Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23
c. D. P. IN INDIANA
WELCOMES CURTIS
Democrats Claim Swing to
Smith Gains in Lake
&, County.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, September %
Indiana Republicans were greatly
Acheered this week by the visit OF Sen
ator Curtis, vice presidential nominee,
ia Evansville. 1t was the Senator's only
stop in the State, but Republican lead
ers asserted that it demonstrated be-
>yond all doubt that the Hoover-CurtlS
ticket would be victorious in the hrst
congressional district.
Some apprehension had been 1eit
about the first district, which is DOM
mated by Evansville, because many OF
its residents are of German extraction,
and because the city has the largest
Catholic population of any city in the
state Evansville also is regarded as
having wet tendencies, but the city Is
so wide open now that the voters see
nothing to be gained by supporting
Gov. Smith on his State rights pro-
,posals. Evidence is found there, now
ever. that those of German extraction
who left the Democratic reservation IN
1915 are still leaning toward Republic
enism. One incident cited to demon
strate that Evansville is bent toward
Hoover is that in 1925 Mayor Herbert
Males. supported by the Ku Klux Khan,
won the mayoralty race over John r.
Jennings, a Catholic, by more than
5000 votes.
Smith Swing Seen.
More cheerful to Democrats, however,
Is the word from Lake County, where
there is every evidence Of swing to
Smith Normally Lake County is good
for a Republican majority OF 10000,
hut this year even the most optimistic
Republican leader there will not claim
more than 10000, and most place their
guess at 5000. Usually the United
States Steel Corporation, which DOM
mates the county, gives fulsome sup
port to the Republican organization,
but thus far no word has been received
and the G. o. P. leaders have begun to
worry.
Left to itself, Lake County probably
would give Smith a handsome ma
jority. If the Republican organization
receives its accustomed help from the
Industries it probably will land the
county for Hoover, but if that aid is
not forthcoming Smith stands mighty
good chance Of annexing the heavily
populated county.
Marion County. which includes In
dianapolis, and which is the biggest
voting center in the State, presents an
enigma. Normally the county is about
10000 Republican, and four years ago it
gave President Coolidge a majority of
10000. Hoover carried it by small
margin over Senator Watson in the
primary campaign.
Coffin Has Difficulties.
. AS a rule the Republicans have de-
pended on George v. Coffin, party boss,
TO carry the county with his highly
trained organization. But this time
Coffin has considerable trouble. He
only recently has escaped trial through
The statute of limitations on charge
Of conspiracy with Gov. Ed Jackson to
offer bride to Former Gov. McCray.
His organization has been rocked by
factional outbreaks and the Khan, on
which he placed a good deal of de-
pendence, has practically passed out of
existence as a political entity? Then
again Coffin is fighting an uphill battle
IN trying to return Ralph Updike to
congress. Updike is being openly
charged with having signed a contract
with D. G. Stephenson, formerly Khan
dragon, for the disposal of patronage.
Louis Ludlow, widely known Washing
Ton newspaper correspondent, is oppos-
ang Updike on the Democratic ticket
and has the active support of all three
indianapolis newspapers.
: The negroes in Indianapolis, who
muster about $4,000 votes, apparently
are headed for Smith, but Coffin has
in the past been able to exercise. a
peculiar power over them. The
chances are that while Hoover. ulti-
mately will get better than an even
break among the colored voters, many
will decline to go to the polls.
OratOry Everywhere.
Both the Democratic and the Re-
publican headquarters are swinging into
action in energetic fashion. The DEM
pcrats are flooding the State with
Southern orators while the Republic
pms are importing farm leaders in an
kffort to stem the agricultural revolt
Hhe Democrats are using the Southern
speakers in Democratic counties in an
fffort to bring back Democrats who
have been wandering away on the wet
end dry and religious questions.
1t is practically certain that Gov
Smith will be brought into the State
FOR laSt-minute appeal the week be-
FORE the election. He probably will
come to Indianapolis, and his visit will
Rbe the occasion for a big State rally
The Republicans virtually have aban-
boned all hope of getting Hoover into
khe State but have made plans to hear
Curtis again at Peru october 81. His
visit, too, will be the signal for final
R1orthern Indiana rally.
YrVTNTN