Evening star., 1932-04-08
SMITH MEN IGNORE F.
P|TTMAN'S ADVICE.
Senator Says Further Con-
tests Put Ex-Governor in
Embarrassing Position.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
Friends and supporters of Alfred L
Smith, 1923 standard bearer Of the
Democratic party, were not inclined to-
day to follow the advice Of Senator Key
Pittman Of Nevada, who is urging that
Mr.. Smiths name be withdrawn from
further contests for delegates to the
Democratic National Convention.
Senator Pittman, himself warm
friend Of the former New York Gov
ernor and selected to notify Mr. Smith
officially Of nomination for President
in 1928, in an interview with Arthur
Krock, published in the New York
Times today, said Mr.. Smiths friends
had no right to continue him in an
embarrassing position for their own
selfish ends"
"They should no longer expect this
great leader, who will always have a
powerful influence in our party, further
| to contest when he is not candidate
IOI IIlG uOIlllldllUll dllQ VIII illdhc IlO
campaign"
Roosevelt Polls Big Votes.
Smith has been decislvely defeated
| in contests for delegates to the
National Convention by Gov. Frank
lin D. Roosevelt of New York
who placed Smith in nomination
at the Houston Convention in 1923
and at Madison Square Garden in
| 1924. In New Hampshire and Wiscon-
sin primaries, Roosevelt delegates were
elected by big votes over those support
| ing Smith. Up in the Buffalo district
in New York, where the Smith support
ers thought they had a chance to elect
delegates pledged to Smith, the Roose-
velt forces f1attened them out COM
pletely In Minnesota. Iowa and Maine
Democratic State Conventions. the
Roosevelt forces won big victories, too,
| and Smith suffered defeats.
Smith must go to the bat with Roose-
velt in the primaries in Pennsylvania
| and Massachusetts, on April rs. In the
keystone State. if reports be true, the
odds are all in favor OF Roosevelt. and
he is likely to have more than so of the
delegates chosen.
Senator Coolidge Silent.
Senator Coolidge OF Massachusetts,
who is supporting the Smith delegate
slate, made no comment today on Sen
ator Pittmans suggestion. He 1ndi-
Gated, however, there was no present in
tention on the part of the Democrats
supporting Smith to withdraw from the
delegate contest.
The Smith Roosevelt row in Massa-
chusetts has led to bitter intra-party
strife Some of the Democrats are
fearful of the effect 1t may have on the
Democratic party in the Bay State IN
the November election. They would be
glad, it is said. of a way out.
Some of the Massachusetts Demo-
Gratis take the position that if the
Roosevelt people, under the leadership
of Mayor Curley of Boston. had not
forced the fighting, the great majority
of the delegates chosen to represent
Massachusetts at the National Conven-
! tion would have been perfectly willing
to vote for Roosevelt when it became
evident that Smith could not be nomi-
mated.
One Democrat today estimated that
as high as 80 members of the delega-
ton of So would have been willing to
go to Roosevelt after the first vote or
two for Smith. The fat seems to be
a.
chance of smoothing out the situation.
The Smith supporters are planning
to make fights for their candidate in
California, where the State primary is
to be held May 3, and in Connecticut
and Rhode Island, where delegates are
chosen In State convention. The Con-
necticut Democrats, who we're on the
fence and many of whom we're in
clined to send delegates for Smith, are
swinging over to Roosevelt, it is be-
lieved, and If they don't go the whole
route may give favorite son prefer
ence to Gov. Cross. Out In California
the Roosevelt forces have been in the
field for long time and believe they
can win. Notwithstanding the opposi-
ton of Smith and Garner. The boom
for Speaker Garner has fattened out
greatly in recent weeks, due to the man
ner in which the Democrats of the
House ran out on the Speaker and the
Democratic leaders in the revenue
fight.
Massachusetts Drive Vigorous,
The Roosevelt forces in Massachusetts,
have been campaigning vigorously
under the leadership of Mayor Curley
and James Roosevelt. son of the New
York Governor. Curley has drawn big
crowds, it is reported and many have
turned out to see and hear Gov. Roose-
velt'S SON.
Senator David Walsh of Massa-
chusettS left Washington at noon TODAY
for Boston, where he is expected to
consult with the Smith hackers and
possibly to deliver some radio addresses
in support OF the Smith candidacy.
Gov. Ely is getting into the fight, too.
Some Of the Democratic leaders in
Massachusetts, who have come out f1atly
Tor the denomination of Smith are
wondering just where they will find
themselves after the convention is over
and Roosevelt is nominated if he be
nominated.
Smiths great weakness in the pre-
convention campaign up to date has
been the prevailing belief that he is
not really candidate for the nomina
tion, but is merely a stalking horse
used by Chairman John ]. Raskob of
the Democratic National Committee and
others to head off the nomination of
Gov. Roosevelt. Mr.. RaSkob has pro-
claimed his neutrality in the race for
the nomination, but he has not been
able to make the run-of-the-mine
Democrats believe it.
Senator Pittman in his recommenda-
tion that Mr.. Smiths friends cease
their activities and bring no more en-
barrassment on Mr.. Smith, laid particu-
lar stress on the fact that Mr.. Smith
is mot a candidate" and is making no
campaign for delegates. The Nevada
Senator said he deplored and thought
all Democrats would deplore the en-
barrassing position in which Mr.. Smith
had been placed
senator Plttman said that no doubt
some of Mr.. Smiths friends desired tn
use his powerful name in support of
their own ambitions" He continued:
In 1928 Alfred z. Smith was the
idol Of the Democracy, and deservedlv
so. His remarkable public record, his
high character his lovable personality,
all combined to make that appeal which