Evening star., 1922-04-23
RELIGION TO Be ISSUE
|NOREGON ELECTIONS
Three Representatives Seeking to
Be Returned to Seats Amid
Strong Opposition.
DISPATCH to The Star

special DiSpatcn Inc star
PORTLAND. Ore, April 22.-Oregon
has three representatives, all of whom
are seeking to be returned to their
seats, at the November election.
Whether they viii be successful in
this ambition will be known. with
practical certainty in all but the
Multnomah county district, when the
republican votes are counted follow
ing the primary nominating election
of May 10 next. In the third district.
comprised of Portland and the sur
rounding county of Multnomah. due
to tangle of political and religious
embroilments. it may be possible.
though hardly probable. that the
republican nominee might be defeated
by democrat, provided that demo-
crat be q man of recognized ability
and general personal popularity.
Nick" Sinnott. as his friends of
the second district are in the habit
of calling him, is, for the first time
in d number of campaigns, to have
opposition in his own party for the
nomination, unless at the last minu le
those who are seeking his downfall
are stricken with stage fright and
quit.
Religion Issue Injected.
For the first time since 1898 the
question of religious belief has been
injected openly into Oregon politics.
There have been whispers of 1t in
the last two or three campaigns, but
this time the condition has come out
into the limelight through the open
activity of the Federated Patriotic
Societies, so-called. gathered together
and supposed to be dominated by the
organizers and leaders of the Ku klux
klan.
This organization is after Sinnott in
the second district because he is a
Catholic. Added to this. he has stirred
up hornets nest in Umatilla county
because of the appointment of Tom
thompson as postmaster of Pendle-
ton, against the expressed wishes of
the great bulk Of the professional and
business men of that populous county.
AS a result of the two circumstances
James H. Gwinn of Pendleton, a re-
publican and prominent business man
OF that city. is being groomed to run
against Sinnott for the nomination
1t is not the opinion of politicians,
however, that Gwinn can beat him. J.
Harvey Graham. democrat of Baker
county, is seeking the democratic
nomination. as he has during the past
three or four campaigns, but his can
didacy is considered to be more of a
ndDlI tnan menace.
Two Opponents.
In the first district w. c. Hawley
VIII have two opponents for the re-
publican nomination. Earl f.. Fisher,
a newspaper publisher of Washington
county, is out for the nomination, but
is not considered a strong candidate.
He is q member of the legislature
from his county, but is practically
unknown politically outside his home
county. Senator A w. N. Norblad Of
Astoria also seeks the nomination. It
especially with Fisher also in the
race, but he is running more with
the idea Of broadening his acquaint-
ance and laying his foundation for an
intensive campaign two years from
now than with the hope of present
success. There Is no democratic can
didate in the field SO far as has been
reported up to this time.
But it is in the third district, where
c. n. Macarthur seeks denomination
and reelection, that the big fight Is
scheduled to take place. The Ku Klux
posed the bonus legislation now pend
ing in Congress. which has not
brought him added support from the
service men. and he is not overly
strong In his district were there no
exceptional conditions existing.
Service Man In Field.
However, there are two candidates
surely, and probably four, entered in
the fight against him. Maurice E.
Crumpacker, a young lawyer and a
service man, has filed as candidate, as
has Fra nklin F. Korell, also a lawyer, a
service man and a member of the legis-
lative delegation from Multnomah coun-
ty There is probability that Walter
G. Lynn, an organized labor leader and
member of the legislature, will become
candidate, while Sanf1eld Macdonald,
man we'll known in political circles of
the county, is threatening to make the
fight on flight wine and beer" plat
form.
1t is generally believed that the diyi-
sion of the field against Macarthur will
give him the nomination at the primary
election in May, but it is not such a
settled conviction in the minds of. the
politicians that an outstanding demo-
cratic candidate might not be able to
take the Office away from him in the
general election in November, unless the
bitterness sure to spring from the pri-
mary fight can be overcome by Nc
Arthur during the summer Campaign.
Up to this time, however, the demo-
Gratis have not settled upon a candidate
for the nomination. although Robert G.
Duncan of Portland, who has but little
chance Of nomination if any contest is
made against him. has fled as "a pdf