Evening star., 1932-10-25
UNEMPLOYED VOTE
| UNCERTAIN IN OHIO
Republicans Realize Fight to
Hold State in November
Is Hard.
Continued From First Page. }

ident Hoover in 1928 rolled up Q lead
Of 100000 votes over Al Smith. Yet
today newspaper polls indicate that
Roosevelt may carry the State by half
million votes and more. Indeed, so
great is the lead given the New Yorker
in one of these polls, a State wide af-
fair. that it would not be surprising II
Roosevelt's plurality was something
like 100000. More conservative Demo-
Gratis, however, are claiming victory for
Roosevelt here by from 200, 600 to 300.-
600. They cannot bring themselves to
believe in victory of greater propor-
ton, even though the polls conducted
by newspapers in Columbus and Gin
cinnati show huge lead for Roosevelt.
The Roosevelt lead in these news
paper polls Is now being cut into, how
ever. One of these polls a week ago
gave the Democratic nominee an esti-
mated lead, II figured for the entire
State vote, of more than 800 900. This
was reduced today by about $1,000.
Even so, the lead remaining to Roose-
welt seems so great as to make 1t i'm
possible for President Hoover to over
take him
A discouraging feature Of the situa-
ton from the G. O. p. point Of view
is found in the fact that rural Ohio,
usually a Republican stronghold, is up
in arms. Scouts report that 1t Is i'm
possible to argue with many OF the
hitherto Republican farmers; that they
will not listen to reason" They are
ground down by taxes, most Of them
State taxes, it Is true: but the farmers
seem to make little distinction in their
present distress between Federal and
State taxes. The prices for corn, wheat,
hay and other products are ruinously
low. A poll in eight rural and strongly
Republican counties indicates that
Roosevelt would have a lead on Elec-
ton day Of 125,000 in the counties,
which under Ordinary circumstances
should roll up big Republican lead.
Two Weeks to Fight.
Two weeks remain Of the campaign.
Republican leaders express confidence
or perhaps it is hope-that the DEM
ocratic lead may be cut down and over
come in that period. They insist that
the feeling among the farmers is much
better. They look with confidence 10
the business men and employers Of the
State. As matter Of fact, polls among
the business people show them two to
one for Hoover and against Roosevelt,
and the percentage in favor Of the Re-
publicans is even greater in some places.
In Ohio, as in other States, there
Is today a concerted drive to win
over the workers to Hoover. Some
of the employers are writing their
employees letters asking them in
the interest Of themselves, as well
as Of the employers, to vote the Re-
publican ticket. Indeed, If reports be
true, there is general campaign on
among the employers to line up the
workers for President Hoover. A letter
addressed by j. NJ. Beatty, president Of
the Federal Glass Co., to employees OF
that company. urging them to vote the
Republican ticket was given wide pub
licity today. In this letter Mr.. Beatty
told his employees that your future and
the future of your company depend
upon the outcome of this election"
He added: We are not attempting
to coerce YOU but the circumstances are
such that We feel it is our duty to bring
this matter to your attention now, Tor
the welfare of our country Is at stake,
and our future life as an active organ
ization which has given continuous en-
ployment to thousands of people Tor
over 80 years, is in jeopardy
Mr. Beatty commented upon the ne
cessity of the Republican protective
Democratic victory at the polls and said
he wished the employees to give the
matter serious consideration and, II
what he said rang tru9, to vote for
Hoover.
Democratic headquarters here have a
copy of this letter and also Of similar
letters addressed by other employers to
their employees in this State. 1t was
the declared purpose Of the Democrats
! today to turn these letters over to the
i prosecuting officers Of State and
county, with the idea that the en-
ployers be brought to trial for violation
of the Ohio corrupt practices act. This
law, enacted within the last two or
| three years, has a section providing
especially against efforts on the part OF
| employers to influence their employees
| in election contests. So far as could
| be learned today, no case has ever yet
| been brought in the courts under this
act.
Test of Law Sought.
But the Democrats are bent ON max
| ing a test of the law now, and their
effort will be to scare other employers
of labor away from attempts to line up
their employees for Hoover. Newton D.
| Baker. Secretary of War in the wilson
!
| to this Ohio corrupt practices act In
connection with his criticism of Henry
Ford's appeal TO the workers to vote the
Republican ticket. Mr.. Baker insisted
, that national law similar to the State
, act prohibiting employers from attempt
ing to influence in any way their en-
ployes in elections should be passed BY
/ Congress.
Republicans here rather pooh -poohed
| the idea that employers OF labor would
be seriously attacked in the courts be-
cause of letters addressed to their en-
ployes advising them how to vote on
election day.
Employers have done just that thing
for years in elections, and 1t has not
been confined to Republican employers.
either" was one comment. However. 1t
was admitted that the statute dealing
with the influence of employer on em-
ploye in elections is new and that un-
der its general provisions it might be
used to prosecute the letterwriting en-
ployers. A fine Of not less than $500
and not more than $1,000 is provided in
one section of the act for violations OF
the law
Part of the Republican drive in these
| last weeks rests on the advice Whlcn
employers Of labor will give to their
| employees: advice to vote the Repuollcan
ticket. The Democrats already have
complained loudly against coercion OF
the workers by their employers. Gov.
Roosevelt himself has mentioned 1t and
the general effort of the Republicans to
scare" the electorate into voting for
the G. o. P.
The odds here seem today to be
strongly against Republican victory in
Ohio. Cleveland, with its huge quota
of unemployed, is one Of the trouble
spots for the Republicans. There Is a
large foreign-born population there, and
many Of these people are ready to vote
the Democratic ticket, 1t Is reported. It
may be recalled that In 1924, when the
late Senator La Toilette Of Wisconsin
was running as an Independent Prog
Iressive candidate for President he polled
q very large vote in Cleveland. In the
county his vote stood 10000 to 1901 600
for Coolidge and $4,000 for Davis. To