"I Will Make the Fight"

If the Democratic National Convention, after careful consideration, should decide it wants me to lead, I will make the fight; but I will not make a pre-convention campaign to secure the support of delegates.

By action of the Democratic National Convention of 1928,1 am the leader of my party in the nation. ... 7 shall not in advance of the convention either support or oppose the candidacy of any aspirant for the nomination.

In these words, pontifically handed from his high office in Manhattan's Empire State Building, Alfred Emanuel Smith last week announced his fourth Presidential candidacy. What he meant, as a matter of practical politics, was that if his friends could possibly get the nomination for him this June in Chicago he would be delighted to take it. His friends immediately hustled out in an attempt to delight him.

Reactions to the Smith statement: 1) Supporters of Franklin Delano Roosevelt buckled down to work harder than ever to muster a two-thirds convention majority for their candidate. 2) New England jumped joyfully at the chance of starting a Smith drive. 3) The Dry South cried out in anger and dismay. 4) The entire Republican Party fairly jubilated at the prospect of another major split among Democrats on liquor and religion.

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