Evening star., 1936-01-28
SMITH DEPICTED
AS REACT|ONARY
Ickes Says Speech Will Win
Republican Liberals for
New Deal.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Depicting Alfred E. Smith as now
an apostle of reaction. New Deal ad-
herents contended today any Demo-
cratic losses he would cause the ad-
ministration In November would be
overbalanced by Republican liberal
support.
Secretary Ickes. in press conference,
expressed the view that Smith had
gone back on principles he long held
sacred.
Senator Robinson Of Arkansas was
expected to do likewise In the Official
reply to the former New York Gov-
ernor by radio tonight.
THE heart of the progressive move
ment has been in the Middle West and
Far West" said Ickes.
II can't quite see much of the con-
servative following In that section"
Instead Of following Smith on "a
walk" If President Roosevelt is re-
nominated, he said Middle Western
and Far Western liberals were quite
likely to do the contrary"
In an attack on the Liberty League,
at whose banquet Saturday night
Smith said the administration had
failed to carry out the 1882 platform,
Ickes said when you see such group
as assembled here in the name Of
liberty to preach the gospel Of reac-
ton, 1t makes the issue stand out
pretty clearly"
Vehement Reply Seen.
New Dealers looked to Senator
Robinson to deliver tonight a vehem-
ent reply to Smiths charge.
At the same time, political observ-
ers were waiting eagerly to hear what
Senator Borah, Republican. OF Idaho,
who is doomed by his friends for the
Republican presidential nomination,
will say when he takes the stump to-
night in Brooklyn.
The speech which Robinson, the
majority leader Of the Senate. will
make tonight over a Nationwide net
work at 10 pm. Eastern standard
time, is expected to give an inkling
of the administrators attitude
toward the walk" that Smith threat
ems to take.
Title Gives Hint Of Contents.
As Robinson labored on the address,
its contents were not disclosed, but
the title. "The Hands OF Esau." gave
a hint Of its nature. It recalled the
story in Genesis OF how Jacob OBJ
tanned the blessing Of his blind father
Isaac
Jacob put the skins of kids on his
hands to disguise himself as the
hairy handed Esau, and it is re-
corded that Isaac said:
The voice is Jacobs voice. but the
hands are the hands of Esau."
New Dealers are emphasizing that
it was before the American Liberty
League that Smith made his speech,
and in the House yesterday Repre-
Woodrum. Democrat, Of
Virginia was greeted by a Democratic
ovation when he shouted:
20, liberty, what crimes are COM
mitted in thy name!
Il wonder If at that table Saturday
night there was single human being
who missed meal during the de-
preston. wonder II there was a
single head which had tossed upon a
sleepless pillow, fearing the loss of a
home or a farm"
Fish Makes Answer.
To Woodrum's cry that Smith
won't take a walk in Philadelphia
he took his walk in Chicago" Repre-
sentative Fish. Republican. of New
York replied that where the feathers
fly is where the shot hit"
There is not single statement Of
Gov. Smith which I cannot indorse
he said, "or that is in
conflict with any individual who be-
lieves in representative. constitu-
tional form Of government"