Evening star., 1938-05-24
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

lcan vote In Cne primaries woo sAoo'.A
than the vote cast by the Democrats.
This fact does not necessarily mean tnat
the Republicans will poll more votes IN
November in these States. In Penn
sylvania, for example, the Republicans
have polled larger votes than thelr
Democratic opponents in State primaries
in recent years and then have gone down
to defeat in the general elections. HIS
tory may repeat itself next fall. But
somehow, the Republicans are 1eellng
bit encouraged.
Not only has the Republican vote been
larger in Pennsylvania and Oregon, put
in those States the Democrats have en-
gagged in terrific battles, the kind OF bat
Ties that leave bitterness in their wake.
If some of the Democratic voters next
November decide to 60 fishing instead OF
going to the polls, that will be helpful
to the Republican candidates. II some
of the Democrats go to the polls ana
vote for Republican candidates, that
will be even more helpful.
The very fact that the contests in the
Democratic primaries in Pennsylvania
and Oregon were SO bitter. while the
Republican contests were less so, might
have brought out greater vote for the
Democrats. In Pennsylvania the Roose-
velt administration, represented by
Postmaster General James A. Farley and
Senator Guffey, the c. I. o. which was
backing Thomas Kennedy for Governor
and the A. F. of L., which was opposing
Kennedy, all played important parts
in bringing out the maximum Demo-
cratic vote for a primary. Gov. Martin.
in Oregon, was opposed for denomination
on the Democratic ticket by the Roose-
welt administration, as represented by
Secretary Ickes of the Interior Depart
ment, by the c. I. o. and A. F. of L.
Surely there was a combination to get
out the vote.
The Republicans like to think that
something is stirring in the G. O. p;
that the party organization is showing
signs Of coming to life again. For, as
a rule, it takes party organization to
get out the vote in primary elections.
Yet to say that, because Judge Arthur
H. James. the Republican candidate for
Governor of Pennsylvania. was noml-
mated in contest which showed q
greater number of votes than was cast
in the Democratic primary. Judge James
will defeat Charles Alvin Jones, the
Democratic candidate, in November is
going rather far Indeed. it is not unlike
saying that the Army football team will
beat the Navy in November because the
Army defeated Yale or Harvard in Oc-
tober and the Navy had gone down be-
fore Princeton. Comparative scores OF
that kind, in sport or politics, sorre-
times are misleading
It is a fact, however. that Republicans
believe they can elect their candidates
for Governor and Senator in all three
of these States. If they can accomplish
those results. they may also gain
number of seats in the House In Penn
sylvania, Oregon and South Dakota,
seats now held by Democrats. Demo-
cratic leaders are smiling at these Re-
publicans claims, based on primary
figures Nevertheless, the Democrats
themselves took great satisfaction from
the fact that the Democrats rolled up
larger vote IN the Illinois primaries than
the Republicans, in April. Either pri-
mary figures mean something, or they
do not.
It was only few weeks ago that Re-
publican leaders shook their heads over
the political situation in Oregon. This
they said, was bad year to hope to elect
Republican candidates there. But they
no longer feel that way. They are will
ing to give odds that the Republican
candidates for Governor and Senator will
win in Oregon in the fall. When former
Senator Steiwer, Republican, resigned
last winter to go to practicing law, no
one had any idea the Republicans would
have a chance to elect a Senator to f1ll
his seat next fall. It was generally sup
posed that Mr.. Steiwer himself had
come to look upon Republican chances
as hopeless.
Many Democrats who supported Gov.
Martin will not, it is insisted. support
Henry Hess. the party nominee, backed
by the c. l. o. and the A. F. Of L., in
November. The feeling is too intense,
far transcending party lines, 1t Is said.
A great number of Democrats have be-
come incensed over the labor strife in
Oregon. What the Democrats hope, of
course, is that number of Republicans,
members of labor organizations or SYM
pathizers, will turn in for Hess. On the
other hand, most of the labor vote in
Oregon, as elsewhere, already has left
the G. 0. P. and registered Democratic.
In Pennsylvania and in Oregon, the
Roosevelt administration has interfered
to aid certain candidates 1t fancied in
the primary elections. This is q risky
thing for any administration to do. Out
side interference of that kind is resented
by the voters in the States. 1t appears
that the administration is active in a
number of intra party contests in other
States. And where 1t has not already
found Democratic candidates to oppose
Senators and Representatives who failed
to stand 100 per cent with the President
on Capitol Hill, the administration is
casting about, hoping for such candi-
dates to turn up.
X 4 ~
Senator Alva B. Adams Of Colorado,
a sound Senator but considered far too
conservative by some of the Roosevelt
New Dealers, is one of the latest to find
he has a candidate in the field against
him, candidate who has tacit if not
open administration support. Justice
Benjamin c. Hilliard of the Colorado
Supreme Court has just announced he
will seek the Democratic nomination
against Adams. Justice Hilliard says he
will run on 100 per cent New Deal plat
form in the primary which takes place
September 10.
Senator Adams is chairman Of the
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
which rewrote the Presidents recovery
and relief bill, inserting a provision that
P. w. A. grants to municipalities to start