Evening star., 1934-03-04
PRIMARY FIGHT
|NPENNSY[VAN|A
SAVAGELY BITTER
Pinchot Calls Reed Mellon
Messenger and Is Held
viIIifier.
SENATORSHIP RACE
THIRD FOR GOVERNOR
Announcement Phoned From Hos.
pital to Check Rumors as to
Physical Conditions.
BY WALTER d. ROOS.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
HARRISBURG, Pa, March 3.-De-
velopment of the week mako pri-
mary campaigns Of savage bitterness
inevitable in both major parties in
Pennsylvania.
Gov. Clifford Pinchot announced his
candidacy against Senator David A.
Reed and at once plunged the Re-
publican campaign into the stage
where the principals were calling each
other names. Placing himself in the
fight, Pinchot denounced Reed as the
errand boy of Mellon, the interna-
tional bankers and the steel inter-
ests." Aiming at Reeds criticism Of
the N. r. A., the A. A. A. and the
Roosevelt monetary policy, the Cover
nor asserted Pennsylvania deserves
q Senator who will work with the
President to restore prosperity in
stead Of swapping and snarling at his
heels"
Reed retorted quickly with equally
pointed language. Describing the
Governor as "a common scold and
INSCRIPTIONS politician" Reed said
Pinchot revealed intentions to wage
"a campaign Of villifcation and per-
sonal abuse to cover up his own
record OF broken promises"
Pinchot Enters Fight Early.
Pinchot, telephoning his announce
ment from New York hospital where
he has been a patient for q nerve
disease since December 13, entered
the fight earlier than he planned, to
end rumors that he Is not physically
able TO enter the campaign. Such
action, he had been advised, was
needed to rally the decling morale of
his workers, discouraged by the long
illness Of the Governor, who will be
SO In August. While he has been Ill,
Mrs. Pinchot has been on the stump,
parading with strikers and addressing
labor meetings In industrial centers
in Reeds home sector In Western
Pennsylvania.
The Governors fight In the ap-
preaching primary will be his sixth
personal candidacy in Statewide
campaigns and his third attempt to
win a senatorship. In 1914 Senator
Boies Penrose defeated Pinchot as a
third party candidate. In 1926, when,
as now. he was in the last year Of
his gubernatorial term, he ran third
in the Republican primary. but polled
enough votes to defeat Senator George
Wharton Pepper. william s. Ware,
Philadelphia leader, who was nomi-
mated and later elected. was refused
a seat by the Senate after the 1926
fight.
Pinchot's espousal Of Roosevelt has
led to conjecture that he may also
enter the Democratic primary for the
senatorship. For that reason. when
Democratic National Chairman Far
ley. "a hours after Pinchot's an
nouncement. said the administration
will be neutral In primary contests,
Reeds hackers hailed Farley's action
as ripping the Roosevelt label from
the Pinchot candidacy.
Plan Individual Races.
Reed and Pinchot at present both
plan to run individually, without al
liances with candidates for other
Offices. Complete tickets usually have
been the custom In Pennsylvania
pTlIudIlcS.
The Democratic primary, already
embittered by q revolt against the
ticket headed by Joseph F. Gufiey,
Roosevelt patronage distributor. as
candidate for Senate, became more
complicated this week with Q fourth
candidate for Governor.
The new candidate Is John A.
McSparran, former master of the
State Grange, Democratic nominee
for Governor In 1922, and now sec
retary Of agriculture In the Pinchot
cabinet. An ardent dry, McSparran,
who had been Pinchot's opponent in
1922. bolted his party's wet nominee
in 1880 to aid Pinchot, Q dry.
McSparran's candidacy was launched
this week at a meeting Of dry organi-
cations, which will fight to abolish
State liquor stores, oppose Sunday
base ball and promote social legisla-
ton. Entering the Democratic pri-
mary, McSparran announced he may
also run on the Prohibition party
ticket and may head . dry inde-
pendent ticket In the Fa1 campaign.