PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Evening Star, Issue 19856, 3 May 1928, Page 9

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION GOVERNOR SMITH’S STRONG POSITION. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, May 2. (Received May 3, at 9.10 a.m.) San Francisco advices slate that the hopes of Senators Walsh and Reed for the support of California,’« delegates at the Democratic National Convention suffered a crushing defeat at the hands 1 of Governor Smith in the Presidential primary returns. It is indicated that Governor Smith’s victory is virtually a landslide. Of the 8,753 precincts 7,040 showed the following vote;—Smith 199,959, Peed 50,728, and Walsh 44,004. Mr Hoover, the only Republican candidate, received an endorsement vote of 507,115 in the same number of precincts. Governor Smith’s overwhelming victory has assured him of the votes of California's delegation at the National Convention, Mr Hoover being similarly assured of the Republican votes. Governor Smith’s victory carries certain obvious conclusions with it, the first of _ which is that Mr Macadoo’s power is a shadow of its strength in 1924, when ho succeeded in creating a deadlock at the Democratic Convention to Governor Smith’s disadvantage. Mr Walsh was Air Macadoo’s candidate for the Democratic nomination, and while it was not seriously considered that Air Walsh would obtain this, it was nevertheless obvious that Air Macadoo’s strength lay in California, and if ho could throw it to Air Walsh Governor Smith would have trouble next June. There is now some reason to attach importance to the contention of Governor Smith’s friends that the Democratic, Convention will nominate him by the fact that his advancement in the primaries has been phenomenal. Governor Smith’s “dry” and Protestant opponents will have to weigh the advantage of supporting certainly the most popular Democratic figure against the thought of supporting a Roman Catholic and a “wet,” and if they want victory at the polls, which is the Democratic politicians’ dream, they will have to swallow their chagrin and support Governor Smith. The next six weeks will bring out what inherent strength Senator Reed may show as an opponent to Governor Smith.

California’s twenty-nine Republican delegates wore instructed to vote for Air Hoover, there being no opposition. —Australian Press Association.