The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-04-20
FDR's Break With Smith
First Seen In New York

1.-THE bankar except in later White
House years.
4 Nobody ever got stung in those
Tcard table tits. 1t was the fun of
the game that made it what 1T
was.
I recall another Cuff-Links din
|ner at Albany, one that probably
: gave Mrs. Roosevelt greater de-
light thar any other. 1t was in
the state dining room, very formal,
with all the best plate and silver.
1t was also in the depth of pro-
hibitlon times, and Mrs. Roosevelt
took .iendish delight in provid-
ing a dry drink with every
course. More than that. she saw
to it that we drank 'em. I had
no idea SC many vegetable juice
concoctiors could be devised.
A swimming pool was built in
the mansion yard for Mr.. Roose-
velt's use after he took office. One
afternoon we all took to the water.
None of us except THE Boss" was
a notable swimmer. 1 was reason
: ably at home in the water, how
ever, and risked coming to grips
with the governor, bent on a duck
ing operation, when he took after
me. Having both arms and legs TO
swim with against his arms only,
figured I ought to be able to hold
my own.
I reckoned without those big
hands and powerful shoulders and
arms. He came at me like a des-
troyer az full speed l could no
more escape than I could fly, and
once he clamped his massive grip
on me it was all over.
On the more serious side during
the Albany interval, I noted an
increasing bite in the Howe skits
that enlivened the dinners. Roose-
velt-Al Smith relations entered in
to them increasingly, I thought.
I recall one in which the late
Tom Lynch was cast as Governor
Smith. With brown derby and
cigar he looked the part to the life.
One time l talked with Louie
about "The Boss's'' relations with
Smith.
Louie said that during Mr.. Roose-
velt's tenure at Albany "polit-
ical adviser" had gone to him with
very straight from the shoulder
statement. Howe did not identify
that adv:ser-conceivably it could
have been Louie himsalf-and l
have never talked with anybody
else abo-t. the incident.
AS Howe related what was said,
Mr.. Roosevelt was told that If he
wanted a Presidential nomination
he could make certain of it by
asking the former governor to
manage his preconvention cam
paign.
There was string attached. The
adviser warned Governor Roosevelt
that if he placed his campaign for
the White House in his predeces-
sor's hands he must be prepared
also to accept some degree OF
Smith guidance in appointments
and policies.
"rll be damned if I'll do it,
Howe quoted Roosevelt as reply
ing with a slap of his big hand on
his desk.
The reader will have to take
that for what it may be worth in
tracing out what lay behind the
break that was to come between
the two old friends. 1t is all l
know about it. 1t was never men
toned that l know of in Cuff-Link
conversation Business was al
ways taboo at those gatherings
with one exception.
During the second term at Al
bany the Washington Cuff-Links
group got a hurry call from Howe
for a special session. He did not
fexplain. list summoned us-Steve
Early. Marvin Mcintyre and my
self. The other two were dong
Washington contact work for news
reel movies. l was doing daily
column fer the AP.
Governor Roosevelt was prepar-
ing to place his budget message
before the legislature. Obviously
much of the message had little to
do with the group from Washing
ton, but there were certain pas
sages of wider significance.
was convinced that Louie had
called us up to get an advance
Washington press reaction because
he thought it was important in con
nection with Roosevelt Presidential
aspirations He didn't say so, bu'
1 think ne wanted us to kibitz the
speech from that angle. We did IN
a fashion. although I can not re:
call we caused any materla
changes or even urged them.
(Tomorr.w( The Great Adventure
Begins)
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