The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-30
FDR IN FRONT
AT THIS Time,
Stokes FINDS
President Is Popular With
haIlk and File, Tour of
u. S. Shows.
WEST AND SOUTH HIS
Strong G. 0. P. Opponent
Might Change Picture,
However, Is Hint.
BY THOMAS l.. STOKES
Times Special Writer

BY THOMAS l.. STOKES
Times Special Writer
WASHINGTON, March 3d.
President Roosevelt appears safe for
reelection as of today, eight
months before the balloting
This conclusion is based on a sur
vey which took the writer from the
Atlantic to the Pacific and from the
Gulf to the Canadian border and
which revealed still strong faith
in the President among the rank
and file-labor, the farmer, the
salaried worker, small business men
because of the improvement in
their lot under the New Deal.
The situation, of course, may
change between now and Nov 3.
Many things may happen. No hard
and fast forecast is possible at this
point. The caliber of the Repub-
lican nominee chosen to oppose the
President may have a decided effect
in the months between the conven-
lions and the election.
Mr.. Roosevelt has lost ground here
and there. particularly in the East,
but no evidence was discovered Of
that wholesale sweep which Repub-
licans were predicting few weeks
ago and which some said would pro-
duce an anti" vote such as re-
moved Herbert Hoover from the
White House, no matter who the
Republican nominee is.
AS yet no one has arisen in Re-
publican ranks with either per-
sonality or program that seems to
capture the popular imagination,
though the "build-up" is now in
progress, particularly around the
quiet Gov. ALI M. Landon of
Kansas.
Mr.. Roosevelt's hope of returning
to the White House hinges much
upon holding the West, and this is
manifest in the determination of
Republicans to nominate West
erner.
Still Strong in West
The President still is strong gen.
orally in the West. He holds firmly
the backlog in the South and will
carry every Southern state. At
tempts to dislodge him there, now
under the leadership of Gov. Eu-
gene Talmadge of Georgia, will be
unavailing.
At the present stage the Presi-
dent appears to have the edge in
sufficient Western states, along with
the South and border states, to
return him to the White House
with 266 electoral votes. majority
of the sci total. This is without
any consideration whatever to the
industrial Midwest and Eastern
states, some of which believe he
will carry
1t even leaves out New York, his
home state, which 1 believe he will
win.
The Western and Southern states
making up the 266 total are: Ala
bama, Arizona, Arkansas, Califor-
MIA, Florida, Georgia, Idaho. Iowa,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri Montana, Ne
braska, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas. Utah,
Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin
and either West Virginia or Mary
land, each of which has eight cleo
toral votes.
Maryland Less Doubtful
Maryland seems less doubtful now
with the death of Albert G. Richie,
New Deal foe.
Beyond this 266, apparently safe
as of today, there is, a considerable
margin in other states not included
in this minimum. The list leaves
out five Western states, Colorado,
Wyoming, the Dakotas and Kansas,
with a total of II electoral votes.
Emile Hurja. the New Deal election
prognosticator, who was so nearly
right in 1882 claims every state
west of the Mississippi.
Also not included are Indiana, IL
linois, Ohio. New York, Michigan,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware
and all of New England, with a
total of Isl electoral votes. New
England seems irretrievably lost.
though not conceded by Jim Farley.
Mr.. Roosevelt carried only two New
England states in 1892, MaSsachu-
setss and Rhode Island. Herbert
Hoover carried the four others and
Delaware and Pennsylvania to make
up his total of six.
The loss of AAA and MIRA has
RI 60 y,
low-Salaried white-collar worker
behind him.
AAA, NRA Losses Really Aid
The ordinary individual is not
deeply touched by the cry to balance
the budget-though it must be said
that some farmers are expressing
concern about debt since debt was
so long a personal goblin for them.
Nor is the average person alarmed
by charges of RECOMMENDATION, COM
munism, socialism. They don't care
so much by what name you call it.
as long as they are getting a break.
The American Liberty League is
more or less standing joke in the
West. 1t is proving an excellent
straw man for the Democrats.
Next to lax administration, most
complaints concern the New Deal
spending program. These come
chiefly from the business and finan-
cial fraternity. Republican attacks
on spending have made an impress
sion in the Middle West.