Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-06
GLASS, UNOPPOSED,
HELD. S|GN|F|C
Situation Interpreted to Mean
That Virginia Is Back in
Democratic Column.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

The denomination in, Virginia of
Senator Carter Glass without opposi-
ton has several meanings. 1t is doubt
! full, however. If these meanings include
| one generally attributed to 1t. 1t is
said that Glass denomination without
opposition means the wiping out or the
very great subsistence of that sentiment
In Virginia. which in 1923 departed
from the Democratic presidential can
didate, Gov. Alfred Smith, and sup
ported the Republican candidate, Mr..
Hoover
The detection was large enough to
turn Virginia, in that election, into the
Republican column. 1t is now said that
Virginia is safely back in the Demo-
cratic column. Generally speaking,
this is unqueStionably a reasonable in
depreciation. There are no sound argu-
ments against it. From this point,
however, some go on and interpret the
Virginia situation as meaning that if
Gov Smith should be again the Demo-
cratic nominee in 1882 he would carry
the State. This Interpretation is most
doubtful.
To follow the episode chronologically,
Senator Glass, in 1928, was dry, and
as such was opposed to the Democrats
nominating Gov. Smith. After the
nomination. however, Glass Loyalty sup
ported Smith. Glass was, perhaps, the
outstanding one among those Southern
Democrats who stood by the party
nominee. The vigor and earnestness
of his support of Smith was conspic-
uouS.
For this attitude Senator Glass was
singled out for especially strong dis
appreciation by Bishop Cannon, who
was the leader in Virginia of the anti
Smith forces. The depth and intensity
of the feeling between these two leaders
was very obvious. At that time 1t was
more or less understood that Bishop
Cannon and his anti-Smith followers
in Virginia would undertake to prevent
the return of Glass to the Senate. That
any such intention on the part of the
anti-Smith Democrats in Virginia has
utterly petered out is sufficiently demon
Strated by the nomination of Senator
Glass on Tuesday without opposition.
Simmons and Hefiin Ousted.
In a sense the success of Senator
Glass proves in a reverse way the same
thing that was proved by the defeat Of
Senator Simmons in North Carolina
and the expulsion of Senator Helm in
Albania from the Democratic organi
Zation. Senator Glass is a case of a
Democrat who conspicuously supported
Gov. Smith and is renominated without
Democrats who opposed Gov. Smith and
have now been treated by their party
to defeat in the case of Senator Sim
mons of North Carolina, and to expul-
sion from the party in the case OF
Senator Heflin of ALBANIA.
The plain inference from all these
and some other cases is that in the
South, Democratic leaders who opposed
Gov. Smith are being disciplined for
that action. At the same time, Demo-
cratic leaders such as Senator Glass,
who supported Smith, in spite of their
differences from Smith on the prohibi-
ton issue, are being approved. This
same approval extended to Senator
Glass on Tuesday will probably be
duplicated in degree next Tuesday in
the case of Senator Joseph T. Robinson
of Arkansas. Senator Robinson ran on
the same ticket as Smith as the candi-
date for Vice President. 1t will prob
ably turn out in Arkansas that Senator
Robinson will. not suffer any material
detriment for what he did.
So far the Interpretation of these
events In Southern Democratic politics
is clear. The further inference, how
ever, frequently made in the Northern
press, is doubtful. This inference is
that if Gov. Smith should be the can
didate again he would carry all the
States that he lost to Mr.. Hoover in
1928. This inference is not assented
to by leaders most competent to under
stand the political sentiment in the
States involved. Their Judgment is
that if Gov Smith should be the can
date again in 1882, the defections
from him would be somewhat less great
than they we're in 1923.
Might Regain Several States.
At the same time the defections would
be sufficient to defeat him in most of
the States. Smith lost Virginia by
about 10 per cent of the total vote,
Florida by about 20, Texas by about
and North Carolina by about 10. These
are comparatively small margins of
loss. 1t is possible Smith might regain
one or two of the States.
Another element in the denomination
of Senator Glass without opposition is
the disposition of Virginia to maintain
in Office Senators who are satisfactory
to the State. Virginia has had only
two pairs of Senators in IS years. OF
the present two, Glass has served since
1920 and Swanson since 1910. Preceding
them, Martin had served IS years, from
1895 until 1920, and Daniel had served
% years, from 1888 until 1910. One other
State, perhaps, North Carolina, can
show an equal record of keeping the
same Senators continuously in office.
1t is doubtful, however, If any other
State beside Virginia and North Carolina
can duplicate this record.