Evening star., 1932-09-08
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

SoLlllS eleCLlOn Dy DaIlOtlng lOr u
mayor to fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of Jimmie" Walker If the
action of the Board of Elections call
ing for such an election holds good
Should Walker himself become the
nominee of Tammany for the office
in an effort to vindicate himself-the
New York political situation would be-
come almost chaotic. The voters would
have to decide between President Hoo
yer and Gov. Roosevelt of New York
in the presidential race and between
Walker and fusion" candidate,
picked by the Republicans and the
anti -Tammany Democrats. in the may
orally contest On the other hand. II
Tammany SHES away finally from wal
ker. the mayoralty race will become q
contest between the Democratic NOM
inee. whoever that may be, and q Re
publican candidate for office. De-
cidedly 1t would be to the advantage
Of the Democratic national ticket to
have Walker out Of the picture. What
F. Curry, will do about the matter Is
still to be determined. with Boss Curry
pointing out criptically that it is not
necessary for a decision on nomina-
items until October IS.
Walker Is out because. he says, he
was given an unfair trial before Gov.
Roosevelt on the charges brought
against him by Judge Samuel Seabury,
counsel for the legislative investigating
committee. He issued statement when
he resigned attacking in vitriolic style
the Governor. He had become con-
vinced, along with New Yorkers gener-
ally, that Gov. Roosevelt intended to
remove him from Office at the conclu-
sion Of the inquiry. Roosevelt, under
the circumstances, would be unable to
support Walker. If he becomes Tam
many's candidate for mayor. Tammany,
by the same token, would be unable
to support Roosevelt for President.
Nothing could be lovelier for the Re-
publicans than to have Walker nomi-
mated. 1t seems incredible that the
Tammany leaders will pick Walker as
candidate for mayor unless they de-
eide definitely to fight Roosevelt to
the limit and TO defeat his election to
the presidency II they are able to do 20
Republicans have been reported ready
to support q fusion" candidate for
mayor In the event Of the nomination
OF Walker by the Democratic organi-
|
were willing to get behind some good
Independent Democrat for the mayors
office, thereby cleaving the Democsats
in twain in the big city election. Under
all the circumstances, Tammany would
be taking chances If it rallies back OF
Walker and seeks to put him across
again as mayor. In the first place il
would be not at all certain that Walker
could be elected, and in second place
Tammany might place itself in the DO
sition Of seeking to cut the political
throat OF the Democratic national
party.
Should the Democrats be able to per-
suade Alfred z. Smith to accept the
nomination for mayor, on the other
hand, they might strengthen the whole
ticket. Smith has been a tremendous
vote getter in New York City. With
Smith running for chief executive of
the metropolis. the whole picture might
easily be changed. 1t has been reported
that Mr.. Smith has said that next to
the Office Of President of the United
States the most desirable and important
executive office in the country was that
Of mayor of Greater New York It is
true that Mr.. Smith has made no mo-
ton to come to the support Of Gov.
Roosevelt since the Democratic Ma
tional Convention. But neither has he
said anything which would cut him off
from such support of Roosevelt. In
1928 Smith persuaded Roosevelt to be-
come a candidate for Governor Of New
York on the Democratic ticket so as to
aid his own candidacy that year for the
presidency. It would be but turnabout
now If Smith should become the mayor
atty candidate to aid the candidacy of
Roosevelt for President in the election
on November 8.
Mr. Smith is to present "The Demo-
cratic Case" in coming issue of the
Saturday Evening Post. He also, as
editor of the New Outlook, will have an
opportunity to express himself forcfbly
he will have the chance. If he wishes,
to drop the hatchet and make friends
again with Gov Roosevelt. Certainly
he will have the chance Of declaring
his support Of the Demo cratic national
ticket. Mr.. Smiths course will be
watched with the greatest interest in
this connection. The Republicans are
hoping that he will say nothing in sup
port of Roosevelt. The Democratic
high command, on the other hand,
would throw handspring for Joy If
Mr.. Smith gave his Endorsement to the
Governor.
Whether Tammany would care to
have Al Smith for its candidate for
mayor is something else. He has thou
sands of warm friends in Tammany
and among the rank and file of the
organization. Tammany stuck to Smith
through thick and thin at the Demo-
cratic National Convention in Chicago
and voted for him to the last against
Gov. Roosevelt for the presidential nom
ination. But Tammany has more
personal interest in the election Of a
mayor Of the Greater City than it has
in the election Of President. A lot
of the Tammany leaders resented the
uplift idea for the organization that
the Smith presidential campaign put
new Tammany." After the 1928 elec-
ton and the resignation of Judge
George Washington Olvany as Tam
many head there was an effort on the
part of Smith and his friends to have
the new Tammany" idea carried on
in the election of another leader. But
1t got nowhere. A district leader. John
r. Curry, who had no affection for
Mr.. Smith, was made the Tammany
boss.
Many voters In New York believe that
IL AL Smith, with his tremendous per-
sonal following, were put into office as
mayor of New York, he could do more
to clean up the town and give it first
class government than any other man
of the day. Furthermore, they believe
that Mr.. Smith would do just such
good job for them. His life has been
a life Of politics and office holding in
which he has made good. No charge
OF graft or crookedness has ever
touched him. He Is too young a man
and too valuable to be laid on the
shelf along with the elder statesmen.
1t mas been suggested that If he does not
become mayor of Americas greatest
city he be sent to the Senate from
the Empire State. moving into the seat
now held by Copeland, a Democrat,
xx,lx xsnIk Ix, Oh II