[2] His father founded the American Press Association, a syndicate for country newspapers, in 1882.
[4] In 1921, while president of the American Press Association and after actively and successfully supporting Warren G. Harding in his bid for the presidency,[5] Smith relocated to Washington, D.C. to begin work as assistant postmaster-general for postal savings under the postmaster general, Will H.
In the 1930s, he helped to establish the Trans‐Lux Theaters before becoming president of Pathé News, Inc., which he grew throughout the world.
In his later life, he lived at Pembroke Park in Dublin for two years before returning to the United States.
Smith died at his daughter's ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on August 9, 1970.