Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-06
RESULT DOUBTFUL
IN SIMMONS RACE
. IN NORTH CAROLINA
White Supremacy and Al
Smith Issues in Contest
Against J. w. Bailey.
OPPONENT OF SENATOR
is FORMER SUPPORTER
Single Wet Candidate Is Conceded
Only 5000 Votes in State
Primary.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

SpeCIhl OlSpaJcn TO Inc star.
RALEIGH, N. c., June .6.-Despite
rival claims of majorities of 10000 the
State as whole is in grave doubt as
to the result of the Democratic primary
tomorrow, which will determine whether
or not United States Senator Furnifold
McLendel Simmons will be given his
sixth nomination or will be replaced on
the ticket by Josiah william Bailey,
Raleigh lawyer and former Simmons
lieutenant. The campaign has developed
intense bitterness in its closing days.
The doubt expressed everywhere ex-
cept in the camps of the two candi-
dates, each of which is undoubtedly
confident, does not mean that the re-
suit will necessarily be close. II does
mean that political observers in the
State, all of whom were badly fooled
when Hoover, with the active aid of
Simmons, carried the State by a ma
jority of 10000 over Smith in 1928, are
somewhat doubtful about their own
judgments in a situation which largely
involves the same factors that deter
mined the 1928 result.
BY using only visible signs and por-
tents it is easier to figure a victory for
Bailey than Simmons. But by conced-
ing the Simmons claim that he will get
the silent vote" is just as easy to ac-
count for a stable Simmons majority.
Silent Vote Important.
The silent vote" always important in
the State. is even more so in this con-
test because of the limited opportunity
for public expression due to the extra
ordinary and unprecedented character
70 20 foT1 Mh
Quoted.
Politics and oratory have always been
synonymous in North Carolina. Never
before has there been campaign when
speeches did not reSound from every
stump and the size of the crowds and
the enthusiasm displayed in themselves
went far to reflect public sentiment.
And of all the candidates discussed
as possible opponents to Senator Sim
mons none was so well fitted for a vigor-
Gus speaking campaign as Bailey, who
le.. the Simpons orators when the Sena-
tor was last opposed for the nomination
in 1912. ~
But to the amazement Of the State
Bailey did no speaking at all, making his
only platform appearance before an au-
dience of home supporters here last
night, the speech being also broadcast
by radio.
Leadership Is Issue.
The Bailey strategy has been simple.
For Bailey and his principal supporters
the one question to be settled in this
contest Is whether or not Senator Sim
mons can again lead his party in this
State after refusing to vote for the
Democratic presidential nominee in 1928
In his zeal to make that the one and
only issue, Bailey has been quite con-
tent to Submerge his own individual
personality and to pitch the campaign
upon an anti-SimmonS rather than pro-
Bailey note.
With the overwhelming bulk of party
workers on his side and bitterly resent
full of the course taken by Senator
Simmons in 1928, Bailey has also been
quite content to depend upon organiza-
ton.
In adopting that course Bailey was
taking leaf from Senator Simmons
own book. Senator Simmons, himself,
has never done much speaking in his
campaigns, but heretofore his organi-
cation work has always been supple
mented by many speeches by others.
This time there has been an almost
negligible amount of speaking on his
part, and with the famed Simmons ma
chine functioning almost intact for
Bailey, and with those politicians re-
inforced by the group which in the past
was classified as anti-machine, Bailey
got of to big start.
Had to Rebuild Machine.
The big task facing Senator Simmons
was the rebuilding of an organization,
with only a small nucleus composed Of
a personal following which stuck to him
through thick and thin despite differ
ences over Smith in 1928 and a much
larger group of those who were active in
the anti-Smith Democratic movement.
To round out this organization, SEN
Continued on Page 2, Column 3D.