Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-26
HOLLY CONTESTED
CAMPA| IS SEEN
Both Parties Preparing for
Short. Intensive Appeal
to Country.
Br FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

1t virtually has been decided by the
arrangements of both political parties
that 1923 is to be one of the shortest
and snappiest presidential campaigns
on record. From now until the end
Of August Republicans and Democrats
alike will stand relatively at ease. "
Such activity as takes place meantime
viii be almost exclusively OF the pre-
parajory sort II viii resemble the
careful intensive and thoroughgoing
work done by the cofnmanderS-in-c chief
Of great armies and their general stats
on the eve of decisive battle.
August % is set down as the date
when the campaign will open fun blast
Rv that time both sides will have some
thing To shoot at. Each candidate will
stand before the country with cam
naign colors nailed to the mast. as dis
closed in the respective speeches of &C
cepiance. Secretary Hoover comes
first at Pslo Alto, August Ii, The
Republican nominees views on all con-
frovcrsial iSsues-primarily, prohibition
and farm relief-wiil afford Gov, Smith
opportunity for re6uttal or attack.
Sharp Battle Predicted.
Eleven days later the Democratic
candidate will aoQuaint the people With
his views. AS soon as the Republicans
have the Smith battle plan before
them, they will be in position 20 con-
centrate their own fire. Thencefor-
ward. hostilitieS will become general all
along the line The result, IL Is pre-
dicted by leaders in both camps will
b. ten weeks OF as hotly-wage0 s preSl-
Dental contest as the Republic has
witnessed for many years.
The broad strategy Of the campaign
L. already determined from both the
Republican and Democratic standpointS,
Secretary Hoover'S managers are oent
upon holding the normally Republican
North and East and the West in the
Republican electoral column. The votes
of those sections would of course, elect
Hoover and Curtis G. 0. p. talk OF
breaking into the solid South Is not
really serious. The most the party
hopes TO accomplish south OF Mason
and Dixon's line is 10 reduce the Demo-
cratic popular vote for Smith and Rob-
inson 10 the lowest figures Democratic
national candidates have ever received
in Dixie. The Republicans paramount
problem they acknowledge, is To stop
Smith in New England. New York. New
Jersey. Delaware and Maryland. Any
considerable loss of electoral votes in
that Northern Atlantic region would be
periious to the Hoover ticket.
The Democratic tactics call for carry
ing the 10 States OF the solid South
Alabama. Arkansas. Florida. Georgia,
louisiana. Mississippi North Carolina
South Carolina Texas and Virginia.
These account for ia electoral votes.
Northeastern Drive.
The Smith peoples strategic program
also embraces an intensive drive for the
Northeastern block Of an even 100
roteS. including those OF Rhode Island
Connecticut. Massachusetts, New York.
New Jersey. Delaware and Maryland.
It takes 266 votes to carry the
electoral college by majority vote
II Smith should capture the solid South
and the seven Northeastern States
sboTe named. the Democratic total
would be "a. or 50 votes short OF
majority. If Smith and Robinson are
TO win. they would have 10 pick up that
called border States OF West Virginia
Kentucky. Tennessee. Missouri and
Oklahoma Democratic leaders think
they have more than flghting chance
70 mop I'D electoral votes in some OF
the small Western States like Montana,
New Mexico and Arizona.
Prophecy as TO the final outcome Is
~ this juncture the idlest OF pastimes.
conservative leaders on both sides
frankly admit. Many a presidential
candidate elected" at the end Of July
has found himself defeated in Novem-
Der: and vice versa. The great ''breaks"
Of the 1923 campaign have yet 70
txanSpire Smith Is an entirely unknown
quantity in the country al large. His
friends and his foes alike concede that
& has still to be demonstrated whether.