Evening star., 1928-04-22

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sylvania's primary Tuesday will not bind
delegates OF either party to any indi-
vidnal candidate for President.
Neither the Republican nor the Demo-
cratic primary In this State will be an
actual referendum vote for instructions
to delegates in the national nominating
conventions. but I'm the Democratic
party the primary election result will
virtually decide whether district dele
gates will be for or against Gov, Smith.
In the Republican party the Mellon
leaders have insisted upon all unin-
structe6 delegation, preferriug to await
camuaign developments and select the
candidate they will support when the
convention opens in Kansas City. There
is. however, strong popular sentiment
for Secretary of Commerce Hoover, and
half a dozen candidates for delegate
have made direct pledges for Hoover.
In the Democratic party majority
Of the candidates for delegate favor
Gov. Smith for presidential nomination;
but minority. led by former National
Chairman Vance c. Mccormick. Is back
inS a list of candidates for delegates In
opposition to the Smith candidacy, At
present Smith appears reasonably GER
tain Of As votes. with the possibility that
the outcome in contested districts Will
increase the Smith delegate strength to
q figure close to the prediction Of Ma
tionai Committeeman Joseph r, Guffev
that so of the rs Democratic votes will
be for Smith. The combined Smith
opponents. claiming to be sure Of II
votes. hope 10 augment the opposition in
disputed districts 10 23'a votes the Nc
Adoo maximum in Pennsylvania in 1924.
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In each party. however. there are a
number of candidates for delegates who
have pledged to support the popular
choice Of their districts for President.
As the names of no presidential candi-
dates will be printed on the ballots,
these candidates will be pledged on the
presidency by names OF presidential
candidates written upon the ballots by
voters in the district. Hoover and Smith
are expected 70 get the vast majority Of
such votes. These pledges. however are
only morally. not legally. binding. and
there Is no recourse If the delegate in
the convention chooses to disregard the
maiority vote in the district as shown
by riames written on the ballot.
The Republican party has no con-
tests for election Of its seven delegates
AT large to the convention. Two con-
tests al the beginning Of the campaign
hare since been eliminated by court
action The big seven" viii be Sec
retary Of the Treasury Mellon. Secre-
tary Of Labor Davis. Senator Ware,
Gov Fisher, Republican State Chair
man w. L. Mellon, Mrs. Marion Mar
gerry Scranton, vice chairman Of the
state committee, and William d. B.
Ainey. chairman of the public service
commission. All seven will vote for
any presidential candidate favored by
Secretary Mellon.
In the 3s congressional districts q
have no contests for election of the two
Republican district delegates Con-
tests in the 13 other districts seldom
represent differences in choice of presi-
Dental candidates--for nearly all will
follow the Mellon choice-but are based
on rivalry for political control in near
~ every instance. In two Pittsburgh
districts, however. there are candidates
pledged to Hoover. opposing urlin-
structed candidates.
wet-Dry Contest.
The Democratic contests for dele
gates arise from three causes. Ci1uace
Of a presidential candidate. the wet
dry fight and contests Tor political con-
troll There are contests for election
Of delegates in II OF tils 80 districts,
but IN only of the districts are the
contests between Smith and anti
Smith forces In nearly every one of
the remaining districts ali candidates
favor Smith, but are supported By diff
ferent local leaders who hope to cap
fure party control in the district.
Not all of the anti-5nlith candidates
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who have a good chance Of heing
elected. favor Senator James A. Reed
Missouri. wet. Smith is opposing the
field here. Reed hackers joining with
dry Democrats IN some districts TO
prevent election Of Smith delegates.
Among the dry anti-Smith delegate
candidates. some favor Gov. DOraheY.
Ohio. some former Secretary Of War
Newton u. Baker, Ohio: some Senator
Walsh, Montana. who is opposed in
other districts for religious reasons;
some Huston Thompson, Colorado. for
mer chairman OF the Federal Trade
Commission. but most Of them are not
committed and II elected will support
any dry progressive candidate who
looms As q presidential possibility
when the convention meets In Houston.
The principal Democratic contest.
gates at large. There are Il candl-
dates. four women aHd nine men. The
certified form Of the ballot calls for
election of four men and four women,
each zith half vote. As the four
women are all Smith candidates. Smith
Is certain oi two votes among the dele
gates al large.
Antis Head Ticket.
The nine men for delegate at large
Include four dry alts-6mtth candidates
unpiedged To any presidential agpirant
and five who favor Smith. The anti
Smith men viii head the ticket, the
lone advantage they wtIl have In
vote that is expected 70 be pred0fni-
nantly for Smith.
Although former Attorney General
A. Mitchell Palmer has not been active
IN Democratic State politics since he
was presidential candidate in 1920,
his Endorsement OF Smith after q
breakfast with the New York Governor
al Aai4eyiile Thursday may influence
some OF the votes toward Smith In sey-
erai districts. II is important prfn-
cipally, however. because Paimer'a
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