PRESIDENTIAL SEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21160, 18 April 1932, Page 9

PRESIDENTIAL SEAT.

DEMOCRAT NOMINATION.

DIVISION IN THE PARTY.

WASHINGTON, April 15

Mr. Hoover's chances of being reelected President of thc United States in November have been materially improved with the appearance of a widening split among the Democrats. No matter what interpretation may bo placed by the Democrats upon a denuueia-

11011 of Mr. Franklin D. Roosevelt. Governor of New York, by Mr. Alfred Smith this week, and there arc several schools of thought, it is clear from tho comment of the leaders and tlio press that Mr. Roosevelt's chances have diminished. Mr. Smith, with some return to that personal tire and magnetism he displayed in 1928, without actually naming Mr. Roosevelt, but nevertheless making it, clear whom ho meant, accused him of being a demagogue and setting class against class. Also Mr. Smith proposed his 20-vear war debt moratorium with a provision for debt reduction to an amount of 25 per cent, of what tho debtor nations bought from the United States. Jn short, ho drove a wedge into the Democrats by setting forth, in round periods, the Democrat programme of big business and incidentally Republican big business. By stating that Mr. Roosevelt's speech of several days ago was a general harangue and an appeal to the disgruntled vote, ho took from the Governor considerable support in New York arid the East.

On the other hand the arithmetical odds are still heavily with Mr. Roosevelt for tho Democrat nomination. If he can hold tho South and secure the "West he will be nominated.

Mr. Smith's proposal for the 20-vear war debt moratorium have laid him open to effective attack l>y the supporters of Mr Roosevelt throughout the country. The consensus of opinion in Washington is that a party which is divided on economic policy, into which now enters Hie religious issue, cannot hope to defeat the vigorous solidity of the Republicans behind Mr. Hoover.