Evening star., 1936-03-16
NEW DEAL TEST
IN OHIO AWAITED
Primaries Also to Be Ba-
r0meter of Contest in
6. O. P. Ranks.

Editors note-Thts is the first
of series of Associated Press dis
patches presenting grnsSroots
utew OF State political situations
as they affect the national pre-.
convention scene).
BY the Associated eress.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, March I6.-In-
dustrial and agricultural Ohio, pre-
senting a balanced cross-section Of
urban and rural voters, will supply the
Nation through its May IL primary
with both a test of New Deal popu-
larity and vigorous contest between
Republican liberals and party reg
ulars.
Democrats will have an oppor-
tunity to register their stand on the
Roosevelt administrations acts and
policies when the President and Col.
Henry Breckenridge of New York, out
spoken New Deal critic, clash in the
normally impotent presidential prefer
ence primary.
RUoscNcit tCtOry assured.
Regardless Of the outcome, however.
Mr.. Roosevelt is assured of the States
81 delegate votes in the Philadelphia
convention. Breckenridge will not con-
test in this division and the preferen-
tial primary result does not bind the
delegation.
Democratic chieftains are planning
a drive for large vote in the pop
ularity contest" intent upon citing it
as barometer of New Deal sentiment.
President Roosevelt polled l,301,695
Ohio votes in the 1882 elections, a
plurality Of approximately $4,000 over
Herbert Hoover.
Sharing the Ohio spotlight with the
evelt-Breckinridge fight is the
battle between Senator William E.
Borah of Idaho and the Republican
State organization for control Of the
Buckeye delegation to the Cleveland
convention.
Borah entered the Ohio fight In the
face Of a settled plan by the State
leaders to choose "favorite son" or
uninstructed delegation as a means of
avoiding factional strife. The Idahoan
and his hackers contended, however,
that the organizations program would
not give Republican voters an oppor-
tunity to express their actual choice
OF candidates. Borah argued that all
candidates should enter the primaries
and let the voters decide between them,
Landon Gets Majority.
The State Committee countered
with a Statewide poll of party mem
bers which gave Gov. ALT M. Landon
OF Kansas a clear majority-56 per
cent-while Borah polled less than q
per cent.
The Kansas Governor and other
potential candidates declined to ente.
against Borah and the State Col.
mittee, led by Chairman Ed D. Schorr
reverted to its original plan to selec
uninstructed delegates by the "favoriu
son" route. Robert A. Taft of Gin.
cinnati, son of the late President WI,
liam Howard Taft, was selected fo:
the honor.
Borah will come to Ohio with sue.
hackers as former United States Sen.
ator Roscoe c. McCulloch, Daniel E
Morgan. former Cleveland city man
ager, and John S. Knight, Akron pub
Usher. Some influential leaders. who
indicated friendly interest at the out
SET have failed thus far to give the
Idahoan their active support.
BorahS entry was regarded as
broader in purpose than securing the
pivotal Ohio delegation. Liberal ele-
ments described his candidacy rs an
effort to crystalline sentiment against
present Republican leadership through
out the Nation, and argued than an
Ohio victory would work toward lib
eralization of the G. o. P.
In such maneuver, the State Or
ganization's decision helped to draw
tighter the liberal-regular issue. In
Ohio it will be Borah against the
field"
The organization slate Of delegate
candidates includes representatives of
most of the other potential presi-
SoAANAOdtco, Will 1IlelQS OF
Gov. Landon predominating.
Bid for Conservative Support.
On the other hand, Borah's selec-
ton Of Frank E. Gannett, Rochester,
N. Y, publisher, as his second
choice" candidate was regarded by
many here as a bid for conservative
support. Organization leaders have
termed Borah radical" and have
contended that he advocated soft
and supported many New Deal
measures.
Leaders of the party regulars have
refused to concede Borah even an
outside chance to win any substantial
number of delegates, and argued that
he will show strength only in q few
industrial districts.
Borah hackers now maintain that
presence of Walter F. Brown, Post
master General in the Hoover admin
istration, on the ''favorite-son" slate
means it will pe under his influence
to support the former President. State
leaders deny this, citing the commit
tees action in turning away from
Hoover last December when the COM
mittee decided to support an unin-
structed delegation.
Chief State interest in the primary
centers around the opposition to re-
nomination Of Gov. Martin L. Davey,
an avowedly consistent supporter Of
President Roosevelt. but at Seri.