Evening star., 1936-09-20
FAR WEST TREND
!. T0C0NSERVAT|SM
Washington Vote Analysis
Brings Shift in Tactics
of Roosevelt.
BY JAMES DeK. BROWN,


SEATTLE. September 19.-Both
Democratic and Republican leaders
in the State are still carefully ana
lying the results of the recent pri-
mary In an effort to determine Just
what encouragement can be drawn
for the coming presidential campaign.
1t IS generally conceded by both
sides that the primary, the first time
the new blanket ballot was used,
shows q breakdown Of partisan ranks
all along the line, with virtually one
third Of the vote in the State inde-
pendent and likely to 60 in any direc-
ton.
Gov. Clarence D. Martin, Demo-
cratic conservative, defeated his clos
est opponent, John c. Stevenson. left
wing leader. and holding the indorse-
ment of the Commonwealth Fedora
tion, the so-called E. P. I. c. group,
by approximately 10000 votes. 1t is
roughly estimated that this is ap-
proximately the number Of Republic
can votes the Governor was rendered
in the fight to prevent the nomination
Of Sinclairism follower as chief ex-
ecutive.
Hartley Vote Small.
On the other hand, former Gov.
Roland H. Hartley, conservative Re-
publican, drew q small vote, compare
lively speaking. but large enough to
completely swamp candidates filed as
Republicans, who made appeals to the
ultra progressive and left-wing fol-
lowers. In both parties conservative
candidates were nominated.
One peculiar phase of the vote Is
the fact that in the home districts" !"
that is, in campaigns for county COM
missioners and close legislative con-
tests. wherever there was no contest
for the nomination on either side, the
Republicans drew the largest vote, but
where there was q contest on the
Democratic side between a right and
left wing Democrat, the right-wing
candidate was nominated by vote
which indicated heavy influx of con-
servative Republican voters into the
Democratic primaries.
This was marked in all Of the
counties of the State. The voters are
turning rapidly back toward conserva-
tism. and. incidentally, have caused a
rather sharp shift in campaign tao
tics of the Roosevelt leaders in the
State. Although it has been generally
conceded that President Roosevelt
would be given the undivided support
of both left and right wing Demo-
Gratis, was strong with organized labor
and the railroad brotherhoods and
should hold the agrarian vote, there
Is q change In sentiment.
Unrest Due to Racketeering.
One reason for this is apparently
due largely to the unrest in labor
ranks and among agrarians over labor
racketeering In the larger urban cen
ters and the resultant suspension Of
the largest morning paper in the field.
There has been q strong reaction
against labor, and this, in turn, has
tended to increase a growing dissatis-
faction with the national administra-
tons representatives sent here to try
and settle the trouble.
1t is not helping the Roosevelt move
ment and is causing trend toward
the Lemke third party. Candidate
Lemke is assured rousing reception
through Eastern Washington, and.
although he will not draw more than
a hatful of votes, it is more than
likely that this vote will spell the
difference between defeat and victory
for the Democrats in the national
campaign.