Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-05
Election Day,

Y
Election day brings this year scarcely
q ripple Of excitement the country
over. ContraSted with election day a
year ago, when more than $4,000, 900
people went to the polls, it is tame
affair. In only few States and munich
palities are there contests arousing any
interest. and even that interest is large
ly confined to State and city borders,
In Virginia there is flght for gov
ernor. q situation so unusual in the Old
Dominion as to be Of more than passing
concern. In New York the contest for
mayor, with Tammany in the thick OF
the fray, always takes the spotlight In
off-year elections.
1t is fortunate for the country that
general elections do not come every
year. Even the congressional elections
occur only once in two years. This
Happens to be year minus the con-
Sressional contests. The result Of the
Subernatorial election in Virginia is
expected to settle one observation-disclosures
the States Of the so-called Solid South
are to become once more solidly Demo-
cratic or whether the revolt in that
section Of the country year ago is to
be effective In the establishment of two
party government in the States below
the Mason and Dixon line. II the reg
ular Democratic nominee, Dr. John
Garland Pollard, is elected by sub
stantial ma jority, the result will be gen.
orally accepted as an indication that
the Democrats are again in control Of
the situation in the South, and that the
other States which Topped to the Re-
publican column last year, North Caro-
lima, Florida and Texas, will be found
next year sending Democratic delega-
tons to the House. and three years
hence casting their electoral votes for
the Democratic nominee for President.
But should DR.. William Moseley Brown,
the coalition candidate Of the Republic
cans and the anti-Smith Democrats, win
over Pollard. then, indeed, the Demo-
cratic party is likely to have cold shiv-
ers up and down its back when it con-
siders its future in the South. A very
close election in Virginia, with Pollard
winning. probably will encourage the
Republicans and the insurgent Demo-
Gratis to carry on next year.
The briskest mayoralty campaign in
years comes to an end with the election
in New York City today. The voters will
determine whether immaculate Jimmy"
Walker, present mayor and the candi-
date of Tammany, will be continued for
another four years in ONCE. He is OPP
posed by Representative La Guardia,
Republican and fusion candidate. and
by Norman Thomas, Socialist candidate.
The forecasts have been general that
Walker will be reelected, despite the
vigorous attacks which have been made
on him by La Guardia and Thomas.
There Is q general belief, however, that
the Socialist candidate will receive an
extraordinarily large vote. Some Of the
New York Republican newspapers,
hopeless Of electing a Republican to
head the city government, are mourning
because the Democrats did not pick a
really great executive, Alfred z. Smith,
to place at the head Of the government
Of the greatest city in the world.
In several of the States the members
of the Legislatures are TO be elected.
This isAtrue, for example, in New Jer-
sey, where the Republicans are expected
to retain their grip on the legislature
Methods Of communication and trans
portation have changed 50 vitality In
recent years that campaigning and the
actual voting are vastly different affairs
from what they were a half or even
quarter Of a century ago. With the
radio constantly In use, the automobile
and good roads. candidates are able to
reach the voters far more easily, and
the voters are able to reach the polls on
election day. 1t is rarely now that the
results of an election are not known
soon after the polls have closed.
The elections today, outside OF the
Virginia contest, have little, If any, real
significanee so far as national politics
Is concerned. The frst real test OF
the Hoover administration will be found
in the congressional elections next year.