Evening star., 1932-11-01
BAY STATE LEANING
DEMOCRATIC, WITH
CLOSE VOTE CERTAIN
Size of Republican Disaffec-
ton Will Determine Win
ner in Campaign.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,
Staff Correspondent Of The Star.

BOSTON. Mass, November 1.-The
size of the Republican disaffection in
Massachusetts will determine the victor
in the presidential race here.
If it is small. President Hoover will
carry the State If it is large, the Old
State will slide into the Roosevelt
column.
Both Republicans and Democrats are
confident they will carry this State. l
find more real Republican confidence
in Massachusetts than l have in many
other more strongly in the past) Re-
publican States.
President Hoover, the Republicans
assert. is popular among the people OF
this State. Roosevelt. on the other
hand, has no popular following IN
Massachusetts,. This, be 1t understood
is the Republican point OF view. IL Is
quite true, however, that inquiry among
the rank and file of the Republicans
will show that Mr.. Hoover is far better
Iked than in scme Of the rest Of the
States.
Normally Republican.
Despite the fact that MASSACHUSETTS
voted Tor AL Smith for President IN
1928 and has two Democratic senators
and a Democratic Governor. II IS stlll
rated fundamentally Republican
State. Twelve out OF sixteen OF us
present members of the House are Re
nublican and four are Democratic.
Thirty out Of the forty members OF the
state Senate are Republican and l3S
out OF the 240 members OF the state
House of Representatives are members
of the G O. P. The lieutenant COVER
nor and nearly all of the State ofncers:
not to mention the great majority OF
the members of the Executive Councll,
are Republican Decidedly. down at
the grass roots, MASSACHUSETTS stlll
looks to be faithful to the Republican
party. And SO it seems correct to say
that Roosevelt's chances OF victory IN
this State depend largely on Repuo-
lican defections provided OF course, ne
holds his own with the Democrats:
Republicans minimize reports OF ne
publican disaffection. They say that
the Republicans will go to the polls IN
large numbers and vote for Herbert
Hoover and that few of them will vote
for Gov. Roosevelt. They claim that
the increased registration out in the
State. particularly in smaller and rural
communities is all in favor OF the
G. o. P. 1t appears that 10000 more
voters have registered in Massachusetts
this year than registered in 1928, bring
ing the total up to about 100000. In
Boston, however, the increased registra-
tion hes been far more Democratic
than Republican. To be exact, OF the
registrants III the Hub. 161.147 are
Democratic; 58,l81 are Republican and
IS, 1886 are independents" The Demo-
Gratis have increased their registration
here over 1928 by 36.750 and the Re
publicans have lost 5,076. 1t must be
remembered, however. that Boston is
the great Democratic stronghold in this
State and is no criterion for the politl-
cal sentiment in the remainder.
Defections Expected.
Notwithstanding the fact that Massa-
chusetts was hard hit long before the
rest of the country felt the economic
punch, it would be greatly surprising
il hard times-a dominating factor in
the present csmpaign-Was without its
effect in Massachusetts. If the people
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