Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-30
both
SUREOF MASS,
BUT ARE BUSY
Leaders in Both Camps
Ready to Show How
They Win But Don't
Fail to Work
BY BYRON PRICE
Associated Press Staff Writer.

0A4AA
BOSTON, Oct. 30.-R)-The final
week of the presidential campaign
finds both republicans and democrats
rroclaiming their faith in Massachu-
sets, but taking no chances.
On either side there are expert
enced leaders who profess to see def
mite trend each toward his own tick
Ct. Smith n Hoover headquarters
alike offer to exhibit to the inquirer
gratifying reports from enthusiastic
workers down the line. But when il
comes TO the question Of a detailed
and inclusive analysis Of the state
situation as a whole, the calculation
becomes entangled in a snarl of con-
flicting claims.
It can be said, however. that no.
where on this debated North Atlantic
seaboard, even in New York state,
have the supporters Of Gov. Smith
made a more spectacular assault on
normal republican ~pluralities. With
equal assurance il can be said that
this assault has been resisted ag-
gressively and with determination by
the republican organization. To a
degree unmatched in many Of the
other states, the a~ctuating human
%AA0NAoAA2 a. WIN IN THIS IAd1HAGnu-
sets campaign run deep and strong.
The struggle has been spirited and
p~urposeful, and II gives every prom
Use Of continuing 70 be spirited and
p~urposeful until the end.
Walsh is Dem Hope
That part of the present political
is concerned with prohibition and the
tariff, for this is an industrial state
with an enormous wet sentiment
within its borders. That part which
lies beneath the surface concerns it.
self with religion and with race, for
many groups, Of varied racial origin,
have come here through the years to
live side by side with the old hered-
ltary stock Of New England. Religion
has been debated comparatively lit
tie from the stump, but when the vot-
ers write letters 10 the editor, many
Of them discuss il copiously.
Massachusetts has been almost inn
~pregnably republican in the past,
but so far as the record goes the
great consolation and hope OF the
democrats lies in the fact that q
democrat, Senator David /. Walsh,
who also is a Catholic and a wet, has
n6NA ttHGdNEAAN GAENAtu 70 OAAlCG
owe the most stubborn republican
opposition. Walsh is a candidate for
reelection this year, and is asking
the republicans, who always have
supported him, to vote also for
Smith. Like Smith, he always has
received his greatest support from
the larger cities. with their foreign
colonies, their industrial colonies,
and their wet sentiment.
Record Consoles e.. o. +.
Officials of the democratic party
IN the state have thrown themselves
into the fight for the national ticket
with a fiery determination.
on the basis Of the record. the
great consolation Of the republicans
lies in the regularity with which the
state has persisted in voting the re-
publican ticket nationally. Cleveland
could not break that regularity and
although Wilson did get the electoral
vote in the three-way split of 1912,
it was by a minority vote. Four
years ago. Massachusetts, gave Cool
idge her favorite son, two and a half
times as many votes as she gave his
democratic opponent.
There is speculation rs 70 how sol
idly various racial groups will come
70 the support of Smith. One impor-
tan group about which this specula-
ton ccnters is that made up OF
French-Canadian Catholics. Through
out New England there has been n
noticeable lack Of utilization between
the French and Irish Catholics. Trou-
BILE between them in Rhode Island re-
suited some years ago in a public
controversy Of large proportions. The
French Catholics have been ;radi-
~tionally democratic. This time demo-
cratic leaders say many Of the French
will vote for Smith, but the republic
cans declare the number will not be
great enough TO have an appreciable
effect.
Political workers have not found il
easy to trace out the effects Of all Of
the racial and religious influences
which have come into the under-cur-
rents Of politics this year in Massa-
chusetts. Which makes il more than
ordinarily difficult to predict pre-
cisely what he state will do at the
ballot box a week from today.