Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-02
BANKHEAD VICTORY
SEEN IN ALABAMA
Vote Expected to Be Close.
With Party Loyalty as
Chief Issue.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. November L.
Dissension such as the State has not
known since the Populist uprising in
the COS is tearing Alabama on The
eve OF the general election with an
independent movement led by Senator
J. Thomas Heflin seeking to defeat the
major nominees of the Democratic
primary last August.
The fight Is entirely one between
nominal Democrats as the Republicans
of the State in convention in September
decided not to put out State ticket,
but to throw their support behind
Hefiin and his followers in return for
the aid given by the anti-Smith Demo-
Gratis in 1928 to the Hoover cause.
Helm, barred from running in the
primary by the State Democratic Exec
utive Committee because he had not
supported the Houston nominees, has
led a fight on the committees action
on the grounds that it was "Raskob-
controlled, Tammany dictated" and
does not represent the sentiment of
the Democrats of the State. The fac
ton supporting the primary nominees
and the disbarment ruling has con-
tended that 1t and 1t only Is entitled
TO the name of Democrats since 1t has
adhered to the Jeffersonian principles
Of acquieScence in the will of the ma
jority.
Party Loyalty at Issue.
The issue of party loyalty is virtually
the only one in the election in Alabama.
Questions of farm relief prohibition
and the tariff have been only incidental
to the discussion of the right Of the
party committee to disqualify the bolt
ers as candidates in view of the extraor-
binary conditions of 1928.
Helm has been campaigning with all
the skill and craftiness of "a years in
public Office and has been aided by con-
tributions from members of the Ku
Klux Khan throughout the Nation, who
see in Hefiin their spokesman in Con-
gress for their ideas. Hefiin opposes
John H. Bankhead, son of the late
Senator by that name, whom Helm
succeeded.
In only four of the 10 congressional
districts of the State do the Democratic
incumbents, all OF whom were renomi-
mated, have opposition. In the seventh
and tenth districts. where the Repub-
licans always make a fight, Representa-
tive w. B. Bankhead and Representa-
tive Miles C. Allgood have opposition.
The opponent of Bankhead, who Is
brother to John H., Is Charles P. LunSS
ford. Allgood Is opposed by John r.
Isbel.
In the fourth district Representative
Lamar Jeffers finds opposition from
/ E. D. Banks, an anti-Smith leader Of
/ 1928, who is running on the indie
pendent ticket with Helm. Repre-
4 sentative George Huddleston in tn
ninth district is contesting with Holli,
/ P. Parrish, an independent.
Reductions Expected.
Alabama has never sent anything but
solid Democratic delegation to Con-
gress since the Populists broke in.
Even in 1928 when the four district
listed above were carried by Hoover, the
Democratic nominees for Congress were
elected. Consequently, the States dele
cation to the Lower House Is generally
expected to remain intact.
Not quite so much assurance IL ex-
pressed, however, In the election of
John H. Bankhead over Helm.
The State Democratic Campaign
Committee bases its hopes of the cleo
ton of Bankhead on several factors:
In the first place, 1t Is declared, Helm
cannot control all the vote polled by
Hoover in 1928. Many of the anti
Smith Democrats have returned to the
party organization. Some of these were
leaders in the fight against the Houston
nominee, such as H. L. Anderson, Bir-
mingham, and Judge w. L. Lee, Dothan.
On the other hand, many of the Re-
publicans who, of course, voted for
Hoover two years ago find themselves
unable now to support Helm in the
absence of any nominees of their own
| and will probably not vote at all. Hef-
lin, it Is declared, cannot overcome the
defections in the ranks of the anti
Smith voters by his pleas that he rep
resents the real Democratic spirit and
that the party organization needs to be
wreSted from the wet, Tammany,
Catholic Rascob' hands into which it
has fallen.
Another chief factor on which the
Democratic committee is counting Is the
intensive campaign it has waged. The
Democrats of labamAa-that is, those
Democrats who bear the name and
claim to possess also the real spirit of
Democracy"-are organized as never
before In the history Of the State. The
campaign organization extends down to
the smallest precinct. Speakers have
been poured into every hamlet. All the
10 Representatives and Senator Hugo
Black, Helms colleague, have been
speaking for the Bankhead ticket NO
State or district officer is openly sup
porting Helm, and only few have
been able or have dared to avoid taking
a stand.
If Helm wins he will win over tight
party organization and over q more
determined opposition than the Hoover
Gratis experienced In 1928. And the
chances are generally considered against
him.
The vote Is expected to be greater
than ever before. The 1928 general
election balloting set a record with
PAT 900 votes, of which Smith got
127,000 and Hoover 10000. But many
Democrats went fishing that day
rather than vote for Smith or against q
Democratic nominee There will be
less incentive to stay away from the
polls this time, and the total vote is
expected to approximate 275,000. There
are 100000 qualified voters in Alabama.
OF this number only about $4,000 may
be considered normally Republican.
Other Candidates.
Running with Helm Is Judge Hugh
A. Locke, candidate for Governor, and
Dempsey w. Powell. candidate for
lieutenant governor. Helm is expected
to run ahead of them. The regular
Democratic nominees for Governor and
lieutenant governor are Judge B. M.
Miller. former Supreme Court judge,
and Hugh N. Merrill, Admission attorney.
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