The Washington times., 1938-04-11
ILLINOIS VOTES
TOMORROW IN
CRUCIAL TEST
Igoe, of Chicago Fame
Favored Over Lucas
By GEORGE R. HOLMES

| Q.N.S0 The first of many bit.
terly contested primary battles to
come, which may indicate the
trend of the national political
wind, will be decided in Illinois
tomorrow.
A badly divided Democratic
party awaits the outcome with
unusual interest, in view of Presi-
dent Roosevelt's stunning defeat
on the reorganization bill. It was
members Of his own party who
defeated Mr.. Roosevelt.
While the White House has its
favoriteS in most of the primary
battles, in Illinois it has almost
literally kept hands off. For that
reason, the outcome tomorrow will
not be so tinged with national in
terest as will some of the primary
elections to come later.
TO FIX LEADERSHIP
Chief interest in the Illinois
balloting centers about the Demo
cratic senatorial fight, in which
the contestants are Michael Igoe,
representing the Kelly-Nash Chi
cago machine, and Representative
Scott Lucas, candidate of Gov.
Henry D. Horner, who is the in
placable foe of the Chicago
crowd" Both Igoe and Lucas
claim to be New Dealers" so
that can hardly be said to be a
real issue. The battle is, rather,
one to determine who is who in
the Democratic party in Illinois.
Both factions have carried their
stories to the White House. A
few months ago Ms. Or Kelly and
National Committeeman Nash con-
ferred with Mr.. Roosevelt here,
and announced their intention of
putting up Igoe, Federal district
attorney in Chicago.
DIETRICH TO RETIRE
Hard on their heels came Gov
ernor Horner, who accused the
Chicago leaders of sabotaging the
New Deal, Federal as we'll as State.
he governor furnished Mr..
Roosevelt with a full bill Of par
ticulars.
Under the circumstances with
the party split in half, Mr.. Roose-
welt and National Chairman James
A. Farley decided their best course
was neutrality. Left out in the
cold was Senator William Dieter
1ch, who first announced he would
be a candidate for denomination,
and then decided to retire.
The Administration doesn't par
ticularly care who wins in Illinois
tomorrow. What it is concerned
about is the bitterness of the Dem
ocratic fight, which may conceiv-
ably lead to the election of a Re
publican in November, if the feud
is carried on after tomorrow.
Richard j. Lyons, a State SEN
ator; William j. Baker and Clar.
ence P. Parker are the COP. SEN
atorial candidates.
Florida votes on May 3 on three
Democrats running for the Senate
Senator Claude Pepper, an Ad-
ministration favorite, who was
publicly endorsed by James Roose-
welt; Representative Mark Wilcox.
who has cast a good many anti
New Deal votes, and Ex-Governor
Dave Sholtz.
Two weeks later Pennsylvania
Democrats go to the polls. The
Keystone battle royal finds Sena-
tor Joe Guffey, lined up with John
L. Lewis and the CLIO, against
the organization slate, headed by
Governor George H. Earle, run
ming for the Senate, and Charles
A. Jones, Pittsburgh lawyer, for
governor. They are opposed by
Lieutenant Governor Thomas Ken.
nedy, a candidate for the State
house, and Mayor S. Davis Wilson,
of Philadelphia, running for Sen
ator. Here again Republican vic
tory may follow Democratic fracti-
eide warfare.