Evening star., 1932-05-09
Democracy's Dilemma.

seven weeks from JO0ay the DemO-
, cratic National Convention opens in
Chicago. At q similar date four years
ago the selection Of q Democratic noni-
nee for President had to all intents and
purposes been accomplished. It was
well understood by the party leaders,
North, East, West and South, that Al
fred E. Smith, then Governor of New
| York, was the man. The Houston con-
vention was little more than a ratifica-
tion meeting. But today the clouds of
dissension hover over the heads Of
Democrats. The leading candidate for
the presidential nomination, also a New
York Governor, Franklin D. Roosevelt,
is bitterly assailed by other Democrats
who desire to prevent his nomina-
ton. A leader amcng the group op-
posing the nomination of Roose-
welt is the standard bearer Of 1928,
Al Smith himself, who was placed
in nomination for President by Roose-
welt, not only at the Houston conven-
ton, but also ct Madison Square Garden
four years earlier
A contest ar ong the Democrats for
the presidential nomination IN a year
which has been widely advertised as
Democratic year" was to be expected.
But there are contests and contests.
Into the present race has come an e,e-
ment Of bitterness which had its proto-
type in 1924. Democrats in that year
announced their determination to pre-
vent the nom nation of William Gibbs
McAdoo at whatever cost. McAdoo
! then, as Roo:evelt Is today, was the
leading candidate for the nomination.
F. The cost to the Democrats of that row
Is a matter Of history. What the
present determination OF much the
same group of Democrats to stop"
Roosevelt will cost the Democratic
party is still undisclosed.
Roosevelt today stands the favorite
! candidate Of the Southern and West
ern Democrats. This notwithstanding
the fact that Speaker Garner of Texas
carried the California presidential pref
erential primary. Had it not been for
Smiths entry into that race, Roosevelt
would probably have defeated Garner
there. But the elements in the party
and out Of tin the North and East
which opposed McAdoo in 1924 are to
very large extent opposing Roosevelt
today. The South and West were
forced to yield to the North and East
in 1924. Four years later the South
and West in the Democratic National
Convention with more or less grace as
sented to the nomination of the candi-
date Of the democracy of the North
and East Al Smith. It remains to be
be seen whether the South and West
will consent this year to the nomina-
ton OF q candidate picked, as a COM
promise, perhaps, by the Democrats of
the North and East. Roosevelt, it is
true, will have the support of a num-
Der of delegates from the Northern and
Eastern States which was lacking to
McAdoo eight years ago. And, finally
it remains to be seen whether a COM
promise candidate, If nominated can
carry the country.
With ATS delegates pledged or in
structed for him already, Roosevelt
easily leads the field in delegate
strength, Other delegates have been
elected who are reported to be favorable
to Roosevelt and ready to vote for him.
Nor are any of the delegates in New
York and Pennsylvania included in the
275 listed as instructed for Roosevelt,
although the New York Governor has
many delegates in both those large
delegations. Next to Roosevelt in num-
Der Of delegates instructed or pledged
stands Alfred e. Smith, with 81 dele
gates from Massachusetts,, Rhode Island
and the Canal Zone. He, too, will share
In the delegations from New York and
Pennsylvania. Smith is expected to
have the New Jersey and Connecticut
delegations and efforts are to be made
to boost his count to 200 by the time
the convention meets, although his
pledged or instructed delegates may be
much less than this figure Third on
the list today is Speaker Garner, with
A delegates from California He will
also have his own 46 delegates from
Texas. giving him at least 80 when the
convention meets. Other candidates,
mostly Of the favorite son variety, are
White Of Ohio. with So: Reed of
Missouri, with SO; Lewis Of Illinois, with
So; Murray of Oklahoma, with %; Byrd
Of Virginia, with "a, and Ritchie of
Maryland, with 16.
Estimates vary as to Roosevelt
strength when the convention assemblrs
His managers insist that he will have
more than a majority. This is scorn-
fully denied by his opponents. But that
the New York Governor will have a very
large following is undeniable When he
is killed of, provided he is defeated for
the nomination, the job of selecting
compromise candidate will be accom-
plished not by the delegates. but by a
group Of leaders. This is inve riably the
manner in which compromise" are
effected.
FrI- f.. -