Evening star., 1936-10-09

high hopes Of winning Hamilton
County, yet they are plainly worried.
Their worries are numerous.
First, there's the colored vote. 1t
used to be predominantly Republican.
Now the Democrats have made in
roads. It's toss-up Both parties are
promising the moon, and the colored
voter never had such attention.
Then there's the relief workers.
They are being organized, apparently,
to vote for the New Deal.
Appeal to Self-Supporting.
The Republicans are trying hard to
win the groups that are straying from
the Republican fold, but, while they
may succeed in some instances, the
relief workers group seems lost to
them completely BY an exposure of
what the New Deal is doing the Re
publicans evidently hope to find self
supporting citizens who will resent
the use of Government influence or
coercion of relief workers and vote as
a matter Of protest against the pro-
cedure.
The campaign reeks with charges of
Federal influence upon relief workers,
but in Cincinnati affidavits have just
been published which tell the story in
rather vivid simplicity
Benjamin Ellington. former P. w.
A. worker, swears that Col. S. w.
Moulding, sr., superintendent of con-
struction on the Green Hills Federal
project, called a meeting of w. P. A.
worker to organize a Roosevelt club.
Here is an extract from the affidavit
of Ellington, who attended the meet
ing
Col S. w Moulding. sr., announced
that the dues of the organization
would be 81 per year and that all
workers in the Green Hills Federal
project would be expected to con-
tribute ST to the organization, wheth-
er present at the meetings or not. He
thereupon introduced to the meeting
Mr.. John w. Barrett, president of the
'Non-Partisan Democratic League of
Hamilton County who addressed the
meeting.
Cites Duty to Join.
Mr. Barrett impressed upon those |
present that 1t was their obligation to !
Join and become active members of |
the Roosevelt Non-PartiSan League, |
since President Roosevelt was provid- |
ing the money that made possible |
their jobs at the Green Hills Federal |
project and that Republicans should |
not be on the Democratic pay roll
"Mr. Barrett further discussed the |
Advisability Of the organization affil- |
saying that Col. S. w. Moulding, ST., |
who was from the Washington Office, |
would probably be able to do them |
more good if they SO affiliated. |
'Mr. Barrett in his remarks took |
issue with Col. Moulding's statement |
that the reelection of President |
Roosevelt was a certainty, saying that
every effort must be put forth for the
President in Hamilton County.
Mr.. Barrett summarized his argu- |
lment by saying that if Roosevelt were
defeated, instead of their getting big ,
ger and better jobs, they would have /
no jobs at all"
There are other incidents of the /
meeting recited In this and other affi-
davits, but the sum total impression
as the same-somebody is permitting |
Government employees to be influenced
to vote for the Roo/evelt administra-
tion, and there is a perceptible propa-
ganda being circulated among persons
on relief to make them believe the
money they are receiving does not
come from the taxpayerS generally,
but from political group in Wash
lngton.
In State after State I have visited
the New Deal party henchmen talk
openly about the relief vote they ex-
pect to get.
The heavy registration in many
large cities would appear to be fruits
of their effort. In some States the
relief vote may be the balance of
power. 1t certainly might become so
in Hamilton County, though to be sure
the Republicans are being stimulated
to redouble their efforts to find citi-
Eens who resent the tactics being used
to organize the relief workers
My own impression of Hamilton
County is that intensive organization
will be required to get out vote to
match that of the controlled relief
vote.
The Republicans have had their
party squabbles here, but it is signif-
cant that they are more harmonious
than ever behind the Landon can
didacv. Thus. men like Mayor Russell |