The Washington times., 1934-10-16
COP. BELIEVES
SINCLAIR IS
SLIPPING
By FRANKLIN G. sARTWELL


Refusal Of Upton Sinclair,
Democratic gubernatorial candi-
date in California, to surrender
his personal platform to the con-
sentative demands of old-line
party leaders in the State is CIV
ing Republicans here new hope
that the exponent of EPIC can be
beaten next month.
According to word reaching here
from California, Mr.. Sinclalr's
prospects have undergone consid'
cradle dimming since the Demo
cratic State convention.
This, it is reported, is due to
the fact that while the conven-
ton in framing the party plat
form adopted EPIC in only a
modified form, Mr.. Sinclair has
indicated publicly that he insists
upon the right to retain the origl-
nal EPIC as his personal pat
form.
Will Go SOCialiStic
The result is that if Mr.. Sin
clair is elected he will, in the pub
lie view, go the full route of State
socialism prescribed by the end
poverty in California program
which won him the nomination.
Conservative Democratic lead
ers in the State had believed that
they would be able to tie Mr.. Sin
clair to the platform adopted and
thus clip his wings. They are
represented as believing that they
could make the campaign for him
on the ground that he had aban-
doned his characteristic theo-
ries and would listen to reason"
when and if elected.
The adamant position which
Mr.. Sinclair has since taken, how
ever, in regard to retaining vir-
tually all of EPIC if he is elected,
has resulted in a considerable re-
vulsion of feeling on the part of
not only the conservative leaders
but as we'll of many OF the rank
and file Democrats who have
never loved Mr.. Sinclair, but who
were willing to go along with him
on the ground of party regularity
and in the belief that he would
yield to the advice of recognized
party leaders.
Leaders AntagOnized
This refusal of Mr.. Sinclair to
ego along" is antagonizing many
of the leaders, who now have
either lapsed into silence in the
midst of the campaign or who are
outrightly opposing the Demo
cratic ticket.
In contrast with this desertion
of Mr.. Sinclair and Democratic
standard is the daily accretion to
the ranks of the Republicans who
are battling behind acting Cover.
nor Merriam.
These additions to Governor
Merriam'S followers are said to
have become huge in the last few
days and are reported to be due
largely to the reported flight of
capital" from California. Assidu.
Gus distribution of figures purport-
ing to show that capital is leaving
the State in droves is reported to
have lured thousands of voters
away from the Utopian dreams ad-
duced by the Sinclair theories.
Fight Loss Of Movies
Then, too, the move of Florida
to induce the moving picture in.
dustry to move to that State has
had a tremendous effect upon the
thoughts of California voters.
They are proud of the leadership
rank which their State enjoys in
the moving picture industry ana
they do not relish the idea of the
big companies moving out of Cali
fornia to avoid confiscatory taxes.
Through a complication of cir
cumstances, therefore, the road Of
MI. Sinclair to the gubernatorial
chair is becoming rougher and the
Republicans who a short time ago
had little hope of stopping his on
ward rush are now confident that
they will be able to beat him.