New Britain herald., 1928-11-03
Election Will Be Won
BY the Best Machine

After weeks of campaign which
has had no parallel, New Britain
voters will go to the polls next
Tuesday to register their preference
for national and state tickets. At
this writing the outcome Is obscured
by the multiplicity of opinions heard
in a short walk along Main street.
Both parties have waged an ex-
hausting drive for votes. Mems
tongues have moved increasingly in
hall and street trying to project the
political view of the owners into the
minds of their auditors, there to
rest. 1t has been like 'old time
campaigns, we have been assured,
but We doubt that because, if child
hood memories are not distorted by
Impressions. the 'old time" event
was marked. by more hurrah stuff.
There was the red fire torch light
parade, marching clubs. bands. etc,
for example. The republican women
will add that touch tonight but 1t
will be a lone flare in campaign
that has been wased almost ex-
clusively with the voice and print
ed word. Between the newspapers
and the radio, there is no excuse for
any voter not understanding the is
sues. Political prejudices will offset
issues to some extent but no man
or woman of ordinary intelligence
should cast a ballot without fully
understanding its effect.
A noticeable atmosphere OF con-
fidence pervades democratic circles
so far as this city is concerned. This
is a. striking situation. In former
presidential campaigns democrats
locally have been satisfied to make
a. gesture of interest. all the while
realizing that their republican
brethren would be found in the lead
when the votes were counted. Never
in the history of the community
have the democrats appeared so
elated at their chance of victory.
They have not hesitated to search
for holes in the republican armor
and to poke boldly at the holes re-
gardless of the station of the man
inside the armcr. They claim that
they have won over to their cause
the support of many residents of
foreign birth or extraction. They
may be justified in that claim If the
conduct of factory workers may be
accepted as straw showing the dl-
rection of the wind. Prior to this
year factory employees had listened
with attention to orators sent to the
shop gates by the republican party.
This year Smith sentiment has been
strong at these rallies.
When an attempt is made to fore
cast an election, it is necessary to
take into consideration the strength
of the machinery used in getting
out the vote. Until Mayor Paonessa
ran for office the republican ma
chine was always far superior to
the democratic. Since then the denl-
ocratic organization has shown re-
markahle growth. But It has not
been thoroughly tested in national
campaign in which the party has a
chance TO win. On the other hand.
the republican machine has behind
it large funds and directors whose
resources in other respects are UNI
limited. While the republican speak
ing campaign has not been up to
the expectations of party leaders
and there seems to have been a
strong democratic trend since Gov.
Smith visited this city. those leaders
believe they can keep New Britain
in the republican column. They
know that hard work on election
day. not three cheers the day before
election, is effective.