SMITH FAVOURITE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 147, 23 June 1928, Page 9

SMITH FAVOURITE.

DEMOCRATS' CHOICE.

Only Upheaval Can Prevent Nomination. OPPONENTS WITHDRAW. (Australian and X.Z. Press Association.) NEW YORK, June 22. The ascendancy of Mr. Al. Smith, the Governor of New York State, as an aspirant to the Democrat nomination for the Presidency has now reached the stage where every indication points to his victory. Nothing but a political upheaval is likely now to defeat Mm. Perhaps the most significant indication of this is the fact that Mr. W. G. McAdoo, the ex-Secretary of the Treasury, and a son-in-law of the late President Wilson, has announced that not only has he withdrawn from preconvention consideration, but that he will not even attend the Democrat convention. This tacit admission of defeat is politically eloquent. The candidacy of Mr. J. A. Reed, member of the Senate for Missouri, moreover, has failed to assume anything like importance. It cannot hinder the amazing and spontaneous popular strength that has mustered behind Mr. Smith. His candidacy in fact, which is disclosed, is a tacit admission that Mr. Smith is not likely to have any difficulty iu obtaining the necessary two-thirds majority of the 1100 delegates in the early ballot. This so-called "two-thirds rule" has always given immense power to the opposition to any aspirant for the Democrat Presidential nomination, but in the case of Mr. Smith this seems to have been overcome even before the battle has begun. It is admitted that the definite lack of coherent leadership has robbed the opposition of its power. Mr. T. J. Wakh, member of the Senate for Montana, has withdrawn. Mr. A. C. Ritchie, Governor of Maryland, who was also prominently mentioned as an opponent of Mr. Smith, has also withdrawn, and has tendered his aid to Mr. Smith. Liquor and Religion. This does not mean that a fierce attack will not be made against Mr. Smith. The prohibition and the antiCatholic groups derive strength from the fact that they ostensibly arc in politics because of their convictions and not simply professionally. They will fight to the end for their cause. This fact is expected to produce "fireworks" I at the convention.

The choice of a candidate for VicePresident will probably be dictated by the Smith forces. It is inevitable that the former will be a Western man. This is discernible in the fact that Mr. H. C. Hoover's managers have disclosed that Mr. Hoover daring his campaign 'will make his principal fight in the East, believing that the West is already Republican. It is obvious of course that Mr. Smith's strength lies in the large Eastern cities, and that the Democrats must centre their fight in the West, and therefore must choose a Vice-President who will appeal to that section of the conntry. The issues which will play a prominent part in the Democrat platform are also fairly well dictated by inevitable circumstances. Tremendous and biting condemnation will be made of the corruption of high Republican officials in office with large campaign expenses from tainted sources. Prohibition will also produce a fight. Mr. Smith's personal reaction to the question is that the individual States shall have power to interpret the ISth amendment to the Constitution, but it is certain that any such plank in his platform would cause an open schism in the Democrat party, since it would l>e interpreted as being anti-prohibition. Tammany is too good a tactician to make such an obvious mistake. The platform therefore will doubtlessly clear the hurdle by merely declaring for the enforcement of the law, and yet presenting an issue sufficiently clear-cut between the two parties, since the Republican platform specially mentions the 18th amendment. The Democrats will make an obvious bid for the farmers' support with the agricultural plank. which probably without mentioning the McNaryHaugen • Bill will nevertheless make staunch promises of aid to the farmers. The tariff will not present difficulties, i The old phrase, ' Tariff for revenues only," may or may not appear in the platform, but revision of the tariff downward will doubtless be promised, although in mild terms, and revision upward, as concerns the protection of the farmer, is likely to be included. Events and tradition seem to make all this as inevitable as the open quarrelling, bitter speeches and usual warfare so characteristic of the DernoI crats, \\iien the convention meets. The debacle of 1924 at Madison Square Garden, however, is not likely to be repeated.