Al Smith

IT is hardly likely that any book on New York's governor, written by Franklin D. Roosevelt, at this particular time will escape the classification, usually opprobrious of "campaign literature." Still this book, given these conditions, comes very close to being something else.

Everyone knows that Mr. Roosevelt, even aside from politics, has a great admiration for New York's Al. This little book, only 40 pages long, therefore comes closer to be Jonathan's account of David than Boswell's account of Johnson. It is campaign literature in the sense that it is wholly favorable to the Democratic candidate, but it is not campaign literature in the sense that the writings of Willebrandt or Heflin or the vaporings of Dr. Stratton are. Mr. Roosevelt says nothing, or hardly anything of the Republicans. In straightforward language, he merely recounts the record of Al Smith, with some slight interpretation.

The second half of the book constitutes the New York Democrat's speech placing Al in nomination at the Houston convention. This is somewhat more flossy, necessarily so, conventions being what they are. Probably the speech is not great, but it boasts a certain happy phrasing and a very evident ring of sincerity.