New-York tribune., 1922-10-30
Hitchcock Deal
With Bryan May
Save His Seat
scsaaagss assa sass eas1

sew shas two masssr politicians, win
sni 5eEnings Bryan and Gilbert Fitch
soek, had prepared the cold deck frea
Ehich the cards were played at theil
conference In Washington.
Charlie Bryan apparently Will hav,
waikaway. Il fs estimated ho vii
an not less than 25,090 ahead O.
Hitchcock. and his election seems Ger
ssr. On the ether hand, the Senatoris
sht Is extremely close. Hitchcock
found himself facing sure defeat
Thteh accounts for the moves Just re
ate3 which have so surprised tn;
tate, II looks IS though he had Saved
he day By q narrow squeak, but there
sye still the Germans.
The closeness OF the Ggat between
Hitchcock and Howell is best indicated
oy the fact that only a few timid offers
as bets are being made, and suel
wagers as are being placed aye at even
money.
Final decision rests absolutely upon
lse action Of the German vote. One
seventh Of the st&te's population is
German. Fer years Hitchcock has
polied practically the solid German
sote. He did so in his last fight, In
i9i6, when he was reelected by some
1000 majority over John L. Kennedy,
wniie Wilson carried tho state by
1900 on the "kept rs out Of warp plea.
he Germans voted soldidiy for both
Wilson ard Hitchcock that year, while
Wilson polIed thousands OF normally
Republican pacifst votes.
Germans Turn On Democrats
Two years later, in 1918, the Ger
a4gns turned Hoiidly against the Demo
cratic party, swept Senator George ~.
Norris, who had voted against the war
YzA I've I'VE sSftS 20
and handed the state government over
10 the Republicans.
Then in 1920 they piled up the ma
ority for Harding and sent q sold
Republican delegation to the House.
Hitchcock began his campaign this
year with the Germans solidiy against
ain. Had that condition continued
i1is defeat would have been assured.
But 1t has not continued. There has
seen 3 gradual movement OF the Ger
aans in Hitchcock's direction, until
siow tho Republican leaders concede
shat he will poll ABOUT one-fourth OF
ne German vote cast.
Privately, however, sono OF tho
ahrewd Republicans who sra working
70 prevent the German vote siipping
pnck TO Hitchcock admit that ne Is
tlready assured OF almost half OF
hem. Hitchcoek's lieutenants admit
1ankiy that the Germans are the key
90 the situation. They assert posi-
lvely that Hitchcock has more than
aalf of themt and that by Election Day
80 will have nearly all ef them.
You can't hurry them" one of the
Hitchcock leaders told NE to-day;
Yea have to stand of and whistle
patiently. Presently they come. There
g German newspaper in Omaha, and
Hitchcock is generally credited by
shsa Germans with having saved it from
Impression during the war, as well
AZ having been friendly TO its owner
or years before that. The German
V1te originally came TO Hitchcock be-
suse he was wet, so that he has the
as1 not only Of smoothing over their
sentiment against his support OF the
eatylie, but also of explaining statis-
akoyily his sudden conversion to the
IS ranks"
Understands German Vote
= Is q difficult job. but Hitchcock is
,i1lasseY at dealing with the Germnn
islabering that they constitute one
ayeata CT the states population, it
si,a ehore we'll worth his while. If
lean get 60 per cent Of them he will
os,elected. Less than 30 per cent will
bsas him.
Sieanwnile there is r. q. Howell,
aisa of the progressivea whose nomina-
en- was SO shocking to the Eastern
Nfpabiicar1 leaders this summer, COM
lnR ns 1t old ON the heels Of the VIC
cries OF Clifford Pinchot in Pennsyl-
9ris, Beyeridge in, Indiana, Smith
s9ekhart In Iowa and Frazier In North
1Miotst not to mention the expected
lalsdslide for La Toilette in Wis
eoasin.
Howell Is an extreme liberal, II not
q radical. In Omaha he has shocked
tne oidsline Republicans for years
With his government ownership ideas.
soid IN the Washington dispatches
0af The Tribune at the tjme of ME
p9hnnation, he has conducted verv sne1 ne
esastully municipal operation in water
RoTss and a sas plant in Omaha, while
atg municipal ice plant has been n
sgc success.
asa is against the Eseh- Cu,nn,;ns Iay,
esrously. and has novel plan for
antsoylng tho railroad situation. He
glpd nave the government. unless The
threat OF SO doing is enough To
a9 aowa rates 80 what he regards
tessoaapie figure, buy one lire OF
- lliso<d, preferably transcontinental
iiss AID operate 1t.
,E One Railroad at q Time
III X ever the railroad eao;yaI,st eo
"a consider public ownershin az tSe
ailEoaos," be ssys, there Is iust one
apgse Co pursue: Take over one of
1s great iines--not all of them.
fh you we're going to teach vo,y
~ she grocery business you would no;
chain Of g hundred and twenfg.
even stores as starter. You wo,1If
9ay one stora and let him learn The
eutiness. That is what our govern
lpft must do IL il ever Is forced I,
public ownership Of the railroads.
tn possession of a single railroa,
syh government could squeeze out tn,
ssfer and run it for blood. 1t corl,
sseysiop an Organization and be read,
oE the next step,
Perhaps the next step might nevs,
he Necessary. The power of compet}
Jpn IL wonderful thing. 1t Is re-
ssarkable how lower rates are deyel
cpea in the face OF competitions,
eeen threatened competition" Howell
taea tells of his fight to get q naunicj
~ electric plant, in which fich. b,
aHs continually been thwayted. but ri,
aere threat, he contends, reduced th,
aIsce Of electricity as he developed hi.
EGstve FOR the municipal plant srors
keenfs to SIS cents.
4icwell is 4or the soldier bouus. a,
as Hitchcock. He is against ths
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