Evening star., 1935-10-09
VOTE LOSS SEEN
. IN SHIP Warming
Y. S. Neutrality Stand In.
'iects Problem Into 1896
Campaign.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWnENOEs
Political repercussions from the
neutrality" proclamation in the
Ethiopian Italian controversy are be-
ginning to be discussed hereabouts.
Although sympathizers with foreign
nations realize that in America they
have only one allegiance, nevertheless
there Is always difficulty in repressing
human emotions.
Thus there Is 10 doubt that many
italians resident in the United States.
including persons Of Italian descent,
are totally out of sympathy with Mus
solini because he has suppressed de-
niocracy, but, when Italy Is engaged In
a foreign war. the instructive patriot
ism of the Italian rises. especially as
his kinSfolk abroad are directly In.
volved in the conflict.
Colored Group Angered.
The anti-Italian side OF the con-
troversy, so far as votes in America
are concerned, is represented by the
colored groups in our midst. While
the experts in ethnology claim that
the American colored man is not a
kinsman of the Ethiopian. racially
speaking, nevertheless there is evil
dence by reading Of such publica-
tions as the Afro-American and others
which circulate among the colored
folks of America that the antagonism
toward Mussolini is by no means mild.
So from a vote-getting standpoint,
the administration will find itself in
the 1886 campaign beset by some Of
the same difficulties that confronted
the Wilson administration in the
cneutrality" period Of 1916.
The Italian population was esti-
mated in 1880 at 1,790,o00, but not
ell of these are of voting age. There
are, on the other hand, many persons
born Of Italian parentage who are
Of voting age but who would not neces-
sarily be included in the 100000
figure.
AS for the colored population. this
shows about 100000 Of voting age.
Democrats Win Many.
Most of the Negroes have always
been Republican, but in recent years
the Democrats have been winning
some Of them over. especially in the
larger cities of the North, where
many hundreds Of thousands have
made their homes since the emigra-
ton northward began in 1920.
If, it is contended, the President
loses considerable numbers of Italian
sympathizers because of his order ban
ming travel on Italian ships, he may,
on the other hand, gain large num-
ber Of Negro votes which might ordi-
narily be Republican.
Political veterans who know some
thing about the way the foreign-born
vote is sought In presidential election
years say that the Ethiopian issue
will be difficult one to handle for
the Democrats, especially since the
United States has been ranging itself
somewhat along the side Of the League
Of Nations In Its attitude toward
Italy.
In a close election the shift Of
100000 votes more or less may make
a good deal of difference. Had 100, 900
votes been changed in 1884, for ex-
ample. the Republicans, instead of
the Democrats, would have had about
q 200 majority In the House Of Rep
Sesentatives.
Warning Held Unnecessary.
: Mr.. Roosevelt, Of course, cannot give
thought to these political matters Of
Foreign afiliation or sympathy be-
cause his duty is marked out by events
overseas that determine each day what
his policy must be. The order, how
ever, advising Americans not to travel
on Italian ships is considered by many
observers to have been unnecessary,
particularly as Ethiopia has no navy
with which to attack Italian passenger
vessels. Italy has been trying in re-
cent years to build up her shipping,
and the building of some luxurious
vessels has been direct bid for Amer
lean travel. Most American tourists
are through with their vacations. of
course, so, as practical matter, the
order to avoid Italian ships Is not so
important as the moral effect on Ital-
Ian sympathizers, who consider it an
act Of Immortality rather than neu-
trality.
It may be, Of course, that, between
now and the election, the administra-
tion may find ways and means to even
things up politically, but for the mo-
ment there can be no doubt that the
first neutrality proclamation cost the
administration some votes.