DEMOCRATS BEGIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 256, 21 June 1932, Page 5

DEMOCRATS BEGIN

(Press. Assn.-

new president franklin roosevelt and al. smith in running DEBTS CANCELLATION

— By Telegraph— Copyright) .

Rec. June 20, 7.0 p.m. CHICAGO, Supday. Democrats are arriving to quarrel over who is to be nominee for the President, and what stand the party will take on the question of prohibition. The national convention does not open until June 27. Mr. Franklin Roosevelt and Mr. Al. Smith are in camp herel Because of 'the obvious claim of the Republicans, the convention observers are convinced that the Democratic party has not had such a chance of seizing the control since the days of Woodrow Wilson. Franklin Roosevelt, Governor of New York, has about 660 sure votes on the first ballot, about 150 short of the necessary two thirds. The remainder are divided among a half a dozen candidates. for whom the Democrats will

fight among themselves as to the nominee. Former Governor Smith is representing the now ultra Conservatives, who by inference characterised Roosevelt as a demagogue. Mr. Smith's opposition to the proposal that war debts should be reduced or eliminated has met with a good deal of qualified approval throughout the counfry. The real force of Mr Smith's position lies in the disapproval of Wall Street ( and what might be called the solid bourgeoisie) of the dreamy statement made- by Mr. Roosevelt. If the forces could divide on two or three ballots, the combination of Mr. Roosevelt's convention will so end in confusion.