Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-02

the white Democrats in that neighbor.
hood were going TO vote for Hoover
Most of them intend to vote for Gam
brill, Democratic candidate for Con
greSs, but others viii vote, they say, the
straight Republican ticket.
j. Frank Parran Of Brandywine
States attorney and Republican, II
confident that the county will 60 fol
Hoover by a majority of 1000, which he
thinks Is a conservative estimate.
S. G. Coale of Upper Marlboro, mem
Der of the Republican committee. eSti-
mates the Hoover majority as high as
1000. He told The Star correspondent
that the colored Catholics are being or
gained for Smith, but that defections
of this sort will, in his opinion, be more
than Offset by the switch of Protestant
Democrats to Hoover.
Hope for Religious Swing.
Several of the organization Democrats
who are claiming the county for Smith,
base their claims frankly on the hope
that large numbers, if not all, of the
colored Catholics of the county will vote
for Smith, which would mean a distinct
gain, since most of them heretofore have
been in the Republican party.
The Star correspondent had very
frank talk with prominent Democrat,
who is known all over the county
and is a staunch supporter of Smith;
man whose official position brings
him into close contact with men and
women Of all parties and factions. For
obvious reasons he did not desire to
be quoted in a public statement. but
had no objection to explaining the
situation as he sees it.
The county Is so close in this cam
paign that it may go either way, in
his opinion. He and other regular
Democratic leaders believe that the COL
ored voters hold the balance of power
as things stand today and it is queS-
ton of how the bulk of them will vote.
If most of them line up with the Re
publieanS, as they have done for the
most part in the past, this man believes
Hoover will certainly carry the county
If they ego Democratic" in large num-
berS this year Smith will win the
county, in his opinion.
From this same source the opinion
was obtained that Representative Gam
brill would run ahead of Smith and
will probably win, unless the "slicing"
of Smith is very heavy among the
Democrats, in which case Cambria may
suffer from the general detection.
The section OF Prince Georges County
nearest to Washington is usually Re-
publican, especially in national elections.
the election of some local officers
Democratic leaders, when speaking ''off
the record" admit that the county is
''apt to 60 Republican, in national
elections, but that the Republicans
usually do not elect their full ticket,
as ticket splitting is quite customary
One Democratic leader declared that
If the election had been held three
weeks ago the county would have gone
/ 500 for Hoover. Since then he thinks
Smith has been picking up some
strength here and there-enough to
make the situation closer thran it was
Registration No Guide.
Many persons in the county, who live
in the Incorporated towns and other
near the District line, are
by bringing up," even
though they may be registered as Demo-
Gratis and may vote in local elections
for Democratic officials for reasons of
policy. These men and, women are
counted upon to vote for Hoover for
President without question.
II have never seen such a time as
this" said one prominent Democrat to
The Star. Families are divided. A man
and his wife, in many instances, have
registered as belonging to opposite
parties. In such cases usually the hus-
band is for Smith and the wife for
Hoover. Sons and daughters of voting
age are deciding the questions for them
selves, and going both ways in the same
family. The situation is in pretty
muddle."
Religion is the underlying issue. say
most observers and party leaders
throughout the county. The liquor is
sue is playing, they say, minor part
in Prince Georges County, as are all
other issues raised in the campaign.