Evening star., 1932-10-31
CONGRESS MAY ACT
IN KENTUCKY VOTE
MuddIed Situation Over State
( at Large or District EIec-
81 tionS UnSoIved.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LOUISVILLE. KY, October 31.-Con-
greSS itself, rather than the people OF
Kentucky, may finally decide who shall
represent the State in the National
House of Representatives. for with cleo
ton day Just a week off the muddled
situation over State at large or district
elections remains unSolved.
The situation arose from the 1882
legislatures redistricting act to reduce
the congressional Districts from II to 9
beng declared void by Federal and
State courts. Candidates were nomi-
mated from the State at large in the
August primary and then the United
States Supreme Court held valid
similar redistrictng act in Mississippi.
In the rural districts, especially in the
nOurteLrS, appeals similar to those used
against Smith IL 1923 have begun to
appear IL distribution OF a publication
prtrteG in WASHINGTON, D. c., charging
that the same ~ pap3l conspiracy
that forced the nomination of Smith
and then voted Soidly for him is equally
,Sclid for Roosevelt now" No cne has
come forward to publicly acknowledge
distribution Of the papers, which also
picture Hoover as the safeguard CT the
American home and Rooevelt'S election
as meaning the return Of the open
saloon. John p. Haswel, Republican
state campaign chairman. said his
organization had nothing to do with
the publication and knew nothing about
it."
Attitude of Democrats.
Democratic leaders, loud in their
claims that Roosevelt and Garner and
sAlben w Barkley. Democratic Senate
incumbent, will sweep the State, have
shown themselves not at all averse to
State-at-large election of Congressman
But Republicans, although not con-
Ceding the presidential race and that
OF Representative Maurice H. Thatcher
for the Senate, prefer congressional
selections by districts.
They hold that regardless Of how the
State goes as whole. district elections
would assure them victory in at least
two districts. their mountain stronghold
in Southeastern Kentucky and the dis
trlct that includes Louisville.
The State Court of Appeals set today
Tor oral arguments on an appeal from
State Circuit Court of three Repub-
licanS seeking to force their nomina-
tionS by districts, while the appeal from
Federal Court is not expected to reach
the United States Supreme Court prior
to November 8.
Most Ballots Printed.
Meanwhile, most counties already
have printed the ballots for State-at-
large elections and the State Is prac-
tically out of the special paper required
by law. Regardless Of the Court Of
Appeals decision, either side might
carry the fight to the next session OF
Congress.
Under Kentuckys new election law
the ballots are counted the day after
the election and at the court house,
rather than on election night in the
precincts. The law was designed TO
prevent any possible ''overcounting"
and this is the first time it has operated
in z presidential race.
kentucky was in the Coolidge column
IN 1924 and went for Hoover in 1928 by
more than 175,000, but since then the
tide has turned and all elections, State
and national, have resulted in heavy
Democratic majOrities.