Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-02
SMITH is EXPECTED
TO BEAT BRENNAN
IN ILLINOIS RACE
Continued from First Page

they hold, is pure bunk" in the light
of the necessity of getting real IN
formation regarding candidate and
his policies before the voters in this
State.
These Republican leaders fervently
wish that the SIPS 900 contribution to
Col. Smiths campaign had come from
some other source than Samuel insult,
in view of the fact that Col. Smith Is
chairman of the commerce commits
sion of the State-the Public Utilities
Commission. They hope to make it
clear to the voters, however, that Col.
Smith, in his official capacity, has new
er favored the insult interests, and
that his election to the Senate would
take him off the utilities commission
and leave him in a position where he
would not he directly connected with
the utilities of Illinois. AS one of
Them admitted today, the Republicans
must go ahead and "avoid the mud
as best they may
They regard the acceptance by
Brennan of 900 from insult for his
campaign, when he had practically no
opposition, as tarring him with the
same brush as that which has tarred
Col. Smith. The counter of the Re
publicans to this is that since MIR.
Brennan controls the Democrats who
vote on State legislation, he can be
regarded in just that position.
julius Rosenwald and a couple of
the big Chicago daily newspapers,
which have been demanding that
Smith withdraw or an independent
candidate be put up for the Senate,
have had no success SO far. Former
Gov Frank O. I.owden declined with
out thanks the suggestion that he pull
fact of the matter, as pointed out by
practical politicians, is that with only
/, two months before election day and
without an organization, an independ-
ent candidate would have little or no
show. No independent they say,
could expect to win both Republican
and Democratic votes. He would
have to be a Republican independent
or a Democratic independent and the
voters would have to know which.
Deserti0n Not Expected.
The Republicans are positive that
none of their party in Illinois will de-
sert Smith to vote for Brennan be
cause of the disclosures brought out
by the Senate campaign investigating
committee. If they have to face a
fight. AS they will. when it comes to
seating Col. Smith securely in the
Senate, then they will face it hope
fully. They believe that the fact
COL. Smith will have been elected
by the people of Illinois after the dis.
closures at the Senate investigation
must have some weight with the Sen
ate. unless that body is prepared to
disregard entirely the will of the
voters of this State. They figure now
that Col. Smith will win the election
by from 100000 to 400. 900. depending
on the size of the vote which comes
out. The Brennanites, who count on
CARRYING wet Cook County, say this
is all ''blah." There is no gainsaying
the fact. however, that Illinois is an
overwhelmingly Republican State.
Furthermore. Mr.. Brennan has his
enemies among the Democrats. par
ticularly down State, who may not
stomach him.
The religious issue has not been
publicly raised SO far, but there are
signs that 1t will be whether publicly
or not. Brennan Is Catholic and
Smith a Methodist. The Ku KluX
Khan is strong In some parts Of the
State, though not through the State
as a whole. But many of the klans-
men are Democrats.
Brennan is claiming a non-partisan,
or rather Il bipartisan, support here
An Chicago. He has intimated that
he is not opposed to the Coolidge
policies, though he has said he would
have voted against the resolution pro-
posing American adherence to the
World Court if he had been in the
Senate. Just where he is to get the
Republican votes is not so clear.
Smith was supported in his fight
against Senator Mckinley for the
senatorial nomination last April by
the Grove Barrett and William Hale
Thompson factions. 1t is from these
factions. if any, of the Republicans
that Brennan might be expected to
draw.
Republicans Holding Back.
While Mr.. Brennan is at it hammer
and tongs. the Republicans are hold
ing back their campaign, which they
say will not begin much before
October I. In the first place Col.
Smith is not here, and is scarcely in
a physical condition to carry on a
long campaign himself
One danger which the Smith sup
porters face is a return visit of the
Senate campaign investigating COM
mittee. promised for this month. If
there should be further damaging dis
closures before the committee, the
situation may be changed.
There is not little speculation here
as 10 what will happen in the event of
the death of Senator Mckinley. who
is desperately Ill. His term does not
expire until March next. If he
should die Gov. Small either would ap-
point TO fill temporarily the vacancy
or a successor would be elected In
November. In some quarters 1t is
insisted that the Republican State
committee could nominate a candidate
and the Democratic State committee
could do the same. In others the
belief prevails that primary would
be necessary and those who hold that
attitude say there is not time for a
primary campaign TO be followed by
a campaign for the general
If Gov. Small or the State commit.
tee should pick a Senator or a candi.
date for election for the short term. as
the case might be, it is believed Col.
Smith would be the choice He has
the friendship of the governor and
also dominates the State committee, of
which he had been chairman for many