Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-27
THREE STATES GRIP
POLITICAL INTEREST.
Campaigns Complicated by
Wet Dry Issue in Massachu-
sets, New York, Illinois.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The eyes of the political world are
on Massachusetts,, New York and ILL
uois, where prohibition has so COM
plicated the campaign that the Demo-
Gratis in each of the three States are
confident of a substantial victory. 1t is
unusual for the Democrats to say they
are going to capture Illinois and II
would have been unusual for them to
feel certain of Massachusetts, had it net
been for the fact that former GOV.
Smith carried the electoral vote OF the
Bay States two years ago notwithstand-
ing the landslide against him In the
rest of the country.
The race in Massachusetts like the
one in Illinois centers on the senatorial
contest, while in New York the guoerna-
torial campaign of Gov. Roosevelt mas
a national aspect because it may de-
termine his chances for the presidential
nomination on the Democratic ticket.
Massachusetts, has one Democratic
Senator and has a good chance OF
electing another one this year, because
former Senator Butler, the Repubncan
nominee is dry, while his opponent,
Marcus Coolidge. is wet. Whether
Democratic Senator Is elected from
Massachusetts, in either a presidential
year or an off year he has TO nave
substantial Republican support.
Butler Support Uncertain.
Mr.. Butler, as former chairman of the
Republican National Committee and a
close friend of former President Cool
idge. can command the support OF con-
sentative Republicans, but here again
the prohibition issue may cost him
good many conservative Repuoncan
votes. ~
into the campaign Is likely to have a
helpful effect on the fortunes OF the
Democratic nominee in Massachusetts,.
He comes at a time when the people
are more interested in prohibition than
they were two years ago and when the
handicaps of his own candidacy are not
present, while all the assets OF his popu-
larity are likely to be preserved in the
quarters where Al Smith viii always
have a considerable influence.
The situation in Illinois Is much dtf-
ferent from that in the Bay State be-
cause the normal Republican majority
is so big that defections on account OF
the prohibition issue need not neces-
sarily affect the final verdict. The inn
.--5ession definitely growing outside OF
Illinois is that the race is close and
rather even. This was the same point
of view which was held about Mrs.
McCornick's nomination against former
OCklnOOk OtIACCA odAo. RASOOL AAAASAA =
ma jority was double what she herself
expected. Her strength with the voters
therefore is not easy to estimate.
Confident in Ohio.
Already the Democrats feel sure Of
@icning the senatorial contest in Ohio
.,>a their wet candidate former Sena-
Cor Buckley, so that in the major States
with the exception of New Jersey the
Republicans are not likely to profit
very much by the prohibition issue.
This last week of the campaign will
see much more speechmaking on the
radio than all the preceding weeks and
q good deal more stump speaking.
Campaigns nowadays are being concen-
trated in the last week and final i'm
pressions made By the candidates
themselves will be relatively more inn
portant than before. The Democrats
hereabouts are so convinced they are
going to win the House of Representa-
tives that they are beginning to talk
OF conferences and parleys for next
month In order to tell the country
what they have in mind. One thing
Is certain II the Democrats do make
substantial gains, and this seems to be
conceded already, they win derive con-
siderable encouragement for their 1882
activities. Conversely, the Republican
administration is bound to feel just so
much discouraged. though efforts VIII
be made to attribute the mood OF the
voters entirely to economic conditions
rather than particular issues.
(copyright. lsao.)