Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-15
Republicans Sense Situation
and Call for Assistance
From National Group.
ONLY STATE OFFICES
AT STAKE THIS YEAR
For First Time Since Prohibition
Candidates Publicly State
Stand for Repeal.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, october 15.-
Indiana has been whetting the knife
to slash the Republican organization
in this State for years. This Noven-
Der, the Democrats insist, the slashing
will take place. Furthermore, the Re-
publicans in Hoosierdom have sensed
the situation. They have called for
assistance from the national organiza-
ton and they are putting on CAM
paign here that is more extensive than
in a presidential year.
The G. o. P. in Indiana was due for
trimming two years ago. One Re-
publican Governor had been sent to
Jail, another had been indicted. Lesser
Republican officials and politicians had
been jailed or discredited The long
list of scandals had disguised the voters.
But the Democrats nominated Alfred
E. Smith for President and the fat
was in the fire. A wet and Catholic
had no chance in this State. But not
withstanding the huge vote that Hoover
rolled up, carrying the State by more
than 100000, the Democratic nominee
for Governor lost by only $4,000 votes.
This year, however, the fight is very
different affair.
State Offices at Stake.
No election is held this year of
Governor or United States Senator.
There are at stake, however, all the
State offices from secretary of State
down, the entire delegation which
represents Indiana in the House and
the State Legislature. An unusual
amount of interest revolves around the
election of the State Legislature be-
cause it will be called upon to re-
district the State in accordance with
the reapportionment law passed by
Congress and under that law Indiana's
representation in the House will be
reduced from IS to II. A great deal
may be done by skillful manipulation
Of new boundary lines to make the con-
greSSional district Republican or Demo-
cratic, as the case may be.
It appears to be impossible for the
Democrats to gain control Of the State
Senate, owing to the fact that only
part Of the membership is up for re-
election. The entire membership of
the House must be elected, however,
and the Democrats are striving to con-
troll that body. If they do so, and it
appears to be well Win the pos
sibilities, they may feel they viii be
able to block rearTangement of the con-
gressional districts which would be dis
advantageous to the Democrats. The
proportion of Democratic strength in
the Lower House elected in 1923 is
about 20 per cent. But the Democrats
in "off years" have frequently had
equality or superiority OF strength in
that body.
Interest in House Seats.
From a national point of view the
interest centers in the contests for
seats in the House of Representatives:
The Republicans hold 10 out of 13 of
these House seats today. They are
bound to lose some of these seats in
the coming election. They are prac-
tically certain to lose the first and
third districts, as things now stand.
They are likely to lose the fifth, too.
If the revolt against the Republicans,
which it is insisted is of major pro-
portions, materializes, all OF these
districts may be carried by the Demo-
Gratis, which would make the count
to in the House delegation in favor
of the Democrats.
In only one district is there any
chance for the Republicans to win a
seat now held by the Democrats, the
seventh or Indianapolis district, usually
strongly Republican although it is now
held by Louis Ludlow. Democrat. The
chance is slight. Representative Lud-
low, for many years newspaper man
and a Washington correspondent, won
his way into the House two years ago
in spite of the Hoover landslide. He
opposed former Representative Updike,
who was charged with being mixed up
with Stevenson, the former Khan leader
in the State, now in jail for numbering
girl in most brutal fashion. This
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