Evening star., 1936-10-14

Democrats and Republicans alike de-
rive cheer and comfort from the big
registrations piling up all over the coun-
try. Bearing out indications previously
reflected by the primaries. the expecta-
ton now Is that q popular vote OF at least
A, 500, 900 will be cast on November 3.
Some political Einsteins think $4,000 900
may be rolled up, dependent on the
degree to which Roosevelt. Landon and
minor spellbinders during the next three
weeks manage to make the electorate
vote minded. Both sides draw their own
conclusions from registration returns.
New Dealers are certain the figures de-
note a fierce popular determination to
preserve the gains of Roosevelt recov-
ery." Republicans believe just as i'm
plicitly that a prospective vote some
100000 larger than was cast in 1882
means that the country. especially the
traditional stay-at-home element and the
independents, are mobilizing in myriads
to smash the New Deal and all its
wasteful works. Even the Socialists,
Coughlin- Townsend Lemkeites and the
Communists are encouraged by the pros
pect of bumper crop of ballots. In all
cases, the wish is father to the thought.
n
No one takes livelier interest in ma
tional election at the zero hour than
LAWYER Simon Michelet OF washington,
founder of the National Get-Out-the-
Vote-Club." which he has been conduct
ing as a one-man show and purely as
a matter of public interest for the past
IL years. Mr.. Michelet, acknowledged
authority In his field, reckons that the
total number of American citizens quail
fed to vote is today close to $1,000, 900.
The number Of actual voters has been
ouadrennially increasing, although the
stay-at.home contingent has steaoily
been q considerable one. Even with
women voting the popular poll per.
centage in our time has never measured
up to the figures attained during the
s0s and '90s, when the vote usually ran
between 10 and IS per cent OF the
eligible total. Popular votes at the
last four elections were as follows: 1920,
26,7l3,s32: 1924, 29099,l3l; 1928, 36,S06,-
7s3. and 1882, 39,763,589. One OF Mr..
Michelet's cherished souvenirs Is letter
from the late Vice President Thomas n.
Marshall. Describing himself as dis
ciple of Emerson's theory that votes
should be weighed. not counted, the
Hoosier sage added that while he thor
oupnIv believed a citizen should do his
voting duty, he found himself IN violent
disa agreement with Jim Watson on that
subject. Jim doesn't want Democratic
votes to come out" Marshall explained,
" and I don't want Republican votes to
come out"
Fred G. Clark. national commander
of the Crusaders, in a recent broadcast
emphasized the importance OF every
single ballot cast. Recalling that Cleve-
land beat Blaine in 1884 through carry
ing New York by q majority OF only
1.i4e. Clark points out that 515 votes
more for Blaine and less for Cleveland
"would have changed the entire political
policy of the Nation" In 1883 Cleveland
carried Connecticut by 336 votes. A
difference of 1859 would have given the
STATE to Harrison. In 1908, out OF more
than TOO 900 votes, Taft beat Bryan in
Missouri by only $40. A shift OF $40
would have given Bryan the State. All
of us moderns remember how wilson
inst squeezed through for reelection IN
1915 by q razor-edge margin IN CAN
fornia.
Democrats have apparently taken the
hurdle that once loomed as the most
menacing threat to MI. RooseVeits re-
election-the possibility OF serious
slump in business before the END OF the
campaign, This does not mean that
New Deal victory Is now assured, out
the danger Of . prediction recession III