Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-29
M|LL|ONA|RES FIGHT.
FOR SENATE SEAT
MetcaIf and Gerry Both Wet
In Rhode Island-ReSult
of Race Doubtful. r
Continued From First Page

heard 1t estimated that the vote for re-
peal and against the retention Of the
amendment wilt be as high as two tc
one. Wet sentiment is particularly
strong in this State, one of the two
which never ratified the eighteenth
amendment f
The Republican Legislature provided
for the coming referendum on the
eighteenth amendment. 1t succeeded IN
framing the question upon which the
referendum is to be taken In strange
fashion. It reads: THE eighteenth
amendment, do you favor its retention?
or words to that effect. The voters II
they wish TO support repeal OF the
eighteenth amendment, must vote mo-
The vets fear that many Of the voters
may be mystified by the way in which
the question Is put and may vote yes
when as matter of fact they favor re-
peal.
Metcalf, having declared himself Q
wet, will receive the votes Of many wet
Republicans who a few weeks ago had
threatened to bolt the Republican
ticket. This is generally admitted. His
chances for election seem to have i'm
proved materially since his announce
ment was made.
Have Unemployment Issue.
didate for the Senate has succeeded In
large measure In removing the wet-and-
dry issue from the contest with Gerry
does not by any means eliminate the de-
preston and unemployment issue. Two
years ago the Republicans promised the
workers Of Rhode Island, as they prom
ased the workers in other States, that
the election of a Republican national
administration would mean a continue
q ~ eH9k HalI al taA
Democratic speakers have to do is to
refer to the Republican promises Of con-
tinued prosperity to bring derisive guf-
flaws from the crowds they address
Rhode Island, the smallest State in
the Union, which can be crossed by
automobile In the space Of an hour,
offers itself as particularly easy field
for the manipuiations Of well financed
political campaigns; With two mil;
politician finds the State q veritable
Utopia this year. Every one seems to
have his hand out.
Each camp in this senatorial race Is
accusing the other, privately, Of pour
ing out money like water to win the
election. And each camp denies that
1t Is spending large sums. No sugges-
ton has come forward yet that the
Nye SluSh Fund Committee come here
~
though both camps preferred to be let
alone It Is common talk that both
the Gerry and Metcalf campaigns are
being financed with huge amounts Of
money and workers are being employed
by the hundred There Is not the
slightest doubt. that both sides are able
to throw as many. Thousands Of dollars
into this campaign IS they see At TO
do. The possibility Of an investigation
In the future by the senatorial COM
mittee may act Is . dterrent, but II
reports are true. plenty Of money Is
being spent here.
state Usually Republican.
II Is quite true that Rhode Island
A o Republican state. TIA normal Re
publican majority Is figured ut 10000
TO $1,000. This - not . great margin.
It II O margin. that might easily be,
total registered vote 10 only zee, 900, es-
pecially in an s'Off year" with no .presi-
Dental election 20 bring out the vote.
Al Smith carried the State. aided by
the wet issue and By the fact that he
Is o Catholic. N Is estimated that
there g o shade more Catholic voters
In the state tran Protestant. Senator
Gerry's defeat that year waS by O. wide
" known Republican Of French de-
scent, Senator Hehert.
There are thousands Of voters Of
French descent in this State. 1t Is
frequently stated that "as the French
20 50 will 60 the election" Many OF
these French voters are Democratic and
should be counted on the side Of Sena-
tor Gerry anyway. Gerry carried the
big French districts Of the state two
years ago against Hebert, though by only
q few hundred votes, indicating that
Hebert had cut into strength that ordi-
narily and with another man running
might have been Gerry's. This year
Gerry u hoping to receive very large
vote among the French.
Gerry has to meet, however, the
strong personal popularity Of Senator
MetcaH. The Republican Senator is no
orator. But he has q big following In
the State among all classes and racial
groups. For more than 80 years, Met
calf has been donating millions Of dol.
lars to hospitals. charities Of all kinds,
to Catholic as well a. Protestant
Churches. Many Of his charities are
known to the general public. but he has