The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1936-10-23
EDITORIAL
POLITICS HOLD HEADLINES

POLITICS HOLD HEADLlNEo
Politics holds lust about all the headlines now. The
great day November is Just ahead and the candidates
are making their big drives the editorial writer's are wear
ing out typewriter ribbons the poll makers busy for q
hours day and the political analysts growing haggard
seeking to forecast the winner
It has been many year since political analysis was SO
dcnor so hazardous Reason for that IS that this year
great number of what termed political ncalculabes
have arisen ncacuabs may make past precedents
worthless
For example the old party lines may not have been
broken but they certainly have been badly bent Outside
OF the South which is still overwhelmingly Democratic and
New England which is strongly Republican matters are
chaotic in the extreme It used to be that the Republican
candidate elections could count on the far
western states with almost absolute certainty Today the
Pacific Coast states ong with several bordering states
are generally conceded to Mr. Roosevelt by preudced OBJ
servers
It also used to be that Democratic candidates
ny campaigns such those of 1920 and 1924 In which the
republicans had election cnched before the nomn-
nscoud count on carrying some OF the big seaboard
dusral states Today most polls show Roosevelt trailing
states and think that he has better chance
carry Pennsylvania which has cast its electoral vote
Tor Democrat in generations than New York New Jer-
ey
Roth Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Landon seeking to APP
peal to voters in all camps trying to make their cam
pagns bipartisan possible far odtme party
divisions concerned That also true of the platforms
the old Democratic plea for states rights etc. been
pretty well dropped and the Republicans who stood
for centralized government now standing for less
centralized government
One of the biggest 'ncaculables is How many voters
have shifted their party allegiance in the last few years? In
1892 number of leading Republicans deserted Hoover and
out for Hoover took one of the worst
beatngs history In 1896, number of leading Demo
Gratis deserted Roosevelt and out for Landon
and everyone specializing how many followers they
can turn against the New Deal
Most aggressiveic Democrat anti-New Dealer is AL
St felt In quarters that his speeches denounc-
ing the Administration may shift vast number of votes.
Ex-senator Reed another Democrat whose speeches OPP
posing Roosevelt bitter than those of the Re
pubIcans considerable list of other Jefersonian Demo-
Gratis who following suit could be made.
On the other hand not all of the conservative Demo
Gratis have left the New Deal Senator Glass; who is as big
figure have in national politics today has
ed that he will support Roosevelt even though oppos
most Administration policies Reasons: He feels that if
Roosevelt reelected Democratic Senators will reasser the
independence, and viii not have to unccaly obey White
House ORDERS because the President cannot again. An
other Jefersonan Democrat will speak for the Pres
SECRETARY of State Hull cabinet member who has
constantly grown in prestige since his appointment
However it is beyond argument that detection of
oldine Democrats from New Deal ranks is worrying the
heads of the party So is the detection of odne Democrat
newspapers such as the Baltimore Sun and the St Louis
Post Dispatch And is the detection of prominent pub
csts who were Mr. Roosevelt 1882 are Mr.
Landon of whom Walter Lppman is the most import
ant.
All the polls though most of them show Roosevelt still
leading show that many voters who for him in 1882
against him That is naturan that year. the Re-
publican the thnnest history But the
POLLS show also that there voters who voted for
in 1882 who will vote for Roosevelt this year.
So this vastly important incalcuabe is the biggest
topic of thought It is important that Frank Kent
las written is all there is to the campagnthat if
tere are enough antNew Deal Democrats who will switch
to Landon he will win If there not, Mr. Roosevets
election is certainty