Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-31
Z VOTES DEPEND
ON RACIAL GROUPS
Both Parties Make Concerted
Drive for Connecticut and.
Rhode Island.
BY BYRON PRICE,
Associated Press STAFF Writer.

NEW HAVEN, Conn, october 81
Habitually later than most OF their
I neighbors in opening the season Of
active campaigning, the Southern New
England States of Connecticut and
Rhode Island are taking their politics
in concentrated portions as the nation
al dispute over Hoover and Smith nears
its end.
AS they make the feverish round of
conferences and rallies, the leaders Of
both parties are claiming victory. When
these predictions are made in public
they are cheered noisily, on both sides,
by large aSSemblages of the Connecticut
} and Rhode Island voters themselves.
The byStander can pay his money ana
make his own forecast whether these
IL electoral voteS-ConnecticutS ana
Rhode Islands 5-will go eventually to
Smith or to Hoover or be split between
them.
Both States have been voting the
Republican, presidential nominees for
years and each is the stamping ground
of a compact and experienced Republic
an organization Yet both lie within
that coveted Eastern block Of electoral
votes for which the Democrats are
making an tnsistent appeal in 1873.
Thev are the only two States IN the
Union that never ratified the prohlol-
ton amendment. Each has far above
the national average of Catholic popu-
lation and each is the home OF large
colonies sprung from Immigrant STOCK
from continental Europe.
Foreign Vote Disputed.
Nowhere are the racial considerations
that mingle in the present natlonaI
campaign more persistently discussed:
Politicians who talk of the prospects OF
November 6 veer around quickly to the
probable disposition of what they can
the Italian vote, the Polish vote, tne
French vote, the German vote OF tne
colored vote. Nearly all OF tneSe EaClai
groups have been in recent years pre-
nonderently Republican. This year
both parties ere claiming them, on one
ground or another.
OF the two States, Rhode Island was
singled out from the beginning OF the
campaign by Democratic leaders, VINO
argued that it would be one OF the most
likely of all of the Eastern group 10 go
for Smith. They based this hope not
only on the known wet sentiment OF
the State, but on the further tact tnaI
Senator Peter Gerry, Democrat, mao
twice overturned the Republican nor
malcy and is this year a candidate 1or
reelection, Senator Gerry is chairman
of the advisory committee of the Demo-
cratic national campaign organization
and has not overlooked his home State
in his efforts to garner in an electoral
college majority for Smith.
Tariff Issue Stressed.
AS in other New England States, tbs
Republicans have countered the Demo-
cratic attack in Rhode Island by argu-
ing that the prosperity OF the States
dominant industrial interests rests on
the protective tariff. A very large per-
centage of those of foreign extraction
are mill workers and the full dinner
pail argument has been used extensively
among them, despite the Democratic plea
that the tariff is not an issue. In
Rhode Island the French Canadian ele-
ment is credited with having the bal
ance of power and there Is much dis
pute among the rival political leaders
whether it will cling to its Republican
traditions or go over to Smith.
Neither do the politicians agree just
what application the religious issue may
have as regards the French-Canadians,
who are an important element in the
electorate of New Hampshire as well as
Rhode Island and who reside in lesser
numbers in Massachusetts, and Con-
necticut. This group is Catholic, but it
has not always been in harmony with
the Catholics or other races. Two years
ago, a question of church and school
funds brought certain French Canadian
leaders in Rhode Island into con-
troversy with diocese authorities and
the State courts were appealed to to
settle it,
The Democratic leaders now declare
the French element will vote for Smith,
but the Republicans deny it. After Gov.
Smiths recent trip across Connecticut
and Rhode Island, Chairman Raskob
said that much depended on the atti-
tude of the French-speaking voters in
several New England States.
Democrats Count on Cities.
In Connecticut, however, the French
constitute one of the lesser racial groups.
Their principal voting strength is con-
centrated in a single county next to
the Rhode Island boundary. The Italian
colony is large and there are many of
the German, Austrian and other ma
tionalitieS. Nearly all of them live in
the cities, and it is upon the cities that
the Democrats base their greatest hope.