Evening star., 1937-09-06

TO SOLVE QUERIES
Primaries 10 Days Hence to
Indicate Strength of La
Dor, Guffey, New Deal.

CratlC Governor IN 1850:
How strong a factor will labor be
In that election?
And what will happen to the poiit-
ical fortunes of United States Senator
Joseph Guffey?
The first inkling of the answers to
those three questions, the most i'm
portant questions in Pennsylvania
politics today, will appear in the pri-
mary elections eight days hence.
To Republicans, the answers are
important in any estimate of the ele-
plants chances to get back into the
White House in 1910, for Pennsylvania
was the Republican keystone until
Democratic Gov George H. Earle
was elected in 1884. And the Repub-
licans are looking to Pittsburgh as to
Weathervane
Here lies the biggest factor of the
off-year balloting, the campaign for
mayor. 1t centers on two attempted
Comebacks:
Democrats Lead.
I. At the primary, William N
McNalr. Plttsburgh's one-time bolster
GUS and flddle-playing mayor, will
learn the outcome of his soap box
campaign to be sent back to the may
or's office from which he resigned a
year ago during a fight with Demo-
cratic party bosses.
2. Allegheny County's (Pittsburgh)
Republican party will discern at the
November general election whether it
must continue its unaccustomed role
at second fiddle.
Republican managers are trying
hard to forget or erase the story told
by these figures:
In 1929 there were 6,400 registered
Democrats in the county, overwhelmed
by approximately 100000 registered
Republicans.
On the eve of this years primaries
the Democrats have better than l800(
lead in registrations in the county out
side Pittsburgh.
In the city the registration stands:
Democrats. 1886.
Republicans, 1921.
Four Democrats Hoping.
Four Democratic candidates seek tc
carry their party's banner in the No
vember fight Two Republican can
didates are out for their party's nom-
t1lation.
The real fight is between Mayor
Cornelius D. Scully, who succeeded
McNair by election of the Democrat tic
controlled City Council, and P. j. Nc
Ardle. one-time labor leader.
To McNair it is just another cleo
ton. During 20 years of unsuccessful
campaigning he got used to being or
the losing end of Republican land
slides until the 1888 Democratic ava.
lanche swept him into Office and sur.
prised him "as much as anybody
Tom Wilson, conductor on one o1
the inclines that haul people anc
trucks up Pittsburgh's hillsides, also
is Democratic candidate, but he
hasn't said much since McNair en-
tered the fight.
Robert N. Waddell, former foot bal
coach at Carnegie Institute of Tech
nology. carries the backing of the
Republican County Committee. in his
SoA1bCSV NAlil All SldyOl
A. Magee for the Republican NOM
ination.
Earle -Guffey Switch?
The cynosure is the Pittsburgh con-
test and what it holds for l938-anc
even perhaps for the 1910 presiden-
tial election.
Gov. Earle will step out Of the ex-
~ 70 ~,
uary l, 1899, and two months before
that time Pennsylvania will have tc
name his successor.
Senator Joseph F. Guffey, who has
ridden consistently on John L. Lewis
labor band wagon, is mentioned fire.
quently as likely Democratic choice
Tor the governorship.
LADDERS close to both Guffey anc
Earle say that Earle may exchange
Jobs with the Senator to be nearer
the White House, which he has sale
he would not seek to occupy as Presi.
dent in 1940 There are plenty O.
political dopesters who aren't so sure
about that as the Governor.
To Guffey the vote on September
IA will be more than a primary elec.
ton. Since he is the recognized boss
OF the State organization, it will bt
Tor him test of the popularity O.
his declaration that Democratic Cd.
ponents Of President Roosevelts Su.
preme Court REVISION bill should bt
chastised.
And Pinchot, Too
Then there's Thomas Kennedy
Lieutenant Governor and interna.
tional secretary-treasurer of thu
United Mine Workers of America
His name was suggested by John L
Lewis at a labor banquet last Win
ter as the kind of man labor woult
like to see follow Earle
Kennedy is also being talked of as
possible opponent against Senator
James j. Davis if Davis is nominate,
to succeed himself as the States Re
publican and senior Senator in 1895
In Philadelphia Mayor S. Davi
Wilson has already announced tha
he will be candidate for Governor
In effect he has started campaignin
already by charging State moto
policeman with tapping the telephon
wires to his office.
The cigar smoking mayor said h
would run as the peoples candidate
to "vindicate" himself He didn
say on which party.
And whenever Pennsylvania poll
tics are discussed the name of Pinche
is certain to bob up. While Giffor
Pinchot, twice Governor, has main
tanned silence, his friends have bee
booming him In Northwestern farm
ing sections and in the Johnstown ste,
district.