Democratic Deficit

" . . . I am entirely dissatisfied to have the Democratic party be simply a party of opposition. . . . [It] must be a progressive, vigorous, militant party. . . . The people of the U. S. want the facts. If everything is all right they can get the information from the party in power, but if everything is all wrong they can only get it from the minority party.

"The accounts of the treasurer of the Democratic National Committee show that the party faces a deficit in its treasury of approximately $1,500,000. This is an obligation resting on the shoulders of the members of the party. . . . The party should be responsible to the rank and file, and the whole system of calling upon a few rich men to make up a party deficit is wrong. . . . There must be a great many people who can afford $100 . . . $50 . . . $10 ... $5. I am quite willing to bear my full share. Countless letters come to me . . . which contain requests for printed copies of the speeches made by me during the last campaign. I have decided I would forego any profit from such a book. The Democratic National Committee has accepted my offer and will present, with my compliments, a nicely bound copy of all of my campaign speeches . . . to anybody contributing $2 or more."

Thus, last week, spoke Alfred Emanuel Smith, over the radio to the nation. He used the same microphone tha had carried his last campaign speech, proved himself again a dominating, if retired, Democrat.

Hardly had Mr. Smith turned away from the microphone when telegraphic notices of donations and congratulations began to arrive. Mrs. A. L. Love of Ottumwa, Iowa, wired: "My compliments--Matthew V. 11 & 12."*

Last week Mr. Smith was elected a director of the County Trust Co. of New York, headed by his friend James J. Riordan. When the company was founded in 1926 Mr. Smith was its first depositor.

But the directorship meant no immediate labor for Mr. Smith. Like President-Elect Hoover, he departed for a southern vacation. His itinerary called for visits with friend Carl Espy in Savannah, Ga., potato Tycoon Frank W. Nix in St. Augustine, Fla., Circusman John Ringling in Sarasota, Fla. Most of the six weeks he will spend near Miami. Asked if he intended to call on Mr. Hoover, Mr. Smith said: "That will be news when I do, if I do."

"Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil things against you falsely, for my sake.

"Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."