Evening star., 1933-11-15
The White House Tea Party

Tea parties at the White House are
a common occurrence, but tea party
attended by President Roosevelt, Alfred
E. Smith and John J. Raskob is some
thing else. The visit of The former Gov
ernor of New York to The White House
yesterday afternoon, accompanied by
the man he appointed in 1928 as chair
man OF the Democratic National Com
mittee, has been widely heralded as full
of political significance, despite the fact
that on the surface the meeting was
merely social. Nor is it difficult to look
forward into the future and picture very
great partisan political changes grow
ing out of more friendly attitude be-
tween the two most prominent members
of the Democratic party.
Mr.. Smith came to Washington to
attend a meeting of the trustees OF
Catholic University. His invitation to
the White House followed 1t is OBJ
vious that had Mr.. Smith put foot
in Washington and not gone to
the White House the political gossipS
would have made much of the omis-
sion. His presence at the White House,
however, gains added significance from
the fact that John F. Curry, the present
leader of Tammany Hall, has just
spent four days in the National Cap
ital without getting an invitation to go
to the White House. And beyond this,
the appointment yesterday, few hours
before Mr.. Smith arrived at the White
House, of James ]. Hoey as internal
revenue collector in the New York dis
trict added to the pleasant political
excitement. Mr.. Hoey was the floor
manager for the Smith forces at the
Democratic National Conventions in
Madison Square Garden in 1924 and
in Houston in 1928. More recently. how
ever. Mr. Hoey was candidate on
the Recovery party ticket in New Yorl:
City, headed by Joseph " Mckee, icr
borough president Of Manhattan. Mr.
Smith wrote letter expressing his ad-
miration for Hoey at that time.
Both in the field of national politics
and In the field of New York politics a
rapprochement of the President and Mr.
Smith would be of great Importance.
Mr.. Smith gave the Roosevelt Garner
ticket his support in the presidential
campaign last year, but 1t was recog-
nized that he gave it because he was a
party man and not because of personal
enthusiasm Mr.. Smith came to Wash
ington at the time of the Inauguration
of President Roosevelt last March and
took part in the parade, marching in
the ranks of the Tammany contingent,
though he did not call upon the Presi-
dent.
More recently Mr.. Smith declined
absolutely to give support TO the Tam
many-Curry ticket in the New York
City elections. 1t has been suggested
that Mr.. Smith take over the revamp-
ing of the New York City Democratic
organization. in view of the fact that
Curry's candidate for mayor ran third.
Should such a move be acceptable to
the Roosevelt Democrats, as represent
ed by Postmaster General James A.
Farley, it looks as though the days of
Tammany leadership by Curry would
be extremely limited. Mr.. Farley visited
Mr. Smith at his hotel here last night.
The Roosevelt administrations honey
moon in Washington is over. There are
signs that the attack will begin upon
the administration and some of its
policies as soon as Congress reassembles.
swing by Mr.. Smith from his former
critical attitude to friendly support of
the administration would be of vast
importance in the coming battles.