Evening star., 1926-05-08
HUGE SUMS SPENT
IN PEPPER, P|NCHOT
AND VARE CONTEST
Prophets Unable to Predict
Race Because of Many
Complications.
BY e.. GOULD LINCOLN.
STAFF Correspondent OF The star.

b1 u. GOULD LINCOLN.
staff Correspondent of The star
PITTSBURGH, Pa. May S.-Down
on Oliver avenue, a kind of glorified
alleyway running through the heart
of the city, stands a building plaster
ed with signs from the first floor to
the roof. One side of the building is
devoted to the Pinchot for Senator
headquarters, the other is the head
quarters OF Ware for Senator and
Beidleman for governor.
a PinChot meeting is opening on
one side of the building and a clergy
man is invoking divine blessing
through the open windows comes the
sound of jazz music. almost drowning
out the Clerg! mans voice. as the
crowd troops into the Ware headQuar
ters for a Simultaneous rally. The in
cldent is typical of the campaign and
issues involved. On the one side is
Gov. Pinchot. the crusader, bone dry
and anti-gang. On the other is Rep
resentative William S. Ware, wet and
head of the Republican Philadelphia
machine.
Both Assail Pepper.
Both sides turn loose and lambast
Senator George Wharton Pepper.
charging him with being dry with
the drys and wet with the vets. anti
gang in Philadelphia and gang in
Pittsburgh.
At the same time Senator Pepper
and his supporters denounce Nareisn
and Pinchotisnl. making an appeal to
the conservative, safe and sane people
Of the State. Pinchot they character
ize a fanatic and Ware a product
of machine politics.
Senator Pepper makes light of the
Ware issue-whiCh he describes as
975 per cent beer. He tells the peC-
pie. and particularly the vets. not to
be fooled by any such proposition:
that if It went through and became
the law it would amount to more than
a few drops Of alcohol from an eye
dropper in a bottle of near beer or
grape juice.
Along this line of argument the
newspapers here carried advertise
ments from the Pepper Fisher head
quarters bearing a black-face banner.
BE wet If you want to. but be wise,
and underneath was developed the
thought that Wares wet program
would amount to nothing.
Aroused Ire of Drys.
This advertisement, however. reused
some resentment among drys, who
did not like the suggestion that any
one be wet, whether they want to or
not.
Senator Pepper also urges the voters
in this Mellon stronghold not to turn
down the Secretary of the Treasury
in this election and. along with him.
President COOLIDGE of whose cabinet
Mr.. Mellon is so important a member.
This is no piker's campaign In Penn
sylvania. Money is being expended
like water for publicity. for headquar-
ters, for workers expenses. These eX-
penditures are not confined TO any one
camp. They are all we'll supplied with
the sinews Of war The cry may yet
be raised that some one is trying to
buy the election
Out here in Pittsburgh-or rather in
Allegheny County. which includes the
city-the situation is vastly mixed In
the senatorial race, notwithstanding
the great influence of the MELONS.
both financial and political. The ma
chine politicians, led by Max Leslie
ordinarily would be for Ware on both
the wet and dry issue and the gang
issue, but Leslie has declared for Pep
still remains a fact. however, that
Pittsburgh and the county is wet, one
Of the wettest sections of the United
States.
Baird Reveals Wetness.
II there was any doubt about this
fact, the evidence given by Prohibi-
recently before the Senate judiciary
subcommittee would set the doubt at
rest. Mr.. Baird testified that he seized
during his seven months in office stills
capable of daily production of 6S. 900
gallons of liquor: that he shut down
many plants producing illegal beer.
Ware is going to get many of these
wet votes. He has held meetings here
which rival in size those of his oppo-
nents. 1t is suggested in some quar-
ters that this turnout may be due
to curiosity to see and hear the Phila-
delphia boss. But it is a wet-looking
crowd that pours in and out of the
meetings.
running for office. Allegheny County
cast in round numbers 155, 900 votes,
of which George e. Alter. who had the
support of the regular organization.
polled 100 900, Gov. PinChot received
so 900 and 5 200 were scattered. While
the registration in the city of Pitts
burgh today is some 1900 shy of
what 1t was four years ago. the great
interest aroused by the present cam
paign and the issues involved are eX-
pected to bring many more to the
polls, probably $4,000 to 200, 900 votes
all told.
Pincf1ot May Get 10000.
"a -: o.4;,,,o+a1 Gov, pipcho4 1,,ill ,.a
ceive perhaps 100000 of these votes.
though the Pepper leaders put it as
low as $4,000. leaving 145, 900 to l60.-
900 to be divided between Pepper and
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