The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-08-10
POPE DEFEATED
BY REPUBLICAN
SWITCH VOTERS
Conservative Coalition
Behind Clark Victory
BY THEODORE HUNTLEY


1t was the Republicans of Idaho,
voting in a Democratic primary,
who nominated Democratic Repre-
sentative D. Worth Clark. of Poca-
tello, over Democratic Senator
James Pinckney Pope, of Boise, in
yesterdays hard-fought election in
that State.
Late returns today show Clark,
who seems to be a cross between
a conservative and an independent
of the Borah variety and whose
votes in Congress have closely
paralleled those of Idaho's elder
statesman, to be running well
enough ahead of Senator Pope to
be rated q certain winner Of the
Democratic senatorial nomination.
Back of that result is perhaps
the strangest political story to
come out Of any of the 1888 State
campaigns. 1t shows the Repub-
leans "ganged up" with Demo
cratic conservatives, to administer
q licking to the New Deal. 1t was
a Republican-Democratic coalition
in Idaho which beat Pope and
nominated Clark.
HOW 1T WAS DONE
Except for Senator Borah-
more of an Idaho institution
than even the Idaho potato--the
State is Democratic from top to
bottom, with a Democratic Sen
ator, two Democratic Congress
men, Democratic governor ana
State administration and a Demo
cratic legislature. For some rea-
son satisfactory to the Democrtic
politicians, the last session of the
Idaho legislature changed the form
of the ballot to be used in this
years primaries, putting the Demo
cratic and Republican candidates
all on the same sheet.
CHOOSE YOUR SIDE
On one side of the ballot were
the Democratic candidates; on
the other the Republicans. Vot.
ers were not required to state
their party preference. They went
into the voting booths and marked
the ballot on which ever side they
chose. rT S
Marking on both sides Of the
party dividing line invalidated the
ballots, but so long as votes stuck
to one side the ballots were good.
Some weeks ago the Republi.
cans looked over the situation and
decided they didn't have q chance
or at least not much of a
chance-to elect a Republican
this year against Senator Pope.
WELL" they said, IF we have
to have Democrat in Washing
ton, we'd rather have Clark
than Pope! 1t least he is indie
pendent"
FRANK ABOUT IT
An unknown but substantial
number Of them went into the
primary, and instead Of voting for
Republican candidates, simply
went down the line with the Demo.
Gratis and voted for those they
thought belonged to the Borah
school rather than the New Deal.
They were open and aboveboard
about it. They were going to vote
Democratic in the primary and
Republican in the general election,
so that no matter who was elected
in November-the Democratic or
Republican nominee, if they &C.
compliShed their purpoSe-Idaho
would have two independents in
the Senate instead of one.
Their scheme worked. Clark
has beaten Senator Pope to give
President Roosevelt and the New
Deal the first setback received in
any Of this years senatorial cam
paigns. Senator Pope is the first
incumbent Senate New Dealer to
go down to defeat in a party pri-
mary.
CARAWAY IN
In Arkansas Senator Hattie
Caraway came through and in
Ohio Senator Buckley is O. winner
both endorsed personally by
President Roosevelt, both New
Dealers, as was Senator Pope, for
whom two letters were written by
members Of the Roosevelt cabinet,
praising his record.