Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-10-10

Rush Holt, the # #$#s#S lSH&
victim of the MD I.wr.nc.
suppression, says
certain labor agitators and certain
w. P. A. workers conSpired to break
UP his meeting. Holt has been ex-
posing w. P. A. scandals in the
State.
II charge" said Senator Holt to me,
"that persons who were brought into
town on w. P. A. trucks-I have the
license numbers-helped break up my
meeting. Mr.. Miley, who is presi-
dent Of District 81 local union had a
conference with Senator Medley be-
fore the meeting. Mr.. Miley was con-
spicuous in his leadership of the per-
sons who refused to let me speak. I
charge that Mr.. Medley knew it and
sanctioned it."
Paper Defends Free Speech.
Whoever was responsible, the fact
remains that the incident is blot
on the State of West Virginia. The
Charleston Gazette, an ardent sup
porter of Mr. Roosevelt, has this to
say editorially about it:
This newspaper has had no part
In the row between Senator Rush
Eolt and the w. P. A.
But We do believe in free speech.
Hence, we believe that if admirers
Of the w. p. A. intend to conduct
campaign of suppression of this right
against Senator Holt, they will be
doing themselves and their cause
great harm.
LAS a citizen and as an elected
high official. Senator Holt has right
to express his views in public with
out being subjected to storm of boos
and catcalls which make it impossible
for him to be heard
THE right of free speech in this
country is a good deal more impor-
tant than a row between Senator
Holt and the w. P. A."
Not all the labor leaders agree with
the tactics pursued in Paramount. One
of them took occasion to write Sem
ator Holt to that effect But there
Is a dangerous spirit rampant in this
State because of the bitter feeling
that labor warfare has engendered in
the past.
Labor Scars Left.
The dissension is not confined to
one or the other of the parties. In
side the Democratic party, for in
stance, Is a conservative group which
in the primary election took the
measure of the candidate for Gov
ernor sponsored by John L. Lewis,
head Of the coal miners. This has
left scars and the shift of the labor
vote in the coming gubernatorial race
Is likely to decide it.
All sorts of talk may be heard here
about deals and trades. One report
Is that certain Democrats aren't so
much interested in the Roosevelt
ticket but in getting support for the
Democratic nominee for Governor,
and are willing to trade votes for
1andon in order to get votes for
Homer G. Holt, the Democratic NOM
inee for Governor. Another report is
that the Republicans are so eager
to elect Summers Sharp as Governor
that they are willing to forget the
national ticket.
Sharp Mentions u. S. Issues.
was informed by one prominent |
Democrat that in none of his speeches
Is Mr.. Sharp mentioning Landon. But |
upon investigation I found that my |
Democratic friend has been the VIC |
tim of misinformation. I talked to |
three persons who had heard several |
Of Mr.. Sharp's speeches and they said |
he had mentioned Landon and de- |
voted at least one-third of his talks |
to national questions.
Probably the impression arose be-
cause the newspapers are more inter- |
ested in what a gubernatorial candi-
date says on State issues than they
are on national questions, and they
haven't space to print all the speeches
which all the candidates make.
West Virginia has huge labor vote. |
1t has the balance of power. If it is
cast solidly for Mr.. Roosevelt, he will
win the State, although there is a
chance that the country districts may
poll an unusually heavy vote and
'counterbalance it. AS for the labor |
vote, the Republicans are endeavoring |
to point out that apart from the labor |
questions, the citizen faces hardships |
. II present New Deal policies are
continued.
Thus, in West Virginia a pay cut |
Is coming on January /, ordered by
the Roosevelt administration in the
form of a payroll tax. At least
$3.50 900 a year and possibly more
= will be taken out of the pockets of the
coal miners for so-called social Sc
curity" But the miners cannot get
any of this money back till 1912.
The Democrats are in high hopes Of
carrying the State by $4,000 or more,
which is what Mr.. Roosevelt carried it
by in 1882. This seems high figure,
as Gov. Landon is much stronger
candidate in West Virginia than was
Mr.. Hoover. The fight that Senator
Holt has made about extravaganza and
waste in the w. P. A. has undoubtedly
made an impression that will be re-
Elected in some protest votes.
Employment in West Virginia is 80
per cent above 1929. and yet there are
$4,000 persons on relief. Business is
booming and the don't-want-a-change
argument is being worked overtime by
the Democrats, while the Republicans
are using the who-is-going -to-pay-
1or-it attack to arouse anti-New Deal
sentiment.
My own impression is that West
Virginia might possibly 60 for Gov.
Iandon by between 5000 and 10000
votes If the country vote grows in the
next couple weeks and if labor divides |
more along party lines than appears
on the surface. But If I had to ap-
praise the situation as of today, would |
saY West Virginia is a Roosevelt State. !