Evening star., 1926-05-12
Politics at Large
By g.. Gould Lincoln

No dent has yet been made in the
dry forces in Congress by the primary
elections so far held this Spring-ex-
cept the nomination of George l..
Gratis of Illinois. Mr.. Brennan, the
Democratic national committeeman
for Illinois and party boss of Chicago,
was unoppOsed by any dry candidate.
Indeed, his opposition was inconse-
uuential and his nomination fore
gone conclusion. The trys were sue.
cessful in renominating q number OF
in Illinois, some or
whom had wet opposition. Both Col.
Frank l.. Smith, the Republican nomi-
nee for the Senate, and Senator VIII
liam Il. Mckinley, who was defeated,
were declared satisfactory by the
drys. The stage is set, therefore, for
a real wet and dry contest for the
Senate seat out in Illinois next Fan,
but the odds to date appear entirely
in favor of Col. Smith, not so much.
it must be said, however, because of
the dry issue as because of the over
whelming strength Of the Republican
party in the Senate.
In South Dakota Senator Peter
Norbeck. u dry, has been renoninated
by the Republicans for the Senate and
his election is regarded as certain.
Several wet candidates presented
themselves as candidates for the sena-
torial nominations in Indiana. but
none of them was successful at the
primaries last week.
x x x X
Wet hopes are centered for the
present on the primaries which are TO
be held in Pennsylvania May is. They
are backing Representative William
s. Ware for the Republican nomina-
tion for the senate and Edward l..
Beidleman Of Harrisburg for the Re
publican gubernational nomination.
A victory by either one of these can
didates over their dry opponents
would give to the wet cause a great
boost. Naturally the drys are not a
little concerned over the outcome.
Should Pennsylvania, the second
State in the Union in size Of popula-
ton, go wet. it would consolidate
great area, the most populous for its
size in the United States as wet ter
ritory, including New York, New Jer-
sey, Maryland and Pennsylvania, with
large numbers of vets to be found in
Massachusetts, Connecticut and
Rhode Island, still further eDlarging
the damp area.
Representative Wares candidacy for
the Senate was announced at the pS%-
Geological moment, both for himself
and for the wet cause. With the wet
drive on in earnest for the first time
since national prohibition became Law.
and with the dry vote divided between
his opponents. Senator Pepper and
Gov. Pinchot, his chances Of success
are greater than they could possibly
have been under almost any other
=, = :: !:
In Philadelphia tales are circulating
about men of prominence in business,
the professions and society. who ordt-
narily would be found aligned with
Senator Pepper or Gov. Pinchot and
against the machine boss, Ware, but
who are now said to he prepared to
swallow Ware just TO register their
strong opposition to the prohibitory
law One of these stories is to the
effect that following a drill of the
famous City Troop, in which are en-
rolled only scions of the +. i. P.s-to
the abbreviation for the
blue bloods of Virginia-the command.
ing officer called attention to the need
of every mans voting in the primaries
next Tuesday and for Senator George
Wharton Pepper. ono of their own
kind. He is reported to have request
ed the members OF the troop to meet
him Immediately after the drill to dis
cuss ways and means of aiding the
Pepper campaign. But only about
one third of the members of the troop
turned up-while the majority OF the
others, in another room, formed in
lock step and shouted as they paraded
for Ware and the beverages which are
now banned by law.
A defeat in Pennsylvania will be like
q dash of cold Atlantic water for the
Wets-if it comes.
To listen to and to believe Mr.. Ware
and the speakers who are campaign
ing for him throughout Pennsylvania,
one would get the impression that pro-
hibtion has resulted in the corruption
of the entire State. The rougher the
gibe at prohibition, the greater the
applause from the audiences which
gather at the Ware meetings. There is
no pussyfooting by the Ware outfit
on this issue. The eXtravagances of
the speakers seem hard to swallow,
but the bait they hold out is enticing
to many voters.
X ): = !;
RAYMOND r. Baker, former director
Of the mint, genial, vital personality.
is to leave Washington for his home
in Reno, New. this week. and, soon
after his arrival there, is to make
his formal announcement for the
Democratic nomination for Senator.
unless present plans go awry. If he
is successful in winning the nomina-
ton, he will oppose Senator Tasker
l.. Oddie. the present Republican
Senator from Nevada. or possibly
former Representative +. f. Roberts,
MAYOR of Reno. who is at present
vigorously for the Re
publican nomination. Nevada already
has one Democratic Senator-Key
Pittman-who' was reelected by some
8 900 votes over his Republican op-
ponent in 1922. The total vote cast
in that election was between $4,000
and 10000, SO the 5000 plurality
which Senator Pittman received is
really considerably greater than it
would appear at first blush. The
State also has a Democratic governor.
While Gov. Scrugham has been men
toned as u possible candidate for the
Democratic nomination. it is now re-
ported that he will seek to succeed
himself as governor Senator Oddie,
in 1920, was elected over his Demo.
cratic opponent by about 100 votes.
Mr.. Roberts, i'll 1918, was the Repub-
lican candidate for the Senate against
former Senator Henderson, who, how.
ever. was defeated two years later by
Senator Oddie. President Coolidge
carried the State in 1924. but his vote
was less than the combined vote cast
for Davis and La Toilette by some
8 ,0e0 votes. Nevada is a real battle
ground with the odds usually favoring
the Democrats. This is one of the
States where the Democrats hope to
pick up a seat in the coming sena-