Evening star., 1932-08-11
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

Republican presidential nomination
there are more and more reports indi-
eating that the manufacturing business
Is picking up; that there Is O change
for the better. with greater hope in the
country. II there is really to be an
upward turn in business and employ
ment, that Is just bad news for the
Democrats. However, the Democrats
will have to accept with the best pos
economic conditions. If they should go
around shouting down prosperity and
seeking to put 1t of for few months,
they would let themselves in for terrible
drubbing. Apparently even the Demo-
Gratis are sensing an upswing, however,
and some Of their leaders have adopted
the novel plan of declaring that the
approaching election" Of the Demo-
cratic nominee for President, Gov.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Is responsible for
the increased cheerfulneSs of the people,
and particularly the business people.
Senator Jack" Cohen of Georgia was
one Of the first to advance this theory
at the New York Democratic headquar-
ters. He has been followed by other
Democratic leaders In this line OF rea-
soning.
lican newspaper, the Boston Herald, has
started an observer" OF business con-
ditions on his travels about all the mill
towns of Massachusetts, in an effort
to check up on reports Of increased ac-
tivity. The first two reports by this OBJ
server are frankly optimistic. He found
manufacturers of textiles, shoes and
other materials believing that the days
Of the depression are actually over and
willing to say SO. Not all OF the manu-
facturers and business men in these
towns are willing yet to take such a
hopeful view of the situation. Makers
of machinery are still gium. But the
observer insists that textiles are doing
far more business than last year and
that the shoe business is picking up.
New England was hit by the de-
preston before the rest Of the country,
generally speaking. The New Eng
landers have been trying 70 come back
ever since 1922. There nave been many
readjustments in the last decade to
make life possible and practicable. And
now that there Is an upturn in condi-
tions, even though it may be still slight,
New England is quick TO respond.
The problem for the Republicans,
despite the improved conditions now
beginning to materialize, Is found in
convincing the voters generally that all
their past troubles have not been due,
in part at least, to a failure of the
Republican administration and in OBJ
grown up in many hearts because OF
the ruin and lack of employment
throughout the country in the last
three years. Whether the better con-
ditions will make memories short re-
mains to be seen. There has been in
recent months great resentment against
the party in power in Washington. 1t
was reflected in congressional elections
in widely separated parts of the coun-
try, New Hampshire, Michigan and
Ohio for example. The Republicans
undoubtedly will seek to convince the
voters that they should stick by the
G. o. P. now that things are on the
up and up; that the Democrats have
nothing constructive to offer and that
the improved conditions are due to
the great fight made by President
Hoover for constructive relief legisla-
ton and against unsound proposals
made by the Democratic House OF Rep
resentatives.
Senator Barley of Kentucky, the
Democratic keynote speaker and tenn
porary chairman of the recent Demo-
cratic National Convention, has been
renominated for the Senate by sweep
ing vote in the Democratic senatorial
primary in his State. Barkley, who was
formerly one Of the dryest Of the dries,
and made speeches for the Anti-Saloon
League, was forced to swallow the
Democratic national plank on prohibi-
ton, which calls for repeal Of the eight
eenth amendment. He ran against
candidate who sought to make the wet
cause his principal issue and inveighed
against Barley because of his previous
dry stand.
But the Kentuckians apparently were
willing to let bygones be bygones-or
else they preferred the drier Mr.. Bark
ley to his wetter opponent. However.
Democratic nominees Of the House are
also in line for the Democratic wet
plank-all Of them. On the Republican
Side of the fence. however, more than
half of the candidates nominated for
the House are dry. Kentucky has been
a fierce political battle ground-one of
the border States, so-called-for many
years. This year has, UP to the pres
ent survey, looked to be a good Demo-
cratic year In the Blue Grass State.
Both Democrats and Republicans are
claiming everything in sight the coun-
try over. Democrats from California
arrive in New York and tell how Roose-
velt and Garner will carry their State
next November. Republicans from New
England and New York go 70 Washing
ton and assert glibly that New York and
New England are safe" for Hoover. AS
a matter of fact, the campaign Is still
in the making, with the next few weeks
likely to be crucial in the contest What
Mr.. Hoover says tonight; what Gov.
Roosevelt decides about Mayor Jimmie
Walker of New York, will. have their
effect on the final decision of the peo-
pie. But how business and the farm
ers come along in the next month or
two may have lot more to do with
the voters in November.
It does appear certain, however, that
Gov. Roosevelt can be accorded the
electoral votes Of the solid South" the
South which split wide open in 1928.
He stands a better chance, too, in some
of the border States, probably all of
them, than did Smith in 1928 and prob
ably a better chance than does Presi-
dent Hoover today But the South and
the border States cannot by themselves
elect President of the United States,
and the result will be determined in the
great States of the North and East and
the Middle West and the States stretch
ing westward from the Mississippi The
solid South" comprising eleven States,
has a total of 124 electoral votes, a
handy slice for any candidate to have
before the fight really begins. The re-
apportionment under the thirtieth CEN
sus of the House Of Representatives and
its effect on the electoral college has
made no change In the total number of
electoral votes held by the solid South,
although five of these States have lost
electoral votes. -Four of them, on the
other hand, have gained electoral votes,
offsetting the loss of the other FIVE
Those States which lost electoral votes
are Alabama, l. Georgia, 2; Mississippi,
/; South Carolina, /, and Virginia, l.
The States which made gains are