Evening star., 1928-11-03
VOTE
RESULT IS IN DOUBT
Republicans Have Chance to
Swing Normally Democratic
Lead in County.
Note-ThiS is the thirteent& OF
series OF articles discussing the po-
litic1I situation In nearby Maryland
aud Virginia.
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.


staff Correspondent of The Star.
ROCKVILLE, November 3.-In this
unusual presidential campaign Mont
gomery County, Md, which Is normally
Democratic, is doubtful and there Is
chance that 1t may give a majority
Tuesday to Herbert Hoover for President
over the vote for Gov Smith. This is
indicated by survey Of the political
situation in the county, made from
detached viewpoint, by a Star eorre-
spondent.
This same survey points to q nron-
able majority In the county Tor Repre-
sentative Zihlman, Republican. The
race for United States Senator in the
county is apparently close between
Senator Bruce, Democrat, and Philips
lee Goldsborough, Republican, WIN
chances apparently favorable to Golos-
borough.
Even though his opponents concede
that David j. Lewis, Democratic candl-
date for the House of representatives,
will run strong in the upper end OF the
county. Representative Zihlmans fr1ends
and unbiased observers think that Alnl-
man will be sufficiently strong IN m the
lower end of the county, nearer tne
District line, to give him the county py
a more or less narrow margin.
The race for President is attracting
the most attention in this county. as ~
is all over the State of Maryland ana
the Nation. The same unusual-eVsn
observation-disclosures which are doml-.
na1t in nearly every other sectlon Oh
tine United States are apparently sway
ing voters here.
Vote Republican Ticket.
Montgomery County is partly rural
and partly suburban, adjoining Wasn-
inetorl, like its neighboring county OF
Prince Georges. Conditions IN the TWO
counties, in some respects are very
similar in this political campaign Many
nersons who 90 to Washington every
dhv to earn their livelihood, reside
across the District line in Montgomery
County and vote there. An analysis OF
the element of the electorate lndicateS
that many of these "halt-Wasnlng,
tonians'' are straight Republicans ana
will vote for their party ticket all down
the line and that many others are reg
istered as Democrats and support DEMO-
cratic county officers, but IN naCional
elections usually vote for the Hepupllcan
presidential nominee. 80
In this, campaign party lines IN MonC-
gomery. as elsewhere in the country, are
being disregarded by pig elemenC I'LL ~.
both major parties. Religion ana liquor
are the main issues in the county, as IN
other places, with farm relief ana all
of the other questions raised by tne TlVal
presidential candidates, relegated INTO
the background.
There is considerable feeling among
the organized adnerents of Smith ana
Hoover and a great deal OF active cam
| paigning by the regular Democratlc
and Republican organizations, but the
residents of the county are Tor the InoSU
mart men and women of thougntIul,
reasoning kind, judging from those WlCL WIZ
whom The Star correspondent talkeu
| on both sides, and they seem TO De ue-
Gliding what they should 90 IN tnls
election according to their nonest opln--
ion of what is right. NO evidence O
personal bitterness was found. II Sucn
| feeling exists, 1t Is apparently peAls
kept under control.
! The northern corner of the District
of Columbia thrusts Itself into Mont
gomery County and the National Capl-
5al is partly surrounded by the county
which extends from the Potomac River
on the west to the borders OF Prince
Georges and Howard Counties on the
east. NorthWard Montgomery extendS
to the border of Frederick County.
Montgomery County is a region oi
fine homes, beautiful scenery and some
of the richest farmland in the coun'
try. It is intersected in many direc-
tions by fine roads, and 1t is rather
closely settled, especially in that por-
tion near Washington, where many
small towns and communities are
grouped near the. District. The sub
urban part is included in what has
often been called Greater Washington
County Is Democratic.
The county government is Democratic
and has been chiefly so since before
the Civil War. In campaigns for Con-
gress and President the voters have ir
the past shown much independence.
In the 1920 presidential campaign
Cox, the Democratic nominee, received
majority in Montgomery County o.
ASS votes. The vote for President II
1924 was as follow: Davis. 6,534; Cool.
idge, 5,601; La Toilette, SIS. The com
bined vote of Coolidge and La Follettt
was still several hundred under the VOTE
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