Evening star., 1926-10-08
Massachusetts Doubtful if
Chief Executive Will Take
Hand in Race.
PROHIBITION IN FRONT
AS DEMOCRATIC ISSUE
Republicans Rally Around Party
Leader, Prosperity and Pro-
tective Tariff.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.
Staff CORRESPONDENT of The Star.

canoe is underway in Massachusetts.
The principal actors in this contest,
which is to be decided at the polls
November 2, are Senator William NJ.
Butler and former Senator David 1.
Walsh. One or the other will be
elected United States Senator to fill
out the unexpired term of the late
| Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.
| But the issues underlying are of
greater interest nationally than the
personal success of either of the con.
, testants. The outcome of the sena-
torial contest here will be used as a
yard stick to measure the popularity
of President Calvin Coolidge-al-
| though he Is not personally involved
in the race. 1t will also be regarded
! as measure of the strength or weak
ness of Americas great experiment,
! prohibition.
The campaign for the election Of
been underway for months in this
State. The ground work has been
laid on both sides. There remains
only the final drive which is to land
Butler or Walsh a winner. 1 have
talked with both and both are con-
f1dent of success.
Issues are Defined.
The issues as the Republicans see
them in this race are Coolidge, Re-
publican prosperity and the protec-
tive tariff.
The issues as the Democrats see
them, on the other hand. are prohi-
bition, and progreSSivism VS.. cOnser-
vatism.
Although the prestige of President
Coolidge and his regime are involved
in the campaign and its result, the
Democrats frankly are not anxious
for that test. And while Senator
Walsh in some Of his earlier speeches
has assailed the Republican tariff law,
the Democratic platform on which
he now stands has straddled the tariff
issue, declaring the party in favor of
protection for industries Of Massa-
chusetts, but with due regard to the
CONSUMERS. The Democrats are not
concerned. 1t appears, with the protec-
tion Of industries, agricultural or COM
mercial. outside Of Massachusetts.
President Coolidges prestige is
bound up with this contest here, not
only because Senator of his own
party is involved in his own State,
but also because Senator Butler was
the manager of the Presidents 1924
campaign and because he has been
regarded more than any other single
Senator as the spokesman Of the ad-
ministration in the Senate for the
last two years.
Days Burning Question.
A burning question here today is:
What Is the President going to do
about the senatorial race? Is he COM
Ing to Massachusetts, to make a speech
urging the election of the Republi-
can ticket, including Senator Butler?
Is he going to write a message at
the psychological moment advising the
voters to support the Republican
ticket here?
Republican leaders insist they do
not know what the President will do,
or whether he will do anything. Some
Of them say that there is no need for
the President to take an active part
in the campaign: that the situation
Is such that Senator Butler will win
without the President himself enter
ing the campaign. Others frankly
speak Of the great interest which the
President necessarily has in Massa-
chusetts politics, and say they be-
lieve that in his own time he will
make an appeal to the voters for
Senator Butler and the rest of the
ticket.
The Democrats are no less inter-
ested than the Republicans in what
the course of the President will be
Some of them profess to believe that
the direct entry of the President into
the campaign will not only not help
Senator Butler. but will have a con-
tfary effect. But none of them is
shouting loudly for the President to
come here and speak or to send
message to the voters.
Presidents Strength Bulwark.
The truth of the matter is that
President Coolidge's great personal
popularity and strength in the Bay
State was a deciding factor in the
senatorial election in 1924, when
Senator Walsh was defeated by a
scant 1883 votes. The President
himself rolled up a vote 271,420
greater than the combined vote cast
for John w. Davis, Democrat, and
Robert NJ. La Toilette. Progressive.
The Presidents strength in his own
State today is one of the greatest
assets Of his party ticket. including
Senator Butler.
Should Senator Walsh win, his VIC
tory will be interpreted generally as
blow to President Coolidge and an evi-
dence of waning strength. This will
be true whether the President actually
participates in the campaign or not.
1t SENS superfluous to tell the voters
that the President wants Butler
elected.
Massachusetts, Is said to be normally
Republican by 100000 votes. But
normal" conditions frequently do not
prevail here. For example, normal
conditions did not prevail when Presi.
dent Coolidge was a candidate for the
presidency. Nor did normal condi-
tions prevail when the late Senator
Lodge was elected over Col. William
A CASTOR. the present Democratic
nominee for governor, by only 5000
votes. There were factional troubles
in the Republican party. and a very
considerable number of Republicans
opposed Lodge because of his part in
the defeat Of American entry into the
League of Nations.
It is also true that Senator Walshs
strength in this State exceeds the
fContip,,ed IN Page Col,rron ~