The Washington times., 1938-08-16
WEAKNESS seen
IN C A NJ P S OF
TYD|NCS, LEWIS
Senator Regarded As
Aiming Too High
By THEODORE HUNTLEY

paign aides, II not by the candl
dates themselves. They also be
come obvious in any survey of the
States principal political battle
grounds. 1t may be put this way
Tydings' weakness lies in aim
ing too high. His candidacy has
not caught the imagination of
voters at the bottom of the heap
Soundings indicate that Senator
TydingS will get the business, pro
fessional. college and upper-cruSt
groups and probably most of the
veterans.
FARM VOTE
He will also get a sizable farm
vote-perhaps more in some sec
tions than others. But as things
stand he does not appear to have
cracked the labor vote appreci.
ably, nor does he rea ach the
''roughneck vote" which is sWayed
by prejudice.
Lewis weakness, more serious
lies in lack of organization. Some
Of his campaign aides also are
making a bad impression on those
who want to be for him. That,
however, is a minor matter.
BIG WEAKNESS
The big weakness Of the Lewis
campaign is lack of money and
lack of organizing br aims, ex-
perience and drive. There is a
potential Lewis vote in several sec
tions that no one seems to be doing
anything about, whereas his op-
ponent has an active and effec-
tive organization in most of the
counties of the State.
Campaign techniques W whic h
have won for New Deal candidates
in other States appear to be lost
on the Lewis managers. Or If not
ignored, they are not applied.
There is an anti-TydingS vet
erans' vote which is ripe for organ
ization. There is farm vote
which should be had. The job ap-
pears too big for those now run
ming the Lewis campaign. Or they
haven't the funds to build a quick,
effective organization OF Lewis
workers in spots where it would
count.
On the other side of the fac
tional fence the TydingS weak
ness was expressed succinctly by
one of his campaign aides:
1.-The campaign is too damned
dignified.
HIGH SPOTS
It hits the high spots, catches
the intellectualS and ropes in
most of the county politicians OF
the old Ritchie organization not
identified with the New Deal or
with pronounced New Deal lean
ings. 1t makes a superficial ap-
peal to the farmers and labor
elements in the higher wage
brackets.
Some of the veterans of the
State are not only not with Ty-
dings, but vociferously against
him - aggressively antagonistic-
on the bonus issue. On form,
however, he should get most of
them. 1t is the "underdog" he
needs to be sure of winning by a
safe margin-the "underfed, I'm
derclothed and underprivileged." !"
POINT FOR SENATOR
One thing in Tydings' favor is
that there are not so many "un-
derprivileged" in Maryland as in
most other Eastern States. Where
incomes are above the average,
Tydings is strong. He becomes
progressively weaker politically as
earnings drop down the scale to
little or nothing.
Although the Tydings brain
trust figures on getting some of
the WPA vote, on the theory that
WPA workers are dissatisfied and
for that reason will be "ag'in the
Government" that is not the way
it has worked out in other States.
The WPA was for Senators Cara
way in Arkansas, Pope in Idaho
and Barley in Kentucky-al New
Dealers. Organized labor also
supported them, as it is support
ing Lewis in Maryland.
IDAHO BALLOT
OF this trio, only Pope lost. and
he lost largely through a Republi-
can Stratagem adopted at the last
minute which threw several thous-
and votes to his opponent in the
Democratic primary a trick made
possible by new ballot used in
Idaho.
To sum up, the situation four
weeks in advance of the primary
seems to be this:
TydingS has a distinct edge,
with his principal strength on the
Eastern Shore and in Southern
Maryland, outside of Prince
Georges County. He can win II
he gets all or most of the legis
lative districts in Baltimore and
picks up some votes at the bottom
Of the heap elsewhere.
LEWIS CHANCES
Lewis is strongest in Western
Maryland and seems reasonably
sure Of two legislative districts ir
Baltimore, with a chance that
he can carry more, depending or
his tieupS there and shifts ir
alignments still to come.
He should carry Prince George;
County, but will lose Montgomery
and has not cracked the Eastern
Shore. He can't win unless some
effective organizing is done in hi!