Evening star., 1932-11-02
'RHODE ISLAND PUT
IN DOUBTFUL LIST
Hoover's Friends Privately
Give Him "Outside Chance"
to Carry State.
Continued From First Page.)

publican ticket and they probably are.
The only question Is, will they Offset the
unemployment that continues to exist,
the reduction of wages and the gen.
eral feeling that times are hard. If
the spirit Of discomfort manifest in
other States permeates here in any
thing like the same degree. 1t will be
difficult for the Republicans, very diff
f1cult
Furthermore, all is not harmony in
the Republican ranks. The Republican
Governor, Norman S. Case, and the
Republican lieutenant governor, James
G. Connolly, fought it out for the gu
oornatorial nomination and there was
bitter feeling between their adherents
for a time This has been smoothed
over, but 1t still shoulders The feeling
may make it more difficult for the Re-
publican State ticket to come through
victorious than for the National ticket
to carry the State. But such a ruction
is not helpful to the National ticket.
Hard Times Hurt G. p.
The factors that appear to be work
ing against Republican success are, first
and foremost, hard times and unem-
ployment; then the liquor issue, for
Rhode Island Is one of the wettest of
the States; lack of money to wage the
campaign. and organization troubles.
In addition. Al Smiths call to his fol-
lowers to support the Roosevelt Garner
ticket has turned back many to the
Democratic ticket who were expected
a while ago to support Hoover.
The factors that seem to favor the
Hoover Curtis ticket are lack of any
real enthusiasm for Roosevelt, the up
swing in business conditions and en-
ployment, and the fact that there Is
normal Republican majority in the
State.
The Democrats have their intra- party
troubles here too. Providence is a
Democratic city. 1t has a Democratic
mayor, James E. Dunno. who is popular.
For some reason, Henry Dewitt Hamil
ton. lieutenant of former Senator
Peter Goelet Gerry, Democratic ma
ticnal committeeman and leader. un-
dertook to deny Dunno denomination.
1t did not work, however, and Dunno
was renominated. Report has it that
Gerry was called on the carpet by the
Democratic national leaders and
told to keep things peaceful In Rhode
Island The Democrats say now that
everything is lovely, but some hard
feeling is believed to exist between the
factions.
Providence casts from 35 to 40 per
cent Of the total vote of the State
about 1000 votes. Much will depend
upon the vote in the city this year. If
the Republicans can hold it down to a
low figure the Republican strength out
in the counties may be sufficient to
carry the State for Hoover
Heavy French" Vote.
In Rhode Island there is a very con-
siderable French" vote, cast by citi-
zens OF French extraction. In past
years this French vote has been Re-
publican in large part. But it has been
eff the Republican reservation and it is
difficult to get it back. Candidates Of
French extraction on the State tickets
are nomination influence in this vote,
but this year none of the French ap-
pear to have important nominations.
That the French hold the balance of
power is indicated somewhat by the
fact that while Smith was carrying the
State in 1928 by about /, 500 votes, Sem
ator Hebert. Republican. and of French
extraction. was winning by 5000 votes
over Gerry A great deal will depend
this year on how far the French have
come back to vote the Republican ma
tional ticket. They will not have the
same impetus to vote for Roosevelt
that they had for Smith On the other
hand they have suffered from unem-
ployment are resentful and are wet" p"
Rhode Island today has Republican
Governor. two Republican Senators and
two out of the three members Of the
House are Republican. Metcalf, the
senior Senator. won two years ago by
about 5000 votes. The Governor was
elected that year by similar margin.
President Hoover's campaign for re-
election has been effective with some
of the voters here. 1t has given the
Republicans courage. But the final
answer here on election day will be de-
termined by the extent of the voters
crouch" against hard times.
1t is noticeable that the registration
in the State has increased about 10000.
In some quarters it is believed that
this vote is a protest vote, going to
the polls to hit at the party in power.
On the other hand. all this additional
registration took place last June before
the upturn in employment here and
long before President Hoover and the
Republicans had swung into the cam
paign in earnest.
Ice cream peddlers in Islington, Eng
land, have been ordered by the city
tn