Evening star., 1934-09-10
The Political Mill
By G.. Could Lincoln.

DIAL 1x4N1NGSs - AAC 1NCW ACdA
faces its first baptism Of fire at the
polls in Maine today. And equally the
Republican party meets its first test
in the effort to stage q comeback since
the disastrous rout Of 1892. In that
year the Democrats elected q Gov
ernor and two out Of the three mem-
bers Of the House. The same Demo-
crat. Gov. Louis j. Brann, is seeking
again the governorship, and Moran
and Utterback, the two sitting Demo-
cratic members of the House, have
been renominated. 1t Is well to re-
member that Maine. while it elected
Brann Governor in September two
years ago by a margin of 2,358 votes
and at the same time chose two Demo-
cratic House members, two months
later in the presidential election, went
for Hoover by $4,000 votes. It would
look as though dissatisfaction with the
Republican leadership in Maine-and
with the Republican candidate for
Governor-had had q great deal to
do with the Republican upset there in
1882.
Names election today will be not
only q test of the New Deal strength,
but also Of the wet and dry question.
For years traditionally a dry State,
Maine will vote on q proposal to re-
peal the State constitutional provi-
sion forbidding the manufacture and
sale Of liquor within its boundaries.
There Is general opinion that the re-
peal will be voted. If it is. it will be
sad blow to the prohibitionists.
Generally speaking, the wet and dry
issue has not been involved in the
gubernatorial and congressional con-
tests.
This year there Is a Senate seat
at issue also in the Maine election.
Senator Frederick Hale Is opposed by
F. Harold Dubord, Democrat. While
the Republicans assert that there is
no chance Hale will be beaten, the
Democratic nominee has repeatedly
declared himself confident of victory.
II Dubord should win, it would be
interpreted as q tremendous victory
for the New Deal, and the hopes of
the Republicans would be dashed all
over the country. However, despite
the confidence Of Dubord, his chances
to win seem to be only outside
chances.
The gubernatorial fight is regarded
as extremely close. The Democrats
really feel they have a chance with
Brann. They are also very hopeful
of re-electing Edward G. Moran, their
candidate for the House in the second
district. Against Brann the Repub-
licans are backing Alfred K. Ames,
business man of MachiaS. Ames is
no spellbinder. He is regarded, how
ever, as a hard-headed man of affairs
and Is not to be laughed off. The
Republicans engaged in q bitter con-
test for the gubernatorial nomination,
so bitter that one of the candidates
has declined to support Ames and
has come out for Brann. At best,
this detection will not help Ames.
***
So far as the House contests are
concerned, the Republicans are ex-
pected to win in the first district,
where Portland Is located. However,
his opponent, Simon L. Hamilton of
South Portland, has shown unexpect-
ed strength. Beedy has been mem
Der Of the House since, 1921 and
weathered the 1882 Democratic storm.
Moran, the Democratic candidate in
the second district, was elected for
the first time two years ago, when he
defeated John e. Nelson, a Republi-
can member who had served four
terms. Moran has been an active
Democratic leader for q number of
years and was twice candidate for
Governor, though unsuccessfully. He
Is opposed this year by Zelma M
Dwinal. Even the Republicans in the
district, however, believe that Moran's
chances are good-unless there should
be real swing back to the Republi-
can side. Former Gov. Ralph O.
Brewster is the Republican nominee
against Representative Utterbaek. Ut
terback defeated Brewster two years
ago, but by a very slender margin
Brewster has the backing this year Of
many Of the Republicans who in the
past have been hostile to him, and 1t
Is said that Brewster is likely to win.
Probably q lot Is going to depend
upon just how the Maine farmers re-
gard the New Deal In some instances
the farming communities have profit
ed from the New Deal, but in other
communities the raisers of stock COM
plain bitterly that they have had to
pay out more than they received
under the New Deal. The Democrats
have made the most of the benefits
which have come to Maine from the
Federal Treasury under the New Deal
and are dangling the possibility of q
$40 ,000, 900 allotment from the P. w.
A. for the development Of the Passa-
maquoddy power project.
Senator David A. Reed, Republican
candidate for reelection In Pennsyl-
vania, on Saturday was elected Re-
publican national committeeman by
the Republican State Committee,
which at the same time adopted a
party platform. Mr.. Reed steps into
the shoes which were once worn by
Senator Boise Penrose as the definite,
Statewide Republican leader. More
recently the Office of national commit
1CCAAaA Wao AACA0 Dy SCA hLIcTDuTy OI
the Pennsylvania Railroad and by the
late William s. Ware, the Republican
boss of Philadelphia. Reeds success
in the senatorial campaign there,
which is predicted by his supporters,
will place him in the limelight as one
of the national leaders of the party.
Furthermore, his victory will be ac-
claimed as real indication that the
second most populous State in the
Union is not in sympathy with the
New Deal. Joseph F. Guffey, his
Democratic opponent, is making his
allegiance to President Roosevelt and
the New Deal paramount issues in the
campaign.
The Democrats in PENNSYLVANIA
have been greatly encouraged by in
creases in the party registration. They
even talk of carrying Philadelphia.
where the old Ware organization has
been pretty well shot to pieces. How
ever, the final registration figures re-
leased by the Registration Commission
on Saturday in Philadelphia show that