The Nomination

"Democratic Georgia covers the honor . . ."--Representative Charles R. Crisp nominating Georgia's George.

"Indiana presents ... a son of its pioneers . . ."--William H. O'Brien nominating Indiana's Woollen*

"Some say we should nominate an outstanding Democrat--the man we intend to propose is one of the most outstanding Democrats of the day . . ."--George McGill nominating Kansas' Ayres.

"Tennessee does not offer the name of this great Democrat as a sectional candidate. . . . He is a national figure . . ."-- Harvey H. Hannah nominating Tennessee's Hull.

"... The iron man of the nation's Democracy. . . . We are here for serious business. Our object is not to name a nominee, but to elect a President . . ."-- Charles M. Howell nominating Missouri's Reed.

On and on went the speeches, occupying the better part of two long sessions of the convention. Colorado's Thompson, Nebraska's Hitchcock, Ohio's Pomerene, Texas' Jones were also named. Seconding speeches were intermingled with nominating speeches, handsome speeches with fiery, witty with dull, empty with honest.

To a man from Mars, where it may be that flourishing compliments are unknown, the puzzling thing would have been that everyone in the hall knew what the outcome was to be. But to Democrats it was not puzzling at all. For once the party had its mind made up and before expressing itself was indulging in the luxury of idle speculation.

More than 24 hours after tall Franklin Delano Roosevelt had introduced New York's "happy warrior"; after Maryland's Ritchie, Kentucky's Barkley and Wyoming's Ross and several others had seconded him, with phrases ranging from "this sea of faces" to "a living, pulsating, understanding heart"--the balloting began. Soon the name of Alfred Emanuel Smith belonged to the almanacs.

The ballot: Smith, 849 2/3; George, 55 1/2; Reed, 52; Hull, 50 3/8; Jones, 43; Watts of South Carolina, 18; Harrison of Mississippi, 8 1/2; Woollen, 7; Donahey of Ohio, 5; Ayres, 3; Pomerene, 3; Bilbo of Mississippi, 2 1/2; Thompson, 2; not voting 2 1/2.

*Mr. O'Brien's speech was 79 words long.