The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-11-19
Political Reporter
 TrdUeLs Into Maine
Continued from Page D

I Is larger than Massachusetts but not 50 populous--7e,o00 persons or thereabouts.
 The 1895 Congress made potatoes o political crop. It passed a sort of potato "Volstead Act" which may land you in jail if you plr- chase bootleg" potatoes. You will be able to recognize the legal poe tato by Q stamp which Secretary Wallace or some of his men will lick and aff1x to each lawful con- tainer.
 You won't go to jail right away. Congress neglected to appropriate money to administer the act. Mean. time, Wallace plans Q January poe tato farmer eferendum-there are 100000 growers - to determine whether they want "Volstead" po- tatoes. Wallace hopes the farmers vote No" Farmers in this part of the country are going to vote "Yes," was informed, by about three to one.
 To Maine, potato control merely is its share of the agricultural ad- justment act booty. H. w. 0rinnel, potato merchant, whose office over- looks Market Square, told me that Connecticut tobacco farmers and southern cotton farmers who were paid not to raise their staple crops had turned surplus land into pota- toes and were wrecking the market. Maine Wants Some
 Maine thinks II they would just abolish AAA we might get along okay," Grinnell said. But if there Is going to be any AAA, Maine wants some of It."
 The rugged individualists of nor- thern Maine anticipate regimentas ton with considerable pleasure. I inquired in Houlton whether there was resentment against govern mental encroachment of the free Americans right to grow as many potatoes as he could plant. Every- where was informed the bankers, merchants, farmers and inn keep CTS were content that Wallace should impose on Maine and other states Q rigid potato production control.
 Furthermore, this potato country Is almost booming. Potatoes jumped from $l.25 to @ barrel the week I was here. At $2 Q potato grower makes 0 profit of around 80 cents to $i. Last year potatoes were 40 cents. Fifteen years ago they were Si0. But Maine considers $2 Q fair price. A baked Maine potato cost me 25 cents on the New Haven Railroad between New York and PProvidence, R. I. But President Roosevelt and the New Deal are getting strictly no credit for better times in northern Maine.
 Bernard E. Esters, in his Houltcn Pioneer Times, reported . "sensa- tional Rise in PoPtato Prices" He is secretary of the Aroostook repub- lican committee. Esters said Roose- welt would get no credit for good times in Aroostook. He pointed out that Wallace opposed and publicly condemned the potato act.
 May Lose Maine
 Banker James Pierce, democrat, also thought Roosevelt would lose Maine next year.
 In fact, the first 10 professional and business men I approached, some republicans and some demo- crats, were agreed that the New Deal could not carry Maine nor any of New England in 1o30. The eleventh, Ransford W. Shaw, re- publican dean of the Aroostook county bar, thought Roosevelt could win here if potatoes stayed above 9l.b0 0 barrel and provided the New Deal continued to pour money into "Quoddy."
 "Quoddy" is short for Passafi1a- quoddy. the Passport, Maine, ex- pertinent with tide harnessing fin which MT. Roosevelt has pledged the government to spend $3b ,000, ,000 in converting the ocean flow into electrical current. The New Deal has allcoted s6,0O0000 to "Quoddy" 50 far.
 Will Carry Passport
 Mir. Roosevelt will carry Passport ell right. But "Quoddy' may prove to be e political handicap. Maine folk are money minded. Many simply can't believe that anyone would spend $36,000,000 for any, thing--at least anything like "Quoddy." And there Is evidence of statewide suspicion that "Quoddy" Is Q political hoax.
 we don't think he's goin' through with it," man told me In the lobby of the Northland Hotel. If Roosevelt is reelected he will find some reason to stop 'Quoddy' and If anyone else is elected they are sure to quit. No, Siri We don't believe 'Quoddy' ever will bo built"
 Tn Q single issue of the Bangor Daily News I read three stories from democratic state or federal officials or from the dam site, re- assuring the people of northern Maine that "Quoddy" was on the level.
 Works Projects
 There are similar doubts about works progress administration proc jects. More than $l7,000,000 !n treasury warrants have been coun. tersigned in Washington for Maine work. But word is getting around that only 42,300,000 actually is to be spent to employ 13,000 persons. Many persons considered the larger sum to be New Deal window dress ing.
 The government is building an airport in this small town. There Is Q new postOifice and customs house. There is no doubt that Washington is wooing Maine.
 But political poll just begun in Houlton showed 68 preferences for a republican president in 1936 and only for MT. Roosevelt.