Evening star., 1936-06-23

change votes here
but to let the David Lawrenc.
Democratic vot-
ers throughout the country know that
there is a serious difference of opinion
among these leaders who choose to call
themselves Democrats.
The effect of the Smith message will
be felt in the campaign and after the
convention has adjourned. Maybe the
New Dealers will try to answer the
message and carry on an attack here
against the signers of the telegram
rather than against their Republican
foes, but such an emphasis would be
bad strategy.
Weaknesses Cited.
The chances are the New Dealers
will minimize the Importance of the
Smith step and let it go at that. There
are, to be sure, weaknesses in the
Smith message which will cause con-
siderable discussion, as, for instance,
the failure of the message to list
Woodrow Wilson along with Thomas
Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Grover
Cleveland as an exponent of the prin-
cipleS of the Democratic party. There
are still Wilson men who have not
forgotten that James A. Reed, former
Senator from Missouri, was an arch
foe Of President Wilson and that
Judge Cohalan of New York was also
allied with the group that fought the
Wilson policies.
AS for Bainbridge Colby. who was
Secretary of State in the Wilson ad-
ministration, he, of all persons, should
have protested against the omission
OF the name Of Americas great war
President, who was twice honored by
the Democratic party and who had
more to do with shaping the Demo-
cratic party's policies than any other
Democrat in the last 40 years.
Possible Reasons.
But there may have been a reason
for the omission of Mr.. Wilson's
name which had no possible rela-
tionship to the esteem in which he
was held by former Gov. Smith or
former Gov Ely or Colby. 1t may
have been the fact that Mr.. Wilson
favored removal of artificial bar
riers to commerce, and, we're he alive
today, he would be espousing the reci-
procity policies of Secretary of State
Cordell Hull, himself an ardent
Wilsonian.
The document sent to the delegates
by the five Democrats accepted in
stead the philosophy of George Peek
and Others who believe in economic
isolation. In that respect, the mes
sage is identical with some of the ex-
pressions in the Republican platform
adopted at Cleveland. 1t foreshadows
a turn by these five men to the candi-
dacy of Gov. Landon Of Kansas.
The bolt would have some effect on
the trend of voting, but whether it is
ultimately going to take any votes
away from Mr.. Roosevelt in addition
to those already alienated from him
depends on how active former Gov.
Smith and his group become in the
campaign. Certainly an occasional
speech or telegram will hardly make
votes. For in the telegram sent by
the Smith group to the convention
there was no concentration on a
single issue, and to make votes it is
necessary to have such an emphasis
and dramatization of it into under
standable terms for the average
voter.
Roosevelt Lone Issue.
There can be no denying the fact,
on the other hand, that the Smith
pronouncement put damper on con-
vention spirits. This was to have
been happy reunion of Roosevelt
men. confident of victory. The
theme song was to have been Happy
Days Are Here Again." but when
Alfred E. Smith, thrice Governor of
the most populous State of the
Union, and standard bearer of his
party, announces bolt and there is
as consequence a boring in on
Roosevelt strength from the conserva-
tive side and boring in by the
Lemke- O'Brien ticket of Father
Coughlin from the radical or left
wing side, 1t is easy to comprehend
why some concern is evident about
the outcome of the presidential cleo
tion in November.
One thing seems certain-this cam
paign will have but one issue. 1t will
be for or against Roosevelt. the man
and his policies, and the matter of
whether he is or is not a genuine
Democrat or whether Gov. Landon
is or is not genuine Republican"
or a great executive or familiar with
national policies will not cut much
ice. The Kansas Governor, If
elected, will be the beneficiary OF
anti-New Dealism.
Debate May Be Allowed.
1t Is beginning to get under the skin
OF the high command here that the
newspapers are calling attention to
the perfunctory character of the out
line OF convention proceedings. There
Is in its incipient stages movement
to permit some discussion of platform
planks.
The possibilities Of having q better
"show" than planned will be revealed
when the two-thirds rule is up for
change. An undercurrent of Southern
sentiment against any abrogation of
the rules is tangible enough but so
great is the difference to Roosevelt
leadership that a majority is well as
sured and that's all that's necessary
when the committee on rules makes
its report.
The effect Of the change in the rule
will be felt at the next national con-
vention rather than here. The Re-
publicans require only majority to
nominate and the Democrats want to
do likewise. Were it not for the veto
power possessed by the South by
means of the one-third bloc that can
be created often to Illustrate a pro-
posed nomination. there would be no
asss>neitiaxa at ali "a TIA alaasa