Evening star., 1938-10-28
FIGHT DESPERATE
IN PENNSYLVANIA
G. o. P. Huffs and Puffs
for Victory, With Eye on
Comeback in 1910.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,
Star Stan Correspondent.

its most active off-year political cam
paign in long time.
To the Republicans, victory in Penn
sylvania on November 8 is regarded as
essential If the G. o. p. IS to make q
real comeback in 1910.
The Democrats, on the other hand,
are straining every nerve, and also the
Federal pocketbook, to prevent a New
Deal rebuff here.
President Roosevelt's personal pop
ularity-although he is not running for
office this years. the chief reliance of
the Democrats. Their campaign is con-
structed entirely around plea to keep
Pennsylvania New Deal-or liberal-to
send to Washington a Senator and
members of the House who will back
up the President. and to send to Harris
burgh Governor who will be in SYM
pathy with the New Deal administra-
tion in Washington.
The reason the Democrats make such
campaign is obvious. The Earle DEM
ocratic administration at Harrisburg
has been accused Of every sin on the
list,
Clean Slate Is G. o. p. Cry.
The Republicans, for their part, are
stressing clean State government as
their chief ISSUE They hit at the
Roosevelt New Deal, to be sure, but
their heaviest fire is concentrated on
Gov. George Earle and the scandals
of Harrisburg.
Unless President Roosevelt changes
his mind, he will not make a personal
appearance in Pennsylvania. He has
told the leaders here that only in
New York, his own State, will he do
that. But he also has told them that
he wished their Pennsylvania ticket
well-and he may make some favorable
reference to it at a press conference If
occasion arises. With this the Penn
sylvania leaders have had to be content.
The Republicans have a real job
on their hands to win Pennsylvania
back from the New Dealers. II 1t
were not for the Harrisburg scandals,
they probably would not have a
chance. For Pennsylvania was in
noculated with the New Deal virus
later than most of the remainder OF
the country and it may take longer
for it to wear off. At least that is a
theory advanced by Democrats here
In 1882 Pennsylvania went for Her.
bert Hoover, against President Roose-
velt, by $4,000. Two years later, the
State slipped over the boundary line
and went Democratic, electing Gov.
Earle by $4,000 and Senator Guffey
by $4,000. In 1885 it went hell
bent" for Roosevelt, giving him q lead
of $4,000 over ALT M. Landon.
From present indications, there will
be a tremendous vote out on election
day, probably as large as that cast in
the 1896 presidential election. The
Republicans still have the advantage
in registration. Records for the State
show that 2,409,087 are registered as
Republicans, 2,214,851 as Democrats,
and others, 39,604-a total registra-
ton Of 4,663,542-a plurality OF Re-
publican registration approximating
1oO,oOOs AlC DClllOSl aus COllOCot CllCSC
figures and put the Republican lead
at $4,000.
Primary Bolsters Hopes.
The Republicans are encouraged
because in the primary last spring
they cast a larger vote than did the
Democrats, although the Democrats
had most strenuous campaign for
the gubernatorial nomination. The
Republican vote was 147,000 greater
than the Democratic. They are en-
couraged also by the fact that since
the primary more Republicans reg
istered than Democrats. The new
Republican registration was $4,000,
while the new Democratic registra-
tion was 10000, a difference of TO-
600 in favor of the Republicans.
The G. o. P leaders argue that
certainly in this day and generation
there is no reason for a voter to
register Republican if he intends to
vote Democratic-not with the favors
which are being passed around. The
Democrats. on the other hand, point
to the fact that the Republicans have
always had a larger registration in
Pennsylvania, even in 1884 and 1886
when the State went Democratic.
Both sides claim victory, but both are
worried when, in private conversation,
they talk turkey.
The Republicans are principally
worried because of the huge Federal
and State pay rolls and expenditures
in Pennsylvania. Some of Pennsyl-
vania's highways in recent days have
become so clogged with men working
that motorists find difficulty driving
from place to place. The State gov
eminent has approximately $1,000
regular employes-12,0 900 more than
when Gov. Earle succeeded former
Gov. Pinchot. So many hundreds of
thousands of people-probably more
than a millionaire today receiving
money from State or Federal govern
ment. The Democrats figure they have
all these votes, plus at least one
additional vote for each person who
is being paid That would give them
upward Of 100000 votes as a starter.
In addition, they figure on a large
number of Democrats who are not
on any pay roll.
w. P. A. Seen As Boomerang.
The Republicans. however, point out
that w. P. A. worker In Pennsyl-
vania gets about $50 a month-which
is not very satisfying-and that many
workers are looking askance at
present conditions, believing that only
when they can get private employment
will their condition be improved.
The Republicans probably will have
plenty of money when election day
rolls around. The Democrats have
made the most of the fact that Joe"
Grundy, Joe" Pew and Moe" Amen
berg. all men representing great
wealth, are back of the Republican
ticket, headed by Judge Arthur H.
James, candidate for Governor, and
Senator James ]. Davis, candidate for
Senator. At the same time, it is
quite clear that this Republican back
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