Evening star., 1928-10-30

and this city, but by much reduced
majority.
The anti-Smith Democrats ere not so
thoroughly organized in Albemarle
County and Charlottesville as they are
in - Valley of Virginia and some of
the other counties of the region east
of the mountains, but they are, never
thelesS very active. The anti-Smith
movement in the Democratic party is
especially strong among the woman
voters. Much work is being done in
favor of Hoover by women's clubs, many
of the members and leaders of which
are Democrats.
The regular Democrats are organized
in Alber,arle County. with ! county
committee, of which Wilmer Brown of
Crozet is chairman. This committee is
working hard for Smith. Its efforts are
being seconded by Lemuel F. Smith,
member of the State Legislature from
this county.
In Charlottesville also is the Hoover
headquarters of the Republicans of the
county Arthur H. Lloyd is chairman
of the Republican county committee.
Here, as in other counties of this part
of Virginia, there is working under
standing between the Republicans and
the anti.cmith Democrats, SO far aS
their joint efforts to defeat Smith for
the presidency are concerned.
A pro-Smith Democratic leader told
The Star that some colored voters in
Charlottesville and Albemarle County
were expected to vote for Smith because
of the activity of the Ku Klux Klan
against him. These voters, so far as
they may materialize on election day.
will be gain for the regular, or Smith,
wing of the Democratic party, since the
colored voters here. as in most other
fore been overwhelmingly Republican in
their s--mpathieS.
Whatever gains the Smith faction
may make in that respect, however, may
be largely, If not altogether, Offset by
white Protestant Democrats who arc
either openly or secretly lending their
support to Hoover. Methodist and
Baptist ministers in and near Char
lotteSville are openly opposing Smith,
Just as they are in the Shenandoah VAL
ley and most other portions Of the
State.
AS for the seventh congressional dis
trict as whole, the big question with
everybody is whether the expected DEM
ocratic ajority east Of the Blue Ridge
win offset the Republican n1ajorities
expected in portions of the district ly-
ing on the other side of the mountains
There seems to be little doubt in the
minds of leaders of both sides that Rep
resentative Harrison, Democrat, will poll
larger vote In the district than Smith.
but 1t IL believed, even by his stanch-
est supporters, that he will suffer some
what In Charlottesville and the sur
rounding county from the general DEM
ocratic detection, as he seems likely
also to suffer west of the mountains.
The opinion prevails rather generally
in Charlottesville, however, that Mr..
Harrison will be reelected to Congress.
One hears much talk Of the silent
vote" here, too. Many men and women
decline to say how they will vote.
Doubtless some of them have not yet
made up their minds, while others in
tend to vote for either Smith or Hoover,
taking full advantage of the secret bal
lot system under the Virginia law.
Regular Democratic leaders in Char
lottesville told The Star correspondent
the same thing he heard in the Shenan-
doah and other counties already Wis
tied, namely, that if the election had
been held soon efter the Houston con-
vention, before the State Democratic
and county machinery had begun to
function at full draft for Smith,
Hoover would have carried Charlottes-
vile and Albcmarle County Now 1t is
believed by the regulars that Smith Is
gaining votes steadily throughout this
section.
There are many complications, how
ever, and everywhere one finds that
Democratic families are split politically.
1t most frequently happens that the
husband is for Smith and the wife for
Hoover in these friendly domestic diff
ferences. There Is M acrimony ap-
parent. On the surface everything
seems smooth enough. but there is a
strong undercurrent of sentiment on
both sides which an outsider senses
after he has been In Albemarle County
only few hours.
Many Democrats say they will not
| vote at all becauce they cannot" bring
themselves to vote for Smith, nor do
they want to break lifetime record by
supporting a Republican presidential
candidate. On the other hand, many
| lifelong Democrats are out and out for
Hoover. In Charlottesville this writer
learned of an old Confederate veteran
who would want to start the war all
over again IL anybody dared question
the orthodoxy of his Democracy, who is
strongly and openly working against
| Smith