Evening star., 1932-10-20
MISSOURI SWINGS
TOWARD HOOVER
Business Men A|ienated From
Roosevelt by Attitude of
Progressives.
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them are saying that things could not
be worse ana that they want a
change"
In st. Louis, where there Is huge
German American population, the wet
ness of Roosevelt and the Democratic
platform makes strong appeal. To
offset this the Republicans are making
a campaign in that city to show the
voters that the road to real beer" lies
not in the Democratic plan, calling for
repeal of the eighteenth amendment.
but in the Republican platform, which
promises q revision of the Constitution
so that States which wish to be wet
may vote themselves liquor control.
These German-American voters have
been in the past strongly Republican.
On the wet issue they Topped to AL
Smith in 1928 and carried the city for
him By several thousand votes. Now
that the Republicans in this State and
nationally have abandoned the bone
dry cause and are promising thcm beer,
as well as the Democrats, there Is hope
of getting the German American voters
into line.
state Changes FecHns.
A month ago. even week or two ago,
Missouri looked to be hopelessly lost to
the Republicans. Even today it looks
to be Democratic and The odds are on
Roosevelt But the picture is changing.
The only question is whether IN the
limited time remaining the Republic
ans can get their campaign across to
the voters and win them over in sui
Eo;. tN hn
Hoover.
One break" the Republicans here
have had. When the Democratic canoi-
date for Governor, the late Francis
Wilson, died, it became the duty Of the
Democratic State Committee to pick
substitute candidate. Immediately there
vas a scramble, and Boss Tom
Pendergast, who rules the Kansas City
Democratic organization with a rod OF
iron, insisted upon naming his candl-
date for Governor. Pendergast Is
solid chunk of man-as soid as the
concrete that he makes when he is not
playing politics-and while he is play
ing the game. toe. Tammeny bosses
could learn a lot about organization
and efficiency from Tom" Not con-
tent with bossing the Democracy OF
Kansas City end the county, he has
DStD OuG Oil
the entire State organization
The Pcndergast power was shown
when he put across his candidate, Judge
Guy B. Park. a little known circuit
Judge. Despite the fact that desperate
efforts were made by other leaders and
factions in the party to prevent a
Pendergas: man being named. the boss
had his way. No one quite cared to
buck him. fearing what he might do
with the powerful Kansas City organiza-
ton on election day if he were crossed
in this matter
"Bessism' Cry Raised.
And with the naming Of Judge Park.
wearing the Pendergast brand. loud
shout of "bossism" went up from all
parts OF the State, and from st. Louis
in particular. St. Louis looks with
particular suspicion upon the maneuver-
ing of Pendergast to control the State
organization. They fear that he may
dominate the city Of ST. Louis from
Kansas City. and that is just more than
they can stomach. The newspapers
are up in arms, Republican and Demo-
cratic and independent alike, in st.
Louis. They are making it hot and
hotter for Pen6ergast and his guber-
Material candidate.
This is a great JOY to the Republic
ans They. too. have joined in the
general attack on bossism, and Fender
CAST in particular. They see real
chance to save their State ticket and
to elect Winter the present Lieutenant
Governor and the Republican nominee,
to the gubernatorial office.
From the standpoint of national
politics, this attack on the Democratic
State ticket may help Hoover in
Missouri 1t is true that the voters in
this State know how to vote split
ticket and might in considerable num-
bers vote for Roosevelt and for Winter
if they desired. But the tendency Is
with votes for Winter.
Pendergast Confident.
"Tor" Pendergast, the boss-and he
is every inch a boss-takes little stock
in the uproar the Republicans and some
of the Democrats out in the State arc
making over the nomination OF Judge
Park for Governor. He declares him
self entirely confident that Roosevelt
will carry the State and he figures that
the Roosevelt lead over Hoover will BE-
between 10000 and 250.000 votes. He
insists that If Park does run behind
Roosevelt on election dav, it will be
only by a narrow margin, perhaps
few thousand votes. He Is going down
the line for his candidate for Governor
end he is going to make them like
it."
From both Democratic and Republic
an sides come reports of desertions of
former party men. But the stories OF
the attitude of business men here to-
ward the national election are particu
larly significant. One of the largest
merchants in the CITY, it is reliably re-
ported. has placed big order for goods
in Ohio, with a special proviso that he
may cancel the order in November If
Roosevelt be elected. Business here Is
fat. bankers. say, waiting the outcome
Of the election on November 8.
President Hoovers Dcs Moines speech,
in which he declared against the s.abili-
zation provisions of the act creating the
Federal Farm Board, brought back to
the Republican fold many of the grain