Evening star., 1936-08-26
ers using tn. accepted methods tradi.

erS using the accepted methods tradt-
tional with both parties.
There was, in the Reading, Pa,
Eagle, one day last week, an item which
could hardly have appeared anywhere
in America in any preceding political
campaign. The item recited that up
ward of 10000 Negroes attended Q
Democratic rally at Mount Gretna
'The event was sponsored by Demo-
cratic leaders Of seven Eastern PENN
sylvania counties"
In this apparent migration Of colored
voters to the Democratic party, there
may possibly be "joker." Some Re-
publican leaders say there is. They
admit that the Negro on relief, and his
family and his friends, are ubiquitous
and vociferous. and also obsequious, at
Democratic rallies. They admit that
an overwhelming majority Of the
Negroes have registered Democratic.
But some Republican leaders say that
that is merely the colored mans native
difference to the apparent source Of his
bread and butter. Some experienced
Republican leaders claim that many
Of the Negroes. especially the older
ones, when in the safe secrecy OF the
voting booth, will mark their ballots
on the ticket Of the party Of Abraham
Lincoln.
Another factor difficult to estimate
in this campaign in the Union party.
This is hard to assay both as to its
numbers and as to where its supporters
come from. whether from Democrats
or from Republicans. We know the
candidate Of the party is Representa-
tive William Lemke of North Dakota
and that much Of his following. in the
rural West, consists of persons who,
If the Union party did not exist, would
vote for the New Deal.
We know the Union party is sup
ported vigorously by Father Coughlin,
and we know that most of Father
Coughlin's following is in the cities.
But we do not know whether Father
Coughlins followers come mainly from
the Democratic party or from the Re-
publican. Similarly, We know that the
Union party Is supported by DR.. Town.
send-though not quite so vigorously
as Father Coughlin supports it. We
know that most of the Townsend fol-
lowing is in the villages and rural dis
trictS. and that majority OF them
have been Republicans in the past.
One large and certain fact about the
Union party is that all its Leaders,
Candidate Lemke, Father Coughlin, DR..
Townsend and Rev. Gerald Smith
all talk bitterly against President
Roosevelt. OF any average Union
party campaign speech, four-fifths Of
the time and emphasis is given to at
tack on Mr.. Roosevelt. Gov. Landon
and the Republicans are attacked too,
but In q minor way. 1t seems safe to
estimate that much the larger part Of
the Union party vote will be sub
tracted from that of Mr.. Roosevelt.
There is, In the Union party move
ment, q touch that is new and may
have weight. Edward Angly, describ-
ing the. Townsend and Coughlin con-
ventions, speaks OF the frequency of the
references to God and religion. Rev
Mr.. Smith, in his speeches, charges
that Mr.. Roosevelt and the New
Dealers are taking America toward
communism, and that communism, If
it should come, would exterminate re-
ligion. A feeling that religion is in
danger might account in part for the
unusual spectacle of an Evangelical
Protestant clergyman and a Catholic
priest united and active as leaders of q
political party. If anything like .