The Washington times., 1936-09-14
ENDS
OVERTURE FOR
CAMPAIGN
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
International News Service

New York, and Wisconsin, bring
to close the voting preliminaries
Of the campaign. After tomorrow
1t will be a six weeks Straightaway
to decision day on November 3.
The politicians eyes are TO
cuSSed on Maine, not particularly
because they take any stock in that
old bromide that "aS goes Maine,
so goes the nation" but because
the balloting in Maine offers the
first actual indication of which
way the electoral winds are blow
ing.
Potency Is Lost
The adage about At other States
in November following the lead OF
Maine in September has been dis
proved so often that it has lost its
potency with the politicians. Straw
votes and other improved methods
Of aScertaining the State of public
sentiment have outmoded the
Maine election as a political ba-
rometer. Nevertheless, there are
WI Oh1I1 DcS1O IIlCO11C 4CdOAA46o w OS
found in the initial balloting of the
political season, and it is these
that the politicians will be looking
for in Maine today.
The Republicans are confident
and rightly So-of carrying
Maine. They always have ma
tionally. Maine has never cast
her electoral vote for a Democrat
for the presidency, save in 1912.
when Woodrow Wilson squeezed
through on a minority vote, due to
the Republican split. Names Re
rublicanism nationally has always
been as rock-ribbed as her shores,
despite the occasional and infre-
quent election of a DeS ocratic
governor or Senator or Congress
man.
In fact, the average Republican
majority in Maine for so years
has been approximately 10000,
including 1912, and should the
Republican margin fall below that
figure tomorrow, there will be
grave disappointment in Republi-
can CHG.
Brann Is Popular
Still, the barometer there Is
somewhat clouded by the perso-
nalities Of today's balloting. Gov
ernor Louis j. Brann, Democrat.
is a popular figure. Hhe is run
ming for the Senate against the
Republican incumbent, Senator
Wallace White. Brann got him.
self elected in 80 by a few thou
sand votes, and in "a reelected
by $4,000, a most unusual and re
markable showing for a Democrat
in Maine.
Whatever hopes Of Democratic
victory there are in Maine-and
they are extremely low-rest with
Governor Brann. He might, they
say, buck the traditional Repub-
lican tide, but it is doubtful. The
election of a Republican governor
is accepted in Washington, even
by the New Dealers, as a foregone
conclusion. All the straw votes,
and all the so-called experts are
agreed upon that.
Governor Landon'S dramatic
and unexpected dash halfway
across the continent to wind up
the campaign in Portland lent
added interest to the Maine show.
Landon's visit followed by some
weeks President Roosevelt's ap-
pearance in the State, although
Mr.. Roosevelt was oStenSibly vaca-
tioning and not campaigning
when he went there to his sum-
mer camp.
Michigan Interesting
OF the primary elections tomor-
row, Michigan holds most of the
political interest. Michigan is a
doubtful State in November, a
battle ground, and she has 19
electoral votes, as compared with
Names six.
John Hamilton, chairman of
the Republican National Com
mittee, described Michigan here
last week as a battle-ground in
which he claimed the Republicans
"have a bit of an edge at this
time. Tomorrow's voting will
throw some interesting light on
that. -
In Michigan, too, there are COM
plications. the chief one being
Senator Jim" CouzenS, the
wealthiest man in the United
States Senate, and it's most indie
pendent member. CouzenS is run
ming for renomonation in the Re
publican primary, although he has
come out flat-footed and with
characteristic bluntneSs for the re-
election of President Roosevelt.
Couzen's opponent for the nomi-
nation is Ex-Governor Wilbur
Brucker, Legionnaire, and
former soldier.
Should CouZens win, there will
be great joy in the Democratic
camp. for it will be interpreted by
the Democrats as Michigan's in
dorsement of the New Deal. Even
should Brucker eliminate Couzens
in the Republican primary, the
pugnacious Senator would still be
a factor to be reckoned with in
November.
The political gossip around
Washington is that if Couzens is
defeated tomorrow and President
Roosevelt is reelected in Novem-