Evening star., 1940-09-08
Michigan Party Chiefs
Fear tuesdays
Primary Results
Both Sides Apprehensive
They May Get Unwonted
Men on Tickets
BY H. C. GARRISON.

BY H. c. GARRISON,
Special Correspondent of The Star.
DETROIT, Mich, Sept. Party
leaders in Michigan are afflicted with
bad cases of the primary jitters as
the candidates come down to the
tape. There seems to be little public
interest in the contests, but the
chieftains of both Republicans and
Democrats are awaiting Tuesdays
results anxiously because certain
outccmes are possible on both sides
that may easily spell defeat in No
vember.
The Republicans are worried be-
cause their primary ballot contains
the names of three present and for
mer superintendents of the Michigan
Anti-Saloon League. Eighty -one-
year-old Gov. Luren D Dickinson, q
former State superintendent of the
drys, is candidate for reelection.
The Rev. R. N. Holsaple, also a for
mer superintendent, is a candidate
for lieutenant governor. D. L. Nc
Bride, the present superintendent, is
a candidate for Congress in the sixth
district.
Now these, of course all are good
citizens and estimable gentlemen
but all three of them on the Novem-
Der ballot are not going to do the
Republican cause any good, and the
party leaders know l.
Michigan Wants No Dry Law.
Michigan had a particularly bit
ter experience with the prohibition
law and the citizenry has not for
gotten 1t. 1t wants no more of pro-
hibition. Elections since 1880 have
proved it. That's why the Repubh-
can leaders awake in a cold sweat
these nights. after dreaming of a No.
vember ballot with all three of the
dry candidates names on it.
The Democrats have their worries,
too, over their candidates for Lieu
tenant Governor and for Senator.
OF the nine Democratic candi-
dates for Lieutenant Governor, one
is Anthony j. Wilkowski of Detroit.
Only last year Wilkowski was re-
leased from the Michigan State
Prison at Jackson after having COM
pleted a four-year term for fraud
in connection with the recount.
after the 1884 election. In a field
of nine candidates, the heavy Polish
vote in Detroit, which usually goes
solidly for Polish names on the bal
lot, might easily put Wilkowski over.
The man, of course, has paid the
penalty for his crime and is re-
stored to full citizenship, but nev-
ertheless his name on the ballot
will lend no strength to the ticket.
Senate Race . Bother.
There are five Democratic candi-
dates for Senator, none of them
any too strong, and one with an ex-
cellent chance to win Is Louis B.
Ward of Pontiac. He made q sur
prisingly strong race in the 1896
primary, where he was barely nosed
out by Prentiss M. Brown, later
elected.
The trouble with Ward. in the
eyes of the Democratic leadership,
is that he has no party record. He
came up out of nowhere to make
his strong run in 1885,. Ward has
written a biography Of Father
Charles E. Coughlin, enjoys a close
friendship with him and his 1886
run was believed to have been made
possible only by the solid vote of
the Coughlinites. 1t is reported
that this year he also has been flirt-
Ing with the Townsendites- None
of these things endears him to the
blown-in-the-bottle Democrats.
The strongest of Democratic can
didates for Senator would have
none too rosy chance against the
popular Senator Vandenberg in No.
vember, and the Democratic lead
ership fears that, with Ward on the
ticket, Democrats in droves would
scratch their ballots for Senator
Vandenberg.,
These things are important be-
cause Michigan elections, once
romp for the Republicans, have
been hammer-and- -tongs affairs of
late years. The indication right
now is that there is . slight Repub-
Hcan trend. but 1t can easily be
overturned. !.