Evening star., 1932-10-09

The nationalities of 1882 first presi-
Dental voters are fairly accurately dis
closed by the 1881 report OF the COM
missioner of naturalization in the De-
partment OF Labor The IL countries
which head the list for 1881 are: Italy.
22.7 .756; Germany, 1852; Poland, l5,4Ol !;
Ireland, IL ,l07; Russia, 9,52l: Canada.
7,173: England, 6,773 Scotland, 4,884
Sweden, 4,836; CzechoSlovakia, 4,832;
Hungary, 4,42l, and Yugoslavia, 1913.
Drive in New England.
With both President Hoover and Gov.
Roosevelt (the latter, mainly through
the lnstrumentality OF Al Smith plan
ming to make eleventh-hour drives to
capture New England, an exploration of
1orelgn-born first voters probable ten
dencies in that region is worth while
Simon Micnelet says: Note what hap
pened Ii the Boston naturalization dis
trlct, lie, New England, between the
presidential elections of 1924 and 1928
IN 1924 President Coolidge carried Mas
SachusettS by vote OF 703.489 over
Davis, Democrat, with 280, ,884, and La
Toilette, Progressive, with 281 $50. MI.
Cooiioges majority over all in Rhode
Island was 4l,052. In 1923 Gov. Smith,
Democrat, defeated Herbert Hoover, Re-
publican, IN both Massachusetts and
Rhode Island. Naturalization of new
voters-largely anti on the prohibi-
ton and protestant" issues-had
amounted in the Boston district during
1924-1928 to approximately 100000, OF
which the principal benetciaries were
Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode
Island
Naturalization accounted for the
Smith plurality of 1892 in Massa-
chuSetts and l,27l in Rhode island
many times over The Massachusetts,
stay -at-homeS made their contribution
Over 100000 Bay Staters who were
registered voters failed to 60 to the
polls. while $4,000 who did vote failed
TO vote for President. Thus the heavy
recruits of the newly naturalized re-
ceived large support in their anti
campaign on the liquor and church
issues because of the stay-at-home
habit of the Sons and Daughters of
the American Revolution. 1t is safe
to say that a larger percentage of this
years 100000 odd naturalized first
voters will go to the polls and a smaller
percentage will be stay-at-homers on
the occasion of their first chance to
vote for President. than in the case of
our American born. A new broom
sweeps clean"
Works to Get Out Vote.
Simon Michelet acquired his interest
in politics through his longtime asso-
ciation with the late Senator Knute
Nelson of Minnesota, whom he served
for years as private secretary and chief
political lieutenant. Ever since he left
Capitol Hill Mr. Michelet has practiced
law in Washington, but devoted himself
assiduously. as side line, to analysis
of national voting-congressional and
presidential.
He has become a recognized author
ity in that field and proved himself on
occasion no mean prognostlcator OF
coming election results. In later years
he has conducted as a one-man show.
without benefit of aid or counsel from
either of the parties or any other. or
ganization. Nationwide, patriotic
fight to get out the vote" IRRESPECTIVE
of party. and administers the affairs OF
the National Get-out the-vote Club
to that end He looks upon vote slack
ing-failure to take advantage OF the
privilege Of suffrage-as one OF Amer
ica's crying evils.
{Copyright, 1882