead with their plans to place the
New York Governor a. the head of
their national ticket
The assertion was made by Roose-
velt Democrats, among them Senator
Dill of Washington, that former Gov.
Smiths statement, made public today,
was designed primarily TO stop
Roosevelt.
Even Democrats friendly to Smith
were puzzled by the form in which the
Smith statement was issued.
Statement is PuzzIing.
If Gov. Smith is really a candidate
for the Democratic nomination, why
didn't he declare himself such and at
the same time make bid for delegates
in all the States, including the preSi-
Dental primary States, they asked
The Smith statement, which is brief,
follows:
so many inquiries have come to me
from friends throughout the country
who worked for and believe in me As
to my attitude in the present political
situation that l feel that I owe it to
my friends and to the millions of men
and women who supported me so Loyalty
in 1923 to make my position clear.
IF the Democratic national conven-
ton after careful consideration should
decide that it wants me to lead, / will
make the fight; but l will not make a
pre- convention campaign to secure the
support of delegates.
BY action of the Democratic national
convention Of 1928 I am the leader OF
my party in the Nation. With full
sense of the responsibility thereby i'm
posed, I shall not in advance of the
convention either support of oppose the
candidacy of any aspirant for the
nomination"
Statement Was Forecast.
The content of the statement had
been forecast last week. So the actual
announcement that Mr.. Smith would
accept the presidential nomination If
the convention decided to 60 to him
in Chicago next June was not sur
prise.
General agreement was found among
Democratic leaders here today that
Smiths willingness to accept the nom
ination would lead TO a bitter struggle
in the Democratic national convention,
if Mr.. Smiths friends in MaSSachu-
setts Rhode Island, New York, New
jersey Illinois, Pennsylvania and other
States undertake to send to the con-
vention delegates who will stand fast
for Smith, or stand for Smith until he
gives the word to shift to another can
didate.
The question on most lips was: Can
Roosevelt be nominated now that Smith
has tossed his hat in the ring?"
Most of the Democrats were un-
hesitating in their assertion that Smith
himself cannot be nominated in the
coming convention. And indeed there
are Democrats in sympathy with the
statement issued by Gov. Smith who
do not believe that Gov. Smith really
desires the nomination. but who believe
that he is anxious to have a great part
in naming the next presidential candl-
date of his party and also in framing
the national platform upon which the
candidate is to stand
In his statement to the country, Gov.
Continued on Page 4, Column ID