Evening star., 1935-12-31
SMITH CANDIDACY
HINT BY ELY SEEN
Politicians Null BandWagon
Standardization
Dispute Explained.
BY the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
Politicians here wondered today
whether the offer from former Gov.
Joseph B. Ely Of Massachusetts to
support Alfred z. Smith for the 1896
Democratic presidential nomination
meant the New Yorker would be
candidate against President Roosevelt.
Significance was attached to Ely's
offer because he always has been close
to Smith, nominated him in 1882 and
will accompany the former Democratic
presidential candidate to the Amer
ican Liberty League meeting here
January IS.
At this meeting Smith is expected
to attack the New Deal. Already his
action in declining an invitation to
spend the night at the White House,
together with subsequent back-firing
from both sides, has stirred specula-
ton on the political implications.
Ely Doesn't Know"
Ely said he did not know whether
Smith would be candidate, but said
he wanted TO pledge his support In
case he should be.
Democratic leaders, seeking to
analyZe the Ely statement. withheld
public comment. Few of those who
supported Smith in 1882 were avail
able. The others, chiefly close asso-
ciates of President Roosevelt, ex-
pressed surprise at what they regarded
as hint that Smith might run They
asserted that if he did, he would not
get far.
Some Democrats privately expressed
doubt whether Smith would enter such
a contest. Other observers commented,
however, that Ely would have been
unlikely to make such a statement un-
less Smith was contemplating some
anti-Roosevelt move.
Smiths declination of the Roosevelt
invitation was followed by a series Of
statements from him and the White
House.
Smith Declines.
A week ago, when 1t was announced
Smith would be here for the Liberty
League speech, Mrs. Roosevelt invited
him to spend the night at the White
House. Last Saturday Smith told
newspaper men in New York he would
be unable to accept.
The next day report was published
that a White House spokesman said
Smith had been invited to the White
House at least once a year-but he
never saw fit to accept even one Of
these invitations"
This was denounced by Smith as
false" He said he had received but
one other invitation, to tea, and had
accepted.
About the same time in Washington
Mrs. Roosevelt said she had received
a mice note" from Gov Smith de-
clining her invitation. She was quoted
as adding that she had invited Gov.
and Mrs. Smith to the White House
every time she noticed they we're
coming to Washington.
Transcript Introduced.
This brought new reply from
Smith in New York. He said Mrs.
Smith has never been in Washington
and have been there only once since
the Roosevelt Inauguration.
| Ao0Cf IiiO "AASc 1AouoC AoouCu d
formal statement saying "the only
statement made by any one within the
White House was that which Mrs.
Roosevelt made today, in answer to
questions at press conference"
The White House gave out a
stenographic report of the press con-
ference, quoting Mrs. Roosevelt as
saying merely:
Il worked with Gov Smith in every
State campaign and when he ran for
President. 1 have always asked him
here. asked If he and his family
were coming down for the twenty fifth
and If they would care to comn and
stay, just as I would have asked
any other friend"