Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-04
MOORE men FACE
PITFALL--M'CA CAIN
Colonel Says Independents Are
in Lead, but Overconfidence
Is Dangerous
VIGILANCE IS ADVISED D
BY GEORGE NoX MCCAIN

The unprecedented registration thus
FAR has elated the Moore campaign
workers around headquarters TO a high
pitch of enthusiasm. Many of them. |
find, regard the fight as already won
Some Of the leaders say that il the
registration on the third day comes any
where near. in proportion, to the hg-
llres of the two preceding days, noth e
ing can stay the tide of Moore
victory.
Over confidence has defeated many
b candidate.
While the returns of the first two
days of registration are enough TO JUS
tify the high pulsiug elation which the
anti Ware people feel, | think 1t w"uld
be wise for them TO consider the SIT :
uatiou dispassionately and in r"Id
blood.
A big registration is all right, but
what about the primary election!
AS it stands today. the registration
does point to an antiNare triumph but
nnless the Independents see that every
Moore voter gets to the polls on eicc e
tion day. rain or shine, and particularly
rain. they stand to lose the victory that
is within their grasp.
Organization Never Sleeps
They must remember that the ware
organization never sleeps. 1t drives
with a long lash. Ii is persistent pow
erful. tireless. And besides it has every =
Z thing at stake.
[ shall never forget an observation
tho late John Nirdu made in Harris o
burg some years ago during constdera =
tion by the Legislature of reform
bill. He was protesting its passage.
''The trouble with these rcformerS is
that they're not practical. Besides,
they're lazy. If they get this bill
through it wont do them any good.
4 The first election night that it is wet
or stormy they'll be sitting around in
their slippers before warm hrc' NOT
caring rap about the elrrtlon' WhlIo
the organization bunch will be out pull =
ing doorbells. dragging rumm'rs out OF
cellars and pilug up majority against
them
And that is the feeling that | fine
exists among Ware organization work
ars today. They are counting on tn
stay-a tome Independent vote TO cIec
their lct.
In de-, meantime a new and powerful
element has entered the field.
Flying Squadron at Work
The Flying Squadron is at work
That is its officially descriptive It'll
given it by Clinton Rogers Woodruff
of the board Of registration commits
sioners.
Nobody in Philadelphia in the mem
ory of the oldest politician, | think
ever knew of flying squadron" o
election inspectors.
It is q body Of men wearing officia
badges and duly sworn and cmpowere
by law and sent in squads to gathe
evidence and furnish testimony to tn
board of rcgistra tion commissioners. II
in turn. hands the evidence over to tn
district attorney for prosecution in case
of false registration or election fraud.
1t is the new election law at work.
1t may not have occurred to som
thousands of citizens that there ha
! been a suspicious quiet in the atmos
phere that envelopes the new board G
registration commissioners. After tn
rush and tumuit of the days foIlowin
their induction into office, the boar
apparently lasped into a somnolen
mood.
That was Che way of the old board.
It became active temporarily jus
before election. Then it drowsed off int
a state of official insensibilty Their
were occasional awakenings to dra,
its salary. change a polling place. O
TO appoint an occasional registrar