Evening star., 1935-10-23

Elections in a dozen or more different
States on November will be anxiously
watched by both Democratic and Re-
publican leaders. Although only local
issues and ofices are involved. the New
Deal has figured directly or indirectly in
all of the campaigns. so that party man
ayers are prepared to deduce that the
outcome will testify that the Roosevelt
administration either continues in favor
or has slipped in popular estimation. In
terest centerS mainly in the Kentucky
gubernatorial fight and in contests for
the New York Assembly. Republican
victory in either of those States would
be interpreted as a national portent of
the first magnitude. The G. o. P. has
conducted a particularly intensive anti
New Deal drive in New York. For sew
eral weeks q Republican Assembly
caravan" has been touring upstate in
the hope of wrestling control at Albany
from the Democrats. Other States in
which the voting may show how the
RooSeveltian wind is blowing include
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Ohio
and Indiana, in all of which certain
State, county or municipal Offices are
to be filled. Philadelphia's mayoralty
contest and the fight for two congress
Sional vacancies in New York City will
be scrutinized with particular care. The
forthcoming pollingS do not measure up
in Importance to an of f-year congress
Sional election, but with 1896 approach
ing they have more than ordinary
significance.
Opinion Is cryStallizng that Senator
Borah put a serious Crimp in his preSl-
Dental boom by his recent demand for
truSt-buSting as the Republicans para
mount issue. Considerable Borah Senti-
ment was beginning to develop in the
East. despite his unorthodox views on
currency and other questions, because
it was thought that by and large he is
the Republican most capable of drama
tizing anti-RooSeveltiSm and waging a
popular campaign against the New Deal.
But with his thrust at big business
through the demand for stresSing anti
monopoly the Idahoan becomes less at
tractive to the industrial East, which the
elephant must capture in 1886 to Offset
acknowledged Roosevelt strength in the
West and South.
Alfred E. Smith has just lost his
job-not the happy warrior" who was
once Governor of New York and now
runs the Empire State Building, but a
Republican namesake who has been post
master at Nantucket Mass, since the
Coolidge administration. The New Deal
has at last struck the historic little island
off the New England coast. Mr.. Smith
co. nf 4 n
poStmiStreSS, Miss Alice Roberts, and the
quaint little post office building in cob
bled and tree-lined Main street of Nam
tucket town is soon to give way. under
the Farley regime, to a Colonial type
structure located appropriately on Fed
eral street. There's a tale that Nam
tucket's Al Smith was once staying at
the Hotel Biltmore in New York City,
then Democratic headquarters While
there he was aStoniShed to receive an
invitation to address a convention of
Young Democrats. He informed the
committee that he was the Republican
postmaster of Nantucket, but would be
glad to talk about the Democratic party.
If desired. The invitation was not
pressed. Mr.. Smith has now gone back
to his private business.
*s* * +
Politicians in both parties rejoice over
the decision of the American Federation
of Labor not to organize an independent,
workers party in the United States.
Such an organization, should 1t ever
attain the dimensions of its counterpart
in Great Britain, would play havoc with
regular party calculations and alignments
over here. American labor will adhere
to its traditional nonpaEisan election