Evening star., 1936-01-29

Senator Joe Robinson's slashing radio
reloinder to AL Smiths attack on the
New Deal is prompt and prlma facle
evidence that Rooseveltians are ready TO
take up the gage of battle with their as
sailants. Liberty Leaguers or others, ana
return blow for blow till some one cries
Hold. enough" In retaliatlng with
Smiths own look -the-record" tactics.
the Senate majority leader strikes back
pretty effectively. Even the resourceful
Al is likely to undergo some en1barrass-
ment in parrying the thrusts OF his 1873
campaign running mate, In SO Tar as
they hit Smiths own acts and utterances.
The former Governor is perfectly at
home in the kind of ough-and-tumble
rumpus he has now kicked up, SO us
safe to predict that Robinson's onslaught
will not long remain unchallenged. Re
publicans. it goes without saying, are
hugely enjoying the Democratic 1amliy
row. The longer it lasts and the hotter
IL gets, the G. o. P. is sure it can only
prosper from the fratricidal flsticuf1s.
While the Democratic national organl-
zation has rushed vigorously to arms IN
rebuttal of the Smith offensive. party
managers face in the New YorKers op-
position a factor that must cause them
anxiety. because it's impossible to estl-
mate lust how formidable the threatened
danger is. The tendency is to minimize
the bolt peril and scout the idea that
Smith has any following that can serl-
ously jeopardize the Presidents fortunes.
But the idol of Manhattan mas drama
tized the case against the New Deal ana
focused national attention upon 1t 10
a degree hitherto unapproached. Time
must elapse before it will be possible TO
assess lust how much damage F. D. r.
reelection cause has suffered. With the
Talmadge- Long -Smith-Liberty League
elements now united in an antl-New
Deal drive. the Republicans are assured
of reinforcements that make the 1880
opposition a combination OF no mean
caliber, The chances are that Jim FAR
lev and his fellow strategistS in their
confidential moments do not underestl-
mate the magnitude of the first they now
have to wage to hold the Roosevelt tort.
\ X
Democratic strife galvanizes with new
life the struggle for the Republican pres
idertial nomination. From now on
rivalries among avowed or receptive can
didates will be intensified. Last night 5
New York speech by Senator Boran anu
Gov. Landon's address at Topeka To-Day
to be followed by next months Lincoln
dav addresses of Herbert Hoover 'at
Portland. Oreg) and of Senator Vanden-
berg Gin New York City, will rivet 1resn
attention on the claims or aspirations
of these respective favorite sons: Col
Knox will continue to be heard from
periodically on the platform, and SEN
ator Dickinson has the Senate as
sounding board. Cleveland convention
talk nowadays frequently brings men
tion of Senator Steiwer of Oregon as
dark horse possibility.
X \
Liberty League dinner backwasn
churns up tale that former Federal
Judge Charles l. Dawson OF Kentucky
who preceded Gov. Smith on. the speak
ing program, was invited to grace the
occasion in the expectation that his ao-
dress might be the means OF Launching
a presidential boom for the jurist who
found certain New Deal legislation un-
constitutional Judge Dawson was as
signed the task Of exposing the legal
| frailties of the Roosevelt program. A
Republican and former attorney gen.
| eral Of Kentucky, Dawson ran for Gov