Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-26

Gov. Smiths last-round fighting Is
bound to fortify Democratic confidence
of victory. His storming of the Eastern
heights, from which he hopes to snatch
the prize, will be crescendo OF col
orful combat Smiths wind-up tactics
always include taking advantage OF
chance openings given by the enemy:
The governor thinks Hoover provided
such an opportunity with the thrust
about state Socialism The Demo-
Gratis are growing that "Al" shrewdly
turned the tables on Hoover by SHOW
ing that Theodore Roosevelt, Charles
Evans Hughes and Frank O. EoWden
are Socialists" too, If the indictment
against Smith is we'll founded. Smiths
invasion of the Atlantic seaboard has
already slightly revised the Wall street
betting odds in his favor. Hitherto
they've been Overwhelmingly pro-
Hoover. The Democratic high COM
mand will leave no match unscratched
during the next 10 days to set the
East on fire. Unless such conf1agra-
ton can be started the wise men lana
women) at TITS Broadway know that
the jig is probably up
x
Let no one be surprised If 1t is late
on November z, instead of November b.
before the country knows the name OF
the next President. 1t may even be
November 8. If there is a record nao d.
smashing popular vote of 40,000,000. as
some authorities predict, only land
slide would enable the result to be
known election night. If the vote is
close in many States-strong likel1-
hood-the country may have to stay up
throughout the wee sma' hours between
November 6 and to get even break
fest-time glimmer of the outcome.
Twelve years ago Hughes occupied the
anxious seat for 48 hours before he
realized he wasn't going to occupy the
White House Simon Michelet, presl-
dent of the National -Out-the-Vote
Club at Washington, who knows all
about election statistics, estimates
That would be 100000 in excess OF
| 1924. The normal increase in four years
| is about 100000. Michelet thinks A.
600 600 more women than ever before
will vote this time and about 100000
more men. Liquor, religious questions
and other unusual issues, he declares,
will be the great vote-producing factors
next month.
Some of the anti-Hoover whispering
campaign literature which caused POST
master General New to suspend Penn
sylvania postmaster questioned Quak-
er's ability to take the oath of presiden-
| tial allegiance. The Constitution gives
an in .oming Chief Executive the right
either to swear or affirm allegiance. This
observer asked DR.. Rufus M. Jones of
Haverford College, Quaker historian,
to discuss the subject. THE provision
in the Constitution" DR.. Jones says, lis
almost certainly due to Quaker influ-
ence. This privilege was won in the
English courts and then was recognized
| in nearly all the American Colonies be-
| fore the Revolution. l have never asked
Herbert Hoover how he feels about TAX
| ing an oath. Some Friends do not OBJ
| iect to 1t. All such matters are left to
individual Judgment. 1t would be a
question of Hoover's private conscience.
| objection to the oath was twofold.
! Quakers held there should not be two
standards of truth-one for ordinary
occasions and one for the law courts.
The other objection was the scriptural
command, Thou shalt not swear
| X X x
! Senator Norris declaration for Smith
is the first of the sensations" mysteri-
ouoly promised by the Democrats on
the eve of election. Republican man.
ayers do not underestimate the impor-
lance of the Progressive chieftain's de-
lection nor do they subscribe to the
exaggerated Democratic view of it.
Everybody is wondering what Senator
Borah thinks about Norris flop onto
tn Smith band wagon. The Nebras-
kan was Borah's pre-c convention candi-
date for the Republican presidential
nomination. The commonest expecta-
ton in Washington is that Norris dam
age to the Hoover cause will be con-
fined to making N Draska more doubt
! full than before or possibly to swinging
It's eight electoral votes into the Smith
column. Norris is a persuasive cam
paigner. That he will change a good
many minds in the farming West is
unquestionable.