Evening star., 1936-01-27
Smith

Smith
Continued From First Page)
as Governor of New York he advo-
Gated social changes and now he calls
them socialistic and communiStic."
President Silent.
While President Roosevelt remained
silent. political leaders were seeking
to reckon the campaign significance of
Smiths projected walk" II the DEM
cratic convention indorses the ad-
ministration as expected.
Liberty League headquarters re-
ported a rush Of commendatory let
tiers. kilograms covered the desk Of
Stephen T. Early, a secretary to the
President, but he would not divulge
their contents.
The Saturday speech, Byrns said,
did not match up at all with the 1928
campaign of the Happy Warrior"
He said it was "sore disappoint-
ment" and ''left the people wholly in
doubt as to what he would have done
had he been elected, as he wanted
to be-"
With reference to Smiths admoni-
ton to Congress members to observe
their oaths to uphold the Constitu-
ton, Byrns said:
Il don't think he has any business
telling us what our duty to the Con-
stitution is. Every member Of Con-
gress appreciates his responsibility
and obligation to the Constitution"
He can point to the Supreme
Court. But three judges in the A. A.
A. decision didn't agree with the
other six. The fact that legislation
has been declared unconstitutional
doesn't mean that Congress and the
President deliberately tried to pass
unconstitutional legislation"
Explains Platform Stand.
The President tried to conform to
the platform and the Constitution,
Byrns said in press conference.
Don't forget that platform was
written in June, 1882. and President
Roosevelt was confronted with q con-
dition in March 1888 He had to do
something, or we would have gone to
smash
Banging his desk, he demanded
whether Smith would have done
nothing"
In 1895 some gold Democrats said
they would walk out They got
1876 900 votes in the whole country"
To that Bankhead added:
Il remember when in 1928 1t would
have been convenient for many Of us
to have taken a walk
II am from a prohibition district In
Alabama. probably the dryest State
in the Union.
But he was not asking us to take
walk then; he said stick to the
party"
He contended no party ever had or
ever could conform strictly to its plat
form.
Barring Interruptions, Woodrum told
the House license, not liberty, is the
object of the American Liberty
League-license to pillage and plunder
and control the functions Of govern
ment."
In its membership, he said, ARE
Republicans who are always ready to
join any honorable activity which will
bring confusion to the Democratic
party; the second class is q small
group of disgruntled, disillusioned has
beens' and the third are political nom
descripts who join their forces with
either party which they think can be
controlled to their benefit"
"They call it Liberty League"
Woodrum said. 20 Liberty, what
crimes are committed in thy name"
Representative Smell. Republican. Of
New York, the minority leader, smiled
and joined in the applause.
I'm what liberties are they in
terested?" asked Woodrum. Il wonder
If at that table Saturday night there
was q single human being who has
missed a meal during the depression.
I wonder II there was q single head
which has tossed upon q sleepless
pillow. fearing the loss Of his home
or his farm"
Whether the administration will
speak softly in an effort to prevent
a wide-open schism in the party, or
whether 1t will 60 at Smith hammer
and tongs, is expected to be known
shortly
Closeted in his office, Senator Rob-
inson, majority leader Of the Senate
and Smiths running mate in 1928, was
at work on a reply he will deliver to a
Nation wide radio audience at 1O:45
pm. tomorrow.
A quick reply to Smith came from
Secretary Ickes. Speaking to Town
Hall audience here last night, Ickes
referred to Smiths charges that New
Deal policies are socialistic.
''Mr. Smith," Ickes said, spoke OF
the foul breath Of Communist Russia.
He referred to the nag Of the goddess
Union Of the Soviet. But what did AL
Smith say in 1928 in reply to Hoover?"
Then Ickes went on to say that
Herbert Hoover had accused Smith
Of trying to lead the Nation into So
cialism, and that Smith had replied:
'The cry Of socialism has been
shouted by powerful interests. That
IS to put damper on progressive legis-
latton.
Il have heard it raised by reaction
ary elements and Republicans in my
State for q quarter of century"
A wave of guesswork seldom equalled
in the Capital followed Smiths on