Evening star., 1936-09-27
ROOSEVELT, KNOX
SPEAK THURSDAY
Democrats Need Industrial
Votes to Carry State in
November.
BY WALTER d. ROOS,

aA1t1S4ObOEtN, IA, Oepl6LuDcI 40.
War paths Of big chiefs Of the rival
presidential campaigns will cross in
Pittsburgh next Thursday in dra-
matte fight for the votes of industrial
Western Pennsylvania.
President Roosevelt and Col Frank
Knox will speak at competing rallies
In that city on the same day.
The plan for the rival shows is
regarded by Democrats as a smart
stroke Of political strategy to steal
the thunder from the rally upon
which the Republicans have counted
heavily.
To open the final month OF inten-
sive campaigning in the political bad
lands" west of the Allegheny Noun
tains, the Republicans had arranged
their Pittsburgh rally as G. o. P.
field day. A meeting of their State
Committee, a large city rally later
in the day. and their vice presidential
nominee as the speaker at both, were
planned to give their final drive big
send-off Those arrangements had
been known for two weeks before 1t
was announced the President would
speak in the same city that day.
Plan Meeting Five Times as Large.
In selection of speaking sites, the
Democrats also believe they have out
generated their opponents. They have
set the stage for a meeting five times
as large as the Knox rally, because
Of the obvious psychological effect.
Knox will speak in Duquesne Gar
dens, with 5000 seating capacity.
The President will speak at Forbes
Field, home grounds of the Pittsburgh
Pirates, where he spoke in the 1892
campaign. The base ball field will
seat 10000. The Presidents popu-
larity in the district and the efforts
Of Democratic workers on Federal,
State, county and city pay rolls, make
1t very likely the field can be filled to
Its capacity.
The rival rallies will be held in the
metropolis Of an industrial district
which has gone more and more
heavily Democratic in recent years.
Pittsburgh is the center of the steel
industry, which the Presidents pollt-
ical ally, John L. Lewis. is now trying
to unionize. Surrounding the city
also are bituminous counties where
Lewis United Mine Workers Union
Is strong and active for the President.
Because the vast majority Of votes
in the section are cast by the mine
and steel workers, labor and social
security are expected to receive promi-
nent attention in the speeches of both
Roosevelt and Knox.
The concentration Of both parties
upon the Pittsburgh district demon
.strates the belief of campaign chair
men that the winning Of Pennsyl-
vania's SO electoral votes depends
chiefly upon the size Of the Roosevelt
majority west of the Allegheny
Mountains.
Battle Is in Western Section.
The returns Of the 1882 and 1884
elections, and the registra ton figures
for 1896, indicate that If the Demo-
Gratis are to make good their promise
to carry Pennsylvania for Roosevelt.
they must do so by building up the
majorities they have been polling in
the western end of the State. Con-
versely, If the Republicans hope to
continue their s0-year record in pres
idential campaigns, they must hold the
majority west of the mountains below
the point where it can wipe out what
ever majority they may be able to poll
In Philadelphia and in the strongly
Republican rural counties of central
Pennsylvania.
The slide Of the western counties
into the Democratic column began in
1882. Allegheny County, which in
cludes Pittsburgh, gave Roosevelt 81
500 lead. Five populous coal and in
dustrial counties on its border ran
this lead up to $4,000. This lead was
virtually wiped out by Philadelphia 5
Hoover majority of more than 10000,
enabling the rural counties to furnish
the Republican votes which gave
Hoover his l57, 500 lead.
In 1884, the western third of the
State moved almost bodily into the
Democratic column. George H. Earle,
Democrat, was elected Governor by
5000 plurality, but would have been
defeated without Allegheny County's
$4,000 lead. Twenty-three counties
west of the mountains elected solid
delegation OF 13 representatives in
their districts, and gave l52,572 DEM
ocratic lead. of which 1894 was fur
nished by the six counties clustering
around Pittsburgh.
100000 Lead Predicted by Earle.
This year, the objective of the DEM
ocratic campaign is to increase their
majority west Of the mountains
enough to enable that end Of the State
to decide the election. Gov. Earle has
predicted 200, 900 lead for Roosevelt in
the west. Democrats have been
claiming Philadelphia, but actually
hope to hold the Landon lead there to
$4,000 or $4,000. or even less. If they
can achieve both these objectives, they
believe the western majority will be
large enough not only to cancel the
Philadelphia vote but also wipe out
the Republican majority expected in
the numerous but small rural counties.
Some of the western counties north
Of Pittsburgh which went Democratic
two years ago are regarded as Repub-
'lican territory by small margins this
year. To Offset that switch, the DEM
ocrats must poll heavier majorities in
Allegheny County and the populous
coal and industrial counties surround
ing it. Democratic registrations indi-
cate these counties may give Roose-
welt larger majorities this year than
they did Earle in 1884, but to reach
the 200, 900 majority west Of the noun
tains the Democrats believe Allegheny
Countys $500 for Roosevelt IN 1882
and $4,000 for Earle in 1884. must be
increased to 125.00o this year.
That Is why the Presidents Penn
sylvania speech was set for Pittsburgh.
It also Is understood to be the rea-
son why it was timed for the same day
as the Knox rally In order to detract
from whatever aid the Republican rally
might have given Landon in the Sec
g. I~,,:1L l. IL