Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-29
Democratic Victory
Seen as Possibility
In Massachusetts
Irish-Americun Vote
Regarded Important
In Carrying State
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,
Star Staff Correspondent.

settS-and 1t is well within the pos
sibilities they may make it four in
row next Tuesday.
President Roosevelt still has a
great personal following in this
State, very largely among the work
ers, including the W. P. A.
However, there are a sufficient
number of "imponderables," issues
that have not been before the voters
for years, if ever before, to make
the political situation in the State
exceedingly difficult to assay. First
among these is the impact of the
foreign wars and the feeling that
this country may soon be involved
in those struggles; second is the
third-term issue. and third, the set
ting of one racial group against an
other, or rather several racial groups
against several others.
Irish Group Important.
1t is far cry to the days when
the Yankees decided State wide
elections of Massachusetts. The
huge Irish-American population in
Boston and other parts of the State,
the large Italian-American vote. the
Canadian vote English and FRENCH
the Poles, the Greeks, the Firms
and so on down the line decide cleo
tons here now. Today the CONVEX
sation, when it turns to politics, i'm
mediately concerns itself with the
attitudes of these groups.
BY far the largest group and most
effective in Democratic politics OF
the State has been the Irish. Prob
ably next in importance is the Ital-
ian group, and then the Canadians
The Irish have been predominantly
Democratic in their politics, and
more recently, so have the italians
The Canadians on the other hand
have been Republicans.
It was an American of Irish bloo''
who carried Massachusetts in 1923
the year of the great Republican
sweep, which took Herbert Hoover
into the White House. Alfred E
Smith, Irish and Catholic and wet.
won out in Massachusetts, that year
the only State outside of the South
except Rhode Island which gave its
electoral vote to the Democratic
presidential candidate. -Four years
later it went for Mr.. Roosevelt by a
margin of $4,000, although it had
bitterly resented the fact that Mr.
Smith was denied the Democratic
presidential nomination. In 1896
President Roosevelt had a lead of
174.0O0 votes over ALT M Landon in
this State, and at the same time
William Lemke, presidential nominee
of the Union party, backed by Father
Coughlin. received 10000 votes
which might we'll have gone for
Roosevelt had Mr.. Lemke not been
In the race The vice presidential
candidate on the Union party ticket
in 1885 races is here working fol
Mr.. Roosevelt.
Roosevelt Visit Awaited.
President Roosevelt is scheduled
to come to Boston this week for q
great Democratic rally. Two days
later Al Smith, who was once the
idol of the Massachusetts, Democrats
Is coming here to speak against Mr.
Roosevelt and for Wendell Willkie
the Republican candidate.
What the Irish bloc Goes in Massa-
chusetts is of great Importance in
this election, as it has been in others
The last two major Statewide vic
tories of the Republicans in Massa-
chusetts were won against an Irish
candidate, and they were won be-
cause the Irish themselves were
divided for and against that can
didate, Jim" Curley, former Gov
ernor. The first was in 1886, when
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, jr., de-
feated Mr.. Curley by $4,000 votes,
while President Roosevelt was win
ming by 174,000. The second was
two years ago when Gov. Saltonstall
defeated MI. Curley for Governor,
with a lead of $4,000 votes. In that
same year, Attorney General Dover,
the present Democratic nominee for
Governor, defeated his Republican
opponent by approximately 149, 900
votes. Mr.. Curley, who served as
Governor and as Mayor of Boston,
had become discredited. He had a
large number of enemies in the
Democratic party and among the
Irish.
How far will the Irish be divided
this year in the Roosevelt Willkie
battle? I heard it estimated by a
shrewd observer at Is per cent for
Willkie, while he leaves rs per cent
for Roosevelt. At that it will be
gain for the Republicans if this
percentage is borne out in the cleo
ton. The Willkie Democrats are
counting much on the speech Al
Smith will deliver here, but Smith
was for Landon in 1886 and has
lost much of his influence with the
Irish Democrats. Some of the Irish
were aroused over the adminiStra-
tons treatment of former Post
master General James A Farley
Now Farley has announced that he
will vote for the Democratic ticket,
which includes Roosevelt, although
Mrs. Farley has been wearing a
Willkie button.
Italian Voters Incensed.
Some of the Irish Catholic priests
in this State, as in others, are
avowedly against a third term for
President Roosevelt, and their
parishioners are being told of their
stand This may be effective, par
ticularly among the women. The
men are more likely to go their
own way in this matter.
The Italian voters, who were in
censed over the Roosevelt stab
in the back" speech, may vote 70
per cent for Mr.. Willkie, it is said
even by the Democrats. This will