Evening star., 1936-08-30

kind or another. 1t has been gener-
ally supposed that those on relief
would vote the Democratic ticket-al-
though that idea is disputed.
5000 on Relief Projects.
At present there are about 5000 per-
sons employed through the w. P. A. in
Maine, of whom 5000 are on definite
work relief projects and 1000 repair
ing flood damage and are not all,
strictly speaking. on relief. The flood
in Maine early in the year did vast
amount Of damage, and more than
200 bridges and many roads are being
repaired. The money Is coming from
the Federal Treasury.
Tugwell's resettlement projects are
giving work to some, and there are
still about 1000 workers at Passama-
quoddy, where the tides were to be
harnessed to produce electricity.
incidentally, when President Roose-
welt was in Maine few weeks ago,
he said in effect that he hoped to
have the Quoddy project continued.
But the people in Maine are bit
leary of that promise, in the light OF
the attitude of Congress toward this
project, which was to have cost some
$40, 100000.
Brann is a great advertiser. He is
making the most of what he has done
toward getting Federal funds for
Maine. Just the other day he rushed
down to Castine to announce that the
Government had finally come through
with approval Of the construction Of
the Deer Island Bridge, to cost $780,
eral Government grants s315,000 and
loans $685., 900 for this bridge. The
project has been held in allegiance for
long time. The decision to 60 ahead
with it was announced at a physcholog-
ical time, and Gov Brann was on deck
to claim credit for this project al
though the States cooperation in
the bridge building was pledged by
both the Legislature and the voters
in special election last year.
Living Cost Has Effect.
Inquiry among those who have to
do with the common man and also
woman, in Maine, reveals the fact that
the higher costs of living, particularly
for food, is having its political effect,
and that there is trend among
them from the New Dealers, and from
the Democratic administration on that
account. The dollar bill Is not buy
ing what it did, and the women who
have to do the buying do not like it.
This condition Is having an Offset ef-
feet, when increased employment is
considered. Increased private en-
ployment is shown from the fact that
5000 workers on w. P. A. rolls have
been returned to private industry.
How much of this is seasonal it is not
possible to say. But the Winter
is expected to bring an increase In
relief rolls, despite the fact that some
of the industries are decidedly on the
up and up, including the Bath Iron
Works, which has been awarded more
contracts for naval construction.
The newspapers in Maine, generally
speaking. are Republican, and they are
lining up against the New Deal solid
ly. Here in Portland, however, the
New Dealers have one important
organ-the Portland Evening News.
1t is being edited most effectively by
Norman Baxter, who came here from
the Democratic National Committee
to take charge of the paper, which
had ceased publication. The under
standing here Is that Democratic
money from some source had been
rushed in to take care of the running
of the paper at least for the duration
of the campaign.
Both sides are working like beavers
in this Maine campaign. Some speak
ers have been imported on both sides.
Col. Frank Knox, the G. o. p. vice
presidential nominee. is to spend .
couple of days in the State. Maine
Republicans sought in every way to
have Gov. Landon stretch his recent
Eastern tour to this State, believing
! that it would have been a considerable
aid to stirring up interest and getting
the Republican vote out in the Sep
tember election. Landon, however,
failed to accept the invitation.
Other Republicans who have come