Evening star., 1932-11-02
VARIETY Of ISSUES
PUTS RHODE ISLAND
IN DOUBTFUL LIST
HooVer's Friends Privately
Give Him "OutSide Chance"
to Garry State.
CARRIED BY DEMOCRATS
IN CAMPAIGN OF 1928
Upturn in Employment Expected
to Help Cause of
Republicans.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,


PROVIDENCE, R. l., November O.
President Hoover is given IAN outside
chance to win in Rhode Island on
election day by men here who earnestly
wish to see him carry the State. Let it
not be understood that the spokesmen
for the Republican organization in
Rhode Island are saying any such thing
for publication. They declare en-
phatically that the President will have
the electoral vote of this State. Talk
ing privately. however there are Repub-
licans in the organization who think it
dubious.
Rhode Island is Al Smith territory
It is one of the two States in the North
and East which Smith carried against
President Hoover four years ago, the
other being Massachusetts. Gov. Frank
lin D. Roosevelt, the Democratic nomi-
nee, does not rouse the enthusiasm here
that was accorded Mr.. Smith four years
ago The religious issue was helpful to
Smith in Rhode Island as it was in
Massachusetts in 1923. That issue is
not involved in the present campaign
here except in so far as resentment on
the part of the Smith followers against
Roosevelt may operate. And that re-
sentiment is said to have been largely
dissipated by the visit of Al Smith to
Rhode Island last week, when he called
upon all his friends and supporters to
vote for the Democratic national ticket
this year.
Democratic Only Once.
Yet Rhode Island Is, generally speak
ing. a Republican State. 1t has gone
Democratic in presidential elections
since the Civil War only in 1928, when
the idol of the Rhode Island voters,
Smith carried it by mere 1,451 votes,
and in 1912, when Woodrow Wilson won
because of the division in Republican
ranks over Taft and Roosevelt. The
vote on some occasions has been ex-
tremely close. And a comparatively few
votes, swung one way or the other, may
decide an election in a State which cast
all told only 236, 600 in 1928.
If Roosevelt wins in Rhode Island 1t
will be for one reason only, the pinch
Of hard times and the consequent desire
for a change; the determination to
strike down the party in power. 1t is
because no one seems to know the ex-
tent of this resentment among the
voters that Rhode Island is today
placed among the doubtful States.
The unsatisfactory economic cond1-
tions prevailing in the United States are
not quite so unsatisfactory in Rhode
Island as they are in a number Of other
States. The boom times which hit De-
troit, for example, in the midst OF the
era of great imitation and prosperity,
were by no means so pronounced In
Providence So when the slump came,
Rhode Island did not have so far to
fall. In addition to this, there has been
q distinct upsWing in business and en-
ployment in Rhode Island since July /.
This is due almost entirely to revival
of the textile industry, although other
industries have benefited to lesser
degree It is reported that last Spring
and early Summer out of total work
ing population of 297000, $4,000 were
out of work. From July to September
there was an increase of 81 per cent IN
employment. This means that before
July l there were $4,000 unemployed
and 204 900 employed workers An in
crease of 81 per cent in employment
leaves approximately 10000 workers
without jobs. A much better situation
than early last Summer, but still not
ideal when the size of the States popu-
1ation is considered.
Picture More Hopeful.
True, wages have been cut and hours
shortened for many Of the workers.
But the picture presented here is dis
tinctly more hopeful. And if the pleas
of employers to vote the Republican
ticket are of aid in this campaign it
does seem as though they would be ef-
fective in Rhode Island. The pay roll
OF the State, it is reported. has been in
creased 35 per cent since July l. In
this State as elsewhere, business men
generally are for reelection of Hoover.
OF course there are exceptions where
heads of business concerns are Demo-
Gratis. But, generally speaking, the en-
ployers of labor are recommending the
reelection of the President on the
theory that with an upSWing in business
conditions this is no time to make a
change If they are effective in their
recommendations, President Hoover
should carry Rhode Island. If $4,000
workers have been re-emplOyed since
July /, as now reported, it is certainly
an argument for continuance OF Things
as they are.
Rhode Island also possesses the proud
record of no bank failures, the only
State in such case. And as far as can
be learned, it has not called on the Re
construction Finance Corporation for
assistance, except in the instance of one
bank. Rhode Island is moving along.
therefore, under its own power.
Now all of these circumstances would
appear to be advantageous to the Re
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