Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-25
Politics at Large
By C. Could Lincoln.


"offest" of of years. There are few
elections to be held this Fall which will
cause a ripple of excitement, and few
that will be considered "straws" to show
which way the wind Is blowing for the
congressional elections next year and
the national election in 1882. It is true
that q gubernatorial race in Virginia Is
creating not q little excitement. New
York City and Philadelphia have mu-
nicipal elections, but the Democratic
organization Is so strong in the one,
and the Republican organization in the
other, that little knowledge of what the
people are thinking in political way is
to be gained from the results there.
Next week, however, there is to be an
election in the congressional district en-
bracing Atlanta, which has caused a
stir.
Hooper Alexander, a leader Of the
anti-Smith Democrats or Hoovercrats
or what will you in the last national
campaign, Is running as an independ-
ent candidate to represent this Georgia
district in the House. He Is widely
known, a man Of considerable ability
and has following In the district. He
declined to go into the Democratic pri-
mary for the nomination-the election
is to fill vacancy in the House caused
by the death Of the late Representative
Leslie ]. Steele-because of the restric-
lions laid down by the Democratic COM
mittee for voting In the primary. aimed
at Democrats who parted company with
the national ticket year ago.
The regular Democrats have nomi-
mated Robert Ramsbeck, who was law
partner of Steele. Ramsbeck is not
nearly so widely known or so prominent
as Hooper Alexander However, he has
the regular organization back Of him.
His only opponent in the primary was
Mrs George w. Brown. Ramsbeck won
by a vote of to with very light
primary vote. There is another indie
pendent in the field, Col. James Hill
Palmer, an Atlanta business man, who
is running on a protective tariff plat
independent Progressive party" He
insists that the time is come to turn
away in Georgia from the old one-party
control.
The real race, It is said, is between
Ramsbeck and Alexander, and those
who are informed predict it will be
close. The Republicans in the district
have not put forward candidate. Most
Of them, 1t Is believed, will support
Alexander. 1t will be recalled that At
Democrats last year. and that President
Hoover actually received more votes in
the city than did Mr.. Smith. Alexander
has not Joined the Republican party.
Indeed he insists he Is Democrat,
and If elected to the House he doubt
less would join with the minority party
in that body. Nevertheless, his election
might have far-reaching effect polit-
ically in his State and in some OF the
other Southern States. 1t would be her-
aided as proof that the schism In the
Democratic party which was brought
about by AL Smiths nomination was by
no means thing Of the past.
The Virginia gubernatorial race has
in it the same elements as the congress
sional election in the Georgia fifth dis
trjct. However. If the anti-Smith DEM
ocrats, aided by the Republicans OF
Virginia, should succeed in electing
their candidate. DR.. William Mosely
Brown. over the regular Democratic
nominee. John Garland Pollard. the re-
suit would be considered even OF greater
significance than If Alexander won over
Ramsbeck. The gubernatorial campaign
in Virginia is getting under way. DR..
Brown is making speeches throughout
the State, raising as his issues the ma
chine" which he wants turned out, ana
the Smith Raskob control OF the Demo-
cratic national party. He Is real cam
paigner, those say who have seen MN
in action. The regular organization
does not seem as sure OF victory IN VIZ
ginia as it was a few weeks ago, AL
though Pollard may be returned the
winner in November, one canvaSser OF
the situation reports. Brown Is gettlng
a big following among the women: the
regulars campaign is being conducted
rather quietly in an effort. apparently
10 iron out the difficulties and heal the
sores which arose in the party last year
y X
Success on the part of the anti-Smitn
Democrats in the Georgia congresslonal
election next week and In the Virginia
eubernatorial election In November
probably would have decided erect on
the senatorial campaigns which are 10
be waged in the two States next yeai.
In Georgia Senator William j. Harris
comes up for reelection and in Virginia
it is the fiery Carter Glass who must
stand for reelection. At present there
does not appear to be much llkeinooo
of any opposition to Senator Harris 1or
the Democratic nomination. and the
Democratic nomination for the Senate
in Georgia is still regarded as tanIa-
mount to election. Should Alexander
win in the fifth district, however, 1t might
encourage Alexander himself or some
other anti-Smith Democrat to oppose
Harris in the primary next year, or pos
sibly in the general election. on an m
dependent ticket There is not the
Slightest doubt, it is said. that II DR..
Brown becomes Governor of Virginia, a
formidable candidate will be opposed to
Senator Glass in the senatorial contest
next year. There are indications tnat
Senator Glass may have fight on MS
hands in any event.
Before long. it is expected, an election
will be held in the seventh Minnesota
congressional district to pick a success
cor tn the late Representative o. j.
Kvale. Farmer Laborite. There has been
talk of his son running as candidate to
succeed Mr.. Kvale Also it has been sug-
| pested that A. j. Volstead, whose name
IS attached to the national dry law,
NAV seek to come back" Mr.. Kvale
defeated Volstead in the election of 1922
| and was a member of the House from
! that time until his recent death. The
Governor of Minnesota will nix date Tor
the urinary election, and the election,
under the law of the State, will follow
| in about week.
X X X
Another vacancy III The f1ouSe WLhSii
will be filled this year is due to the
death of Representative Royal H. Weller,
Democrat, who represented the twenty
| first district-a Tammany district. This
district has been strongly Democratic
and the Republicans have no hope what
eyer of carrying it. A fourth vacancy
is found in the Illinois fifteenth district,
where the late Representative King
lived. Mr.. King died last February.
There are no elections to amount to
anything in Illinois this year, and it
has not been deemed wise to go to the
expense of holding an election to fill the
vacancy and it will probably not be
filled. therefore, until the elections next