Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-21
DESPERATE FIGHT
TO CAPTURE OHIO
Both Parties Training Their
Biggest Guns on Harding's
Home State
REPUBLICANS ARE UNEASY
BY CLINTON w. GILBERT
Stafr Correspondent Evening Public Ledger

by OLINION W. GlIIBEHI
stan CORRESPONDENT Evening Public Ledger
Copu'ioht. 1922. by Public Lsd0or Company
Washington. Oct. 21.--Five Cabinet
members have already spoken in Ohio
and two mOre--Secretary Hughes and
Secretary Denby-are expected to speak
there next week. This indicates the
extent Of the campaign which the Re-
publicans are making to save the Presl.
dents State for him.
For some reason the Republicans are
In a panic over Ohio. No one knows
whether It Is one Of those sudden panics
into which politicians rush and which
have no basis In fact, or whether there
really is danger Of Democratic VIC
tory.
One trouble, Of course. IS that the
Republicans are taking the Ohio con
test too seriously. It Is the Presidents
own state. 1t is, moreover. the home
OF most Democratic possibilities. Gov
ernor Cox, Senator Pomerene and ex.
Justice Clarke all live there.
About half the Republican members
OF the Senate have been neandering
from one end Of the State to the other.
And as I have already said, half of The
Cabinet have already lifted I'm their
voices to the Ohioans and in few days
some more Cabinet members contribute
their persuasive efforts. All this tends
to make the politicians see ghosts.
When task seems tremendously i'm
portant 1t sometimes causes n panic,
Straw Votes A. Worrisome
All the outward indications of trouble
! for the Republicans are found In GER
tain polls which the newspapers Of CO.
lumbus and Cincinnati take before
every election. These polls enjoy a
great reputation in Ohio as Indication
Of the voters intentions. And this
! time they show a percentage of swing
from the Republican to the Democratic
! Party. which. II 1t prevails throughou,
| the electorate. would give the State q
Democratic Governor and Senator.
No one sees beneath the surface. BE
meath the surface IN probably stirring
that movement which has caused the
br"nk-up Of party lines in Iowa, North
which has been described in this cor
respondence. If there were a straight :
out issue of radical against conserva
tive, everybody would be happy. But
there Is not.
Mr.. Fess, the Republican candidate
/ for the Senate, is as conservative a,
his Democratic opponent, Mr.. Pomer.
enc. Business in Ohio is so we'll pleased
! that it does not know which one to vot,
for.
Labor. which is numerous. is so dis.
: pleased that ii does not know whicl
! one to vote against. 1t hns its choic,
Injunction in the railroad strike and ,
Democrat who is heartily in favor o
using the injunction any and ever!
! time. Labor naturally Is in a 'stat,
of mind
The farmer is not any happier. Don
make any mistake. The farmer il
badly off in Ohio. In Iowa, Nebraska
Wisconsin or North Dakota he IL suf
fering equally. But he has candidate
suited to his purposes. He may con.
tinue to be Republican and vote fo
n candidate for the Senate who ex'
presses his discomfort. In Ohio he hn'
his choice between Mr.. Pomerrne. VIII,
does not understand his troubles ~
greatly sympathizc with them, and Mr.
Fess. who knows no more and cares III
more about them.
This situation often drives n man tt
make II protest vote against the part.
in power. But consider what happens
il he does this and pumps for Mr.
Pomerene. The farmer is godly maj
and dry Except for hard cider In tn,
barn). But Mr.. POmerene IS claimed
BY the vets. To cast protest vot'
he must not only sin against his part!
but he must hold the glass that inebri
ntcs to his ncighbor's lips. 1t Is u baC
to-do.
As parties break up it becomes hard"
and harder to vote. Whichever maj
You vote for. You vote against some &"
YOUR convictions. You are dry and
r,Ji,oI onI ynI are invited io vote 10
"A wet conservative or a dry Conserva
tive. That is the option offered to th'
Ohio farmer.
Both Wet and Radical
Ohio labor is wet and radical. I
may vote for either wet conseryatiN'
or a dry conservative.
Many possible voters in Ohio AM
elsewhere are solving the problem b.
staying home and not registering.
Polls don't mean much when suci
cross currents as this are running
Many express their emotions in thi
straw voting. They indicate their dis
content. When they come to the poll
they may record another view Of th'
situation.
Also tho situation may remain und"
cidcd till the last minute. A MAJ
weighing the merits Of dryness anu hi
discomfort with low prices on tn" farm
may tip the balance one way and turl
the other as the campaign goes on.
tine would take more seriously th
panic of the Republicans there if thcr
were anr signs elsewhere of a movempu
to the Democratic Party. But thcr
urc not. Everywhere else We are A.
sured Republican prospects are good
at least as good rs they normally are