New-York tribune., 1922-10-30
Hitchcock Deal
With Bryan, May
Save His Seat
Senator Deserts VETS and
Makes Strenuous Effort
to Placate German Vote.
Alienated Over League
Farmers Vexed
r. b. Howell, Republican,
Faces Hard Fight With
Business Against Him
By Carter Field

LINCOLN, Neb,, Oct. 2s.--Having
crawled into the political bed of VIII
liam Jennings Bryan, donned the snow
white mantle of opposition to the nq-
uor traffic and almost reconciled the
German vote in Nebraska to the fact
that he voted for Woodrow Wilson'S
League of Nations, Senator Gilbert M.
Hitchcock probably will be reelected
by small majority.
With the best political machine the
state ever saw functioning at ton
speed, while the Republican organiza-
tion is missing on several cylinders,
Hitchcock has demonstrated a political
adroitness and an agility in changing
both issues and associates which have
given the state some Of it's biggest sur
prises since 1896. when one of its least
esteemed delegates vas nominated for
President of the United States.
The biggest surprise was when Hitch
cock, after long conference with the
peerless leader at Washington, aban-
doned his long wet record and climbed
to such high seat on the water wagon
that he now opposes any modification
whatever of the Volstead act. He is SO
easily shocked since this change of
heart that he wired the Association Op-
posed TO Prohibition, after it had in
dorsed him at Washington recently. to
make his stand clear. He was against
any weakening amendment of the Vol
stead act, ne said, and especially
against any move for light wines and
beer. The drys sneer little at this
as "lip service" but the vets are cast
down.
Nebraska Vets Give Up Ghost
1t might be remarked in passing, as
of some slight interest to the voters
of New Jersey and New York, that the
vets in Nebraska, who have been strong
enough up to this time to keep one
'wringing wet" Senator, have simply
given up the fight. They frankly con-
cede utter hopelessness of ever getting
even beer back again.
As R. B. Howell. Republican nominee
against Hitchcock and Republican Nat
ional Committeeman since 1912, is also
bone dry, having been SO for a long
time, the gain of one seat in the Sem
ate by the drys is assured from this
state.
Hitchcock's next big surprise to the
Nebraska voters was also with regard
to Bryan, his hated political enemy
for twenty years. Following the meet
ing between the peerless leader and
Hitchcock in Washington Charles w.
Bryan, Williams brother and lieuten-
ant, issued statement saying that if
it could only be recognized that pro-
hibition and woman suffrage were set
tied issues, nothing would prevent the
Democratic party in Nebraska from
getting together.
Within few days Hitchcock came
out editorially in his newspaper and
declared with positiveness and con-
viction that prohibition and woman
suffrage were settled issues. Where
upon Charles w. Bryan threw his hat
into the ring for the Democratic nomi-
nation for Governor. Hitchcock then
Endorsed Bryan for Governor and threw
his own hat into the ring for re-elec-
tion as Senator Bryan promptly in
dorsed Hitchcock, and since then the
two Bryans and Hitchcock have been
speaking many times each day, all
urging the election Of the Bryan-Hitch-
cock ticket.
The moves looked snappy as they
were being made, but every one realizes
tcoatinaed on page four