Evening star., 1936-09-11
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WIFE.

Somebody or something has galvan-
lied the Landon campaign with new life
Hardly any other Interpretation can be
placed upon the Governors decision to
wade into the fight in Maine at the
eleventh hour. 1t is the Roosevelt
touch-dramatic, colorful, imagination
gripping-and has some of the earmarks
of q master stroke. If Maine goes Re-
publican in a big way the Kansan's
sortie may even come to be regarded as
q stroke of genius. The trip is unques-
tionably q concession to Republican
leaders who are insisting that the Lam
don campaign is sadly in need of more
punch. These critics have feared that
the Governor was creating the impress
sion-in the language OF the prize ring
of q man "out on his feet; t.e., still ur
there and going through the motions
of combat, but incapable of striking
effective blows. Landons decision to in
wade Maine under conditions that chal-
lenge national attention shows that his
combative spirit is by no means an
nihilated-that, in fact, he has just be-
gun to fight. One of the more politically
minded members of the Roosevelt cabi-
net, soon after the Cleveland conven-
ton, predicted that the Landon candi-
dacy would "blow up" by d-September.
If there was ever any real danger Of that,
the Governors expedition into New Eng
land Is designed to remove 1t.
It is reasonable to expect that the Re-
publican standard bearers new mill
fancy will infect and affect the whole
G. o. p. campaign, and that all along
the line reservation and restraint will
steadily give way to two-fisted methods
and effort Republican success in Maine
would, of course, be of tremendous psy-
Geological value. 1t would infuse party
workers everywhere with the conviction
that an aura of victory surrounds the
presidential nominee. Conversely. defeat
for the elephant will have an undeniably
depressing effect. It is with full realiZa-
ton of the value or the damage that
may accrue from the Maine election that
Gov. Landon dareS to intrude his per-
sonality into the contest in spectacular
fashion. Evidently he thinks glory is
just around the corner down East and
that he can afford to gamble. Come
what may, the venture stamps the Gov
ernor as q man not devoid Of intestinal
investiture, the quality which American
voters invariably esteem In aspirants for
public of1ce. 49,.
Republican hopes of smashing the
solid South again this year-never very
well founded-have received another
Knockout blow in President Roosevelt's
adopted State of Georgia. Senator Rus
sells devastating defeat of Gov. Tai
madge constitutes an administration vic
tory in . typical Dixie community ex-
actly like the ones recently scored by
Pat Harrison in Mississippi and Jim
Byrnes In South Carolina. In all three
States, opposition to denomination Of the
incumbent Senators was distinctly anti
Roosevelt In hue, so that the New Deal
Is entitled to crow Justify over the re-
suits. Georgia's reputation of Talmadge
is especially significant because the red
suSpendered Governor was the chief In
spiration behind the shipwrecked at
tempt to organize Democratic revolt in
the cotton and tobacco belts. The South
IS still. solid.
One Of the phenomena Of . campaign
stnsularly dsst;tuts of striking develop.
ments u "A incident at the Escent Rs