Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-24
Primary Trick in Nebraska
Wins Sympathy for Norris

While many are inclined to class
Senator Norris of Nebraska as an indie
pendent rather than Republican be-
cause of his record as a member of
Congress and his support of the Demo-
cratic nominee for President, the coun-
try is unanimous in condemning the
strategy that placed a practically un-
known man of the same name in the
running against him for the Republican
nomination. The court action deciding
against the other Norris because of de-
lay In filing Is looked upon as a fortu-
nate solution.
ut is one thing for his Republican
opponents to beat him, If they can, in
fair and square primary contest, or
for his Democratic opponents to try
fairly and honestly to defeat him in the
election" declares the Omaha World
Herald. But it would be quite another
thing to retire him on an election law
ambiguity that denied him show for
his white alley"
"A scurvy trick seems to have been
squelched in court AYERS the Balti
more Sun, but if it had not been
squelched in that way it would have
been in some other. Voters are too de-
cent to put up with such barefaced
tricks. Nobody but pack of fools
would have tried 1t. The trick was so
stupid and transparent, indeed, that it
suggests that Senator Norris success in
the past in Nebraska has not been due
solely to his merits. The asininity of
his enemies may also have contributed
to his victories. One must seek rather
far to find political strategy feebler
than that which at one stroke gives a
man like Senator Norris the benefit of
popular sympathy and also advertises
that his strength is so great that his
foes do not believe they can beat him
in a fair fight"
This is political chicanery of the
tawdriest character" asserts the Buffalo
Evening News, while the Hartford Cou-
rant, conceding that "the Nebraska SEN
ator may seem a bit too radical in his
views on public questions" and that
"he may at times show spirit of per-
verseness and vindictiveneSs," yet holds
that nobody can entertain any ques-
ton as to his honesty, his sincerity of
purpose or his courage" and concludes
that attempts to defeat him by under
hand methods probably will have no
other effect than winning for him SYM
pathy which may easily be translated
into votes.
Recognizing IAN element in Nebraska
politics determined to beat the Sem
ator." the Waterloo Tribune is of the
opinion that of the several regular can
didates against him in the primary,
none looks of sufficient strength to re-
tire the veteran, who has served almost
l8 years in the Senate and before that
10 years In the House"
OF the second George w Norris, the
Broken Bow grocer the Chattanooga
News remarks: I'VE are sorry the
court didn't throw his name out on
the ground that his filing was an
example of political trickerv and SUBJ
terfuge - The News adds: Petty cleo
ton officials in this country have all
sorts of liberty in throwing out honest
ballots after they are cast and in
counting corrupt ballots as legal We
do not see why the courts occasionally
cannot protect the sanctity of the
ballot box in advance by showing
initiative and courage
obviously the hope was to confuse
the voters thinks the Columbus Ohio
State Journal. with the statement that
unfortunately such trickery y not for
hidden by law" The Syracuse Herald
suspects that "the grocer who has so
suddenly leaped to national fame on
account OF his name had little or Moth
ing to do with its origination," and
views him and his name simply as a
handy lever fer the machine politicians
who have been trying to down the
other Norris" The Houston Chfontclc
feels that some way should be found
to eliminate Joke candidates. from The
primaries of the Nation" The South
Bend Tribune points out that "duplica-
ton of name, perhaps resorted to IN
most instances to split the vote FOR
the benefit of certain candidates, exists
in the Nebraska campaign in a volume
probably unequaled in any other
State"
Senator Norris hro heen about as