Imperial Valley press., 1935-11-07
EASTERN ELECTIONS
As .STRAWS ~ THE WIND

is SIR4NES ~ THE bfAD
Moral victories for Republicans in
New York and Pennsylvania made the
week cheerful one for Grand Old Party
leaders. New York Republicans gained
control of the lower legislative house.
Philadelphia voters chose Republican
mayor after a campaign of attacks
against the Rooseveltian New Deal.
Widespread notice given the elections is
a forerunner of the bitter conflict OF 1886,
when widely differing economic policies
will go before the bar Of public opinion.
Jubilant Republicans believe there will
be no runaway victory next year such as
that in which Franklin Delano Roosevelt
was catapulted into office
Even though the admission is soto
voice. it must be admitted that the GO.
?. is attempting to make the most of a
difficult situation. using this weeks cleo
tions as one item in a rapidly growing
campaign. Among the items probably
bothering Republicans in their inner
council chambers is this:
What of personalities -
Reaction of voters to policies can be
indicated. in elections limited to state
boundaries, but in any election, be it
state or national. that elusive factor
hand. In other words, the men who won
in the eastern elections might have been
chosen as much for their personal traits
as for their policies Their campaign or
ganizations probably had a lot TO do with
it. too Republican candidates might
have been the outstanding candidates.
There is some bearing, probably, on the
coming national election, but there are
many factors which minimize that bear
ing.
The Republicans still must find an
outstanding candidate against Roosevelt.
For the highest office in the land, the
task is considerably harder than that OF
finding a suitable opponent against
mayorality or state legislative candidate.
II politics were ruled by policies, cleo
tions would be lot different II vot-
ers We're sworn as juries are, to consider
the case on its merits, results would have
been lot different in many past cam
paigns If these things were the rule,
Pennsylvania and New York elections
might have resulted differently, or the
coming national election might have re-
suited differently. But they are not the
rule.
If Republicans hope for national vic
tory, they must find a candidate as pop
uIaf III Tie HdllOudI 1Iolu DIS we're IiS
eastern candidates in their more limited
fields.
If man identical in personal popu-
larity with Roosevelt were to run on
the Republican ticket, the 1886 election
would show truely the policies of Amer
lean voters.
This is the Republican worry.
-O-
Governor Merriam will force restitu-
tion of money obtained by state officials
with padded expense accounts, he says.
He'll ban the use of state cars for JOY
riding, too. Pretty soon there won't be
any reason for wanting a state job-ex-
cept for the salary.
Joe Louis, uncrowned heavyweight
champion, will go into the first of five
fights on Friday, the 18th. It's an un-
lucky day-but remember that Pauline
Uzcudun is fighting the same night, and
his opponent is Louis
Earmarking of state relief funds for
self-help projects is frowned upon by
Controller Ray L. Riley. The help-your
self plan wouldn't be so bad, he believes,
if the participants didn't want to help
themselves from the state treasury.
= = = By William,