New-York tribune., 1922-11-03
Protest of Back.Country
Farmers Against Wet
Referendum Swing $
Tide to the Republicans
Senator's Dream Of
Presidency Waning g
Injection of League Of
Nations Issue by Cox
Called Tactical Error
By Carter Field

by SaItcT TlelG
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov 2. - Pros.
poets of Democratic landslide in
Ohio, SO bright and clear month ago
have been blurred little in the last
ten days by beer and the League OF
Nations.
The reelection of Senator Atlee
Pomerene still seems most likely, but
it is no longer a certainty. On the
other hand, the very bright prospects
for the election Of Democratic Gov.
ernor have faded under the dry drive
and the rousing Of anti-league scnti
ment until it now seems probable that
Carmi Thompson, Republican nominee
for Governor and.c friend of Presi.
dent Harding, will be elected.
Everything depends on whether the
drys back in the country, and par.
ticularly the farm women, can be got
ten in large numbers to the pclls. If
they should turn out in anything like
the numbers of two years ago Pomer-
enc will be showed under. They are
almost all Republicans back on the
Ohio farms, and when they all vote
they generally produce a Republican
landslide. There will be no Republi-
can landslide in Ohio this year. but
those dry Republicans back on the
farms. may put crimp in what would
have been a Democratic landslide.
What is squirting the Ansi-Saloor
League leaders to such strenuous eff
forts to get this dry vote out is not
the wetress of Senator Pomerene no,
the dryness of DR.. Fess. his Republi
can opponent, SO much as the 1eferen-
DUN on the amendment to the state
constitution permitting 2A per cent
beer.
Pulpits Assail Wet Move
From more than half the pulpits OF
Ohio last Sunday denunciations were
hurled at this attempt to undermine
the Eighteenth amendment. From ever
more pulpits next Sunday, Just two
days before election, the good people
of Ohio will be exhorted not to fail
to vote against this attempt of the
drink demon to raise it's hfad.
The whole point is that the injection
of this futile and more or less silly
amendment to the state constitution
an amendment which will be in direct
conflict with the Eighteenth amend
ment and the volstead law-has not
only helped swing the pendulum back
SO that the election of a Republican
Governor is now likely, but it has
brought danger to Atlee Pomerene.
1t is entirely conceivable that this
one element alone-dragging out the
fanatical dry vote back in the country
which in this state is solidly Republi-
can--nay change the history of the
United States. For il elected Senator
this year no one in Ohio believes that
the next Democratic national conven-
ton would consider any other nominee
than Aztec Pomerene.
His chances for the Presidency are
discussed every time group of Demo
cratic leaders get together. Then it
is simply question of whether he
can beat Harding in 1924, not whether
he can obtain the Democratic nomina-
tion.
Cox Takes Back Seat
II there is any Democratic leader of
in Ohio who considers that
Governor Cox has any chance of being
Ohio's favorite son at the Democratic
again if Pomerene is re-
elected, the writer did not hear about
him. Cox is definitely relegated to
back scat at meeting The Democratic
rarty in Ohio is as definitely committed
TO back Pomerene for the Presidential
Z romination next time as any group of
political leaders can be-always with
The reservation of, course, that Pom
irene is reelected Senator.
Hence the Importance Of this wet and
dry issue, forced to public referen-
dunn just two years after the voters of
Ohio by majority of 100000 approved
The Crabbe act, prohibition enforce
nent act so drastic as to create almost
nation wide comment. 1t was passed
by such a majority two years ago be-
cause of the tremendous vote. The
bitter resentment against Woodrow
which packed the polling
places at that election, brought out the
folks back in the country districts as
40 election ever had done before, even
making due allowance for the woman
yote.
Feeling had been aroused by one
hing and another, not The least being
he scandals circu ated so venomous-y
n this state. until no one thought it
vas too much trouble to vote. No one
doubts that If the same vote could be
oolled next Tuesday the 2& per cent
peer amendment would be buried under
/ dry avalanche, but no one knows to
What extent the dry workers will sue
iced In working up that feeling.
Only second in Importance in turn
ng the tide which beyond doubt had