The Washington herald., 1921-09-21
CONGRESS RACE
ONLODCE HEATH
WATCHED HERE
Foe of Senate Leader
Seeks to Fill Seat Left
Vacant by Lufkin.
NJ MARK SULLIVAN.


Mexico, election of Senator yes
tsrday, is one that is going 10 oc-
cur in the Sixth Congressman ois-
trict or Massa nusetts next Tues-
day. This coming Massachusetts
election narrowly missed having
dramatic qualities, which would
nave focused the attention of the
country on it. The Sixth Mas
sachusetts district is the one in
which Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
has his home; and there is gossip
m washington to the effect that
Senator Lodges daughter, Mrs.
Augustus Peabody Gardner, wanted
TO try for the Republican nomina-
ton, but was dissuaded by persons
close to her.
n Mrs Gardner had tried for the
Republican nomination, she would
undoubtedly have got It. II she
had got the nomination, she would.
with equal certainty, have won the
election. In that event, she would
have been the third woman to oc-
cupy a seat in Congress; and her
political and personal background
being what it Is, and her personality
being as forceful as it is. her pres
ence in Congress would be of great
mine predecessors in that body.
who came one from Oklahoma and
one from Montana.
Daughter of Lodge.
Mrs. Gardner is not only the
daughter of the senior Senator from
Massachusetts, but is also the
widow of the man who represented
this district in Congress for ten
years He was one Of the most
promising public men of his time,
and his death, which occurred in 4
southern army camp, where he had
enlisted to go to war as a private
lost to Congress one Of its most
useful and Intelligent members.
After Congressman Gardner died,
his secretary, w. W. Lufkin, sue
reeded him and held this ONCE
through two elections until July
If the present year, when he re-
signed to become collector OF the
port q Boston.
Through all these years of the
tenure of Gardner and Lufkin the
Sixth Massachusetts, district has
been strongly Republican. Gardner
and Lufkin rarely failed to get
rWice as many votes as their Demo-
cratic opponents, and on more than
one occasion got three times as
many. Under the circumstances ii
is not to be expected that the Dem
Ocrats- can carry the coming spe-
cial election: but they do hope 10
make gains sufficiently impressive
20 be presented to the country a.
evidence of a shifting of sentiment
in the. home district of the Repub-
lican leader of. the Senate. For
their hopes the Democrats rely not
only on changed business conditions
since the election last year. and
not only on changed sentiment as
10 national issues but also on local
Tactional strife among the ReDub-
leans,
Much Hard Feeling.
The primary contest for the Re
publican nomination was marked by
much bitterness, of a sort that usu-
ally leaves among the defeated fac
tion q residue of resentment, OF
which the Democrats, in this case
hope 60 be the beneficiaries. Nc
doubt a considerable number OF
votes in this election next Tuesday
will be determined by national
issues; but neither here nor any
where else are the people as yet
sufficiently excited about national
issues 10 go To the polls ID large
numbers because of them alone.
In the recent Republican primary
contest in this district. for exam
pie, the chief interest seemed to
turn on personal episodes in the
careers of the two candidates. As
to one of the candidates. the ques.
ton was raised whether or not ht
was justified in staying home from
the war by the fact that he haC
a wife and three children, he being
IS years old when the war begar
and having a rich father-in-law "
As to the other candidate, mucf
was made of the fact that in 1911.
he had been dismissed from the of
flee OF Assistant Secretary of tbs
Treasury because he had been alb.
sent without leave in order to at.
tend the Republican national con.
vention of that year. In a district
where. trivialities like this occupy
the front of the stage It can hardly
be said that the election next Tues.
Day will have much barcmetrica
value as to change of sentiment or
national issues
The man who won the Repub.
bcan nomination-Col. 4. Piatt An.
drew-is an anti-LodEc man, ant
his victory by a vote of two tc
one has been announced as an anti
Lodge, nti-Organization triumph
of large proportions.
The Democrats don't hope TO vir
next Tuesday. but they do hope tc
make an impression by reducing the
FORMAL Republican majority.