Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05
Rumpus in Missouri De-
mocracy Also Expected to
Influence Election.
FARM LEADERS, RETURN
TO HOOVER HELD LIKELY
Reeds Fight on Hay Apt to Turn
Dry Democrats to Nomi-
nee of g. O. P.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Gov, AL Smiths fiat declination to
accept the equalization fee and the
rumpus in the democracy of Missouri
to be settled at Tuesdays primaries
promise to have important bearing on
the political situation in the Middle
West
The Smith fiat turning down the
equalization fee, dear to the hearts Of
the McNary- -Haugenites, is believed by
many to take the farm issue out Of
the campaign; to leave, indeed, Gov.
Smith largely In the same category
with President Coolidge and Mr. Hoover
on that issue.
This is disputed by some Of the
Democrats, among them Senator Harry
Hawes of Missouri, who is to leave here
Tuesday to open up Smith headquar-
ters in st. Louis, from which the battle
for the South Midwest is to be fought.
Senator Hawes points to the idea con-
tanned in the Democratic platform,
which declares that the crop surplus
problem must be solved by placing the
cost upon the producers, to which Gov.
Smith also gives adherence.
Equalization Fee.
The equalization fee, however, is so
far the only plan brought forth after
years of study. for distributing the cost
to the producers after surplus crops
have been handled to the advantage
of the producers of the entire crop. It
was declared to be the heart of the
McNary- -Haugen farm aid bill. With
out 1t, the proponents of the measure
were unwilling to accept any legisla-
ton. Those farmers who followed the
lead of corn belt committee of %, head
ed by George N. Peek. were taught to
believe that the fee plan was essential.
And now, although Mr.. Peek has gone
over 20 Al Smith, Smith has gone back
on the fee. The Democratic campaign
among the farmers Of the Midwest. be-
lieved to be antagonistic to Hoover be-
cause Of his opposition to the fee plan,
has received a decided Jolt from the
hands of the Democratic nominee him
self
Furthermore. the Smith declaration
has given the Midwest Republican lead-
ers VINO were opposed TO the nomination
Va AAOOtEAs DCIauoC l1E M4N 6Elt2RQtlk2LAE
to the equalization fee. good chance
to hop on the Hoover bandwagun.
Some of them had already done so.
The appointment Of Representative
Dickinson Of Iowa head OF q special
agricultural campaign committee in
support Of the Hoover candidacy marks
the lining up for the Republican nonii-
nee OF one Of his bitterest opponents in
the pre-convention campaign Mr..
Dickinson, too. has launched an attack
on George N. Peek. with whom he CO.
operated in the past.
Iowa was the center of the So-cailed
farm revolt against the Republican adj
But one by one the lead
ers there who demanded the McNary-
Haugen bill. have swung to Hoover.
Senator Brookhart was among the first.
Governor Harnill followed suit and now
Mr. Dickinson Iowa appears to be as
surely in the Hoover column today as
California.
The swing to Hoover in Iowa marks
q trend. More slowly perhaps. 1t is COM
ing about in other States Of the Mid
west and the Northwest The wide pub
lefty being given the fact that Al
Smith has backed away from the equal
lZation fee is calculated to give fur
ther impetus to this trend.
Missouri Rumpus.
The rumpus among the Missouri DEM
1cratS has Its bearing on the preSi-
iential election In that State. It also
marks perhaps the last political stand
# Senator James A. Reed in that State.
Reed is fighting tooth and toe nail 10
prevent the nomination Tuesday OF
Charles NJ. Hay of st. Louis. a dry, for
he Senate seat which he himself now
He is supporting James A.
collet, q wet and as ardent Reed man
IS Hay has been an anti-Reed.
Some Of the Smith Democrats are
anxious to see Hay nominated They
igure that Hay, who is an extreme
Try. will help the national ticket in
Is Smith, might hurt 1t. giving the dry
Democrats of rural Missouri too bic o
lose to swallow. Not a few Shrewd
politicians figure that Hay win win the
II he does. IL will be a
real defeat for Senator Reed. who
tagged q wonderful political comeback
II the State during the last half dozen
ears.
Should Reeds candidate for the SEN
tortal nomination be victorious. how
yer. the probabilities are that many Of
he dry Democrats would swing away
ntirely from the ticket In November.
lay has announced he win support
smith for President. although he Is wet.
lie has promised to vote against Smith
( elected to the Senate and Smith, IS
PRESIDENT, should send q prohibition
notification bill 10 the Senate. Hay
that there Is room ON the
ticket and in the Demo-
ratio party for both vets and drys.
his Is much the same stand which
enator Reed took prior TO the nominal
ion Of smith at Houston, when he
imSelf was q candidate for the norni-
alton and contended that prohibition
hould not be made a party issue.
But now Senator Reed Is lamhaSting
Iay as a dry and urging that his nofni-
alton ON o ticket with Smith would be
ciiculous. The Missouri Senator has
lrned his vttriolic tongue against Hay
. the final week OF the senatorial CAM
aign, which ends with the primary
lleSday,
Missouri, while II has two Democratic
enatorS, Reed and Halves. has gone
epuhlican in the last two presidential
ections. IL Is real battle-ground.
eed himself only won the election six
aars ago, when he was up for the Sen
ie, because the wet Republicans OF ST.
oulS, who were also strongly antl-Wil-
N, came to his aid. II is 4 dehatahle
tate, to say the least Many Of the
ct Republicans of st, Louis are Of
erman extraction. and the German
mericans are regarded as friendly 10
oover. The loss OF Missouri. should
come about. would be sad blow 70
40 smith cause. 1t Is one OF the
tates upon which the Democrats ere