Evening star., 1940-04-14
Gridiron Club Guests
Air Views on War
And Election
Farley and Homilton
Are Both Emphatic in
November Predictions
Nv ROBERT BRUSKIN.

The Nations great gathered for
the Gridiron Club dinner last night,
expressing potpourri of opinions
on the outcome of the national elec-
tions and war, but universally in
agreement that in few other coun-
tries can government officials be
safely satirized
Senator Taft of Ohio, Republican
presidential aspirant, surveyed the
starch-shirted throng at the Will
lard Hotel, which included most of
the other candidates, and declared
in brief interview:
II don't believe that it would be
possible for newsmen in any other
country in the world to spend an
evening of entertainment lampoon-
ing the officials of their government.
even in the most od-humored
spirit of fun, without fear of the
censor or of one-way ticket to
concentration camp.
ANY one who looks over the list
Of leaders in all walks of life who
attend this dinner will be impressed
by the fact that so few had any
greater opportunities for success
than the average American boy
today"
Lapsing into a bit of campaign
generality, he added: Those who
say that America is no longer a
land OF opportunity don't know the
true conditions"
Farley, Hamilton agree"
Postmaster General Farley. speak
Ing as chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, and his "oppo-
site number" John Hamilton, chair
man OF the Republican National
Committee, both agreed" their
parties couldn't lose in November
Mr.. Farley, eschewing mention
OF his personal presidential CAM
palgn, asserted with smiling en-
phasis:
THE only thing certain about
next falls election is that the
Democratic candidate is going to be
elected President. The figures show
this beyond the shadow of a doubt
There are close to 200 electoral
votes in the Solid South and the
Border States. Every poll. every
test vote, every primary, shows that
those States are just as strongly
Democratic now as they were in
1886. Only 266 electoral votes are
necessary for election. That means
that the Democratic party has
tremendous head start in the presi-
dental race.
ITO win the election, the Repub-
licans would have to make a clean
sweep of the pivotal Middle West
and the Mountain States. Yet the
Democrats had substantial ma
Jority in the recent primary in Wis
consin, which the Republicans car
rled in 1888, and majority in the
all-important State of Illinois"
Mr.. Farley paused to shake a few
Republican hands.
Opposition claims of a "Repub-
lican trend" he said, are based on
misleading figures. They are care
full to point only to those districts
where Republicans won. The Demo-
Gratis also won several congressional
elections" he added I'm some of
these, especially in New York State,
the percentages of Democratic votes
were higher than they ever were
before. The answer is that the
percentage figures are always mis-
leading when the total vote is low"
For emphasis Mr.. Farley reiter-
ated: "The Democratic candidate
will win this falls election"
'Phooey," said Mr.. Hamilton, in
effect, to Mr.. Farley's prediction.
THE primary elections in Wiscon-
sin. Nebraska and Illinois, together
with the special congressional cleo
ton in the first district of Ne
braska. following the Republican
congressional successes in Ohio and
Iowa earlier this year, emphasize
anew the ground-swe of public
opinion toward the Republican
party and the steadily mounting
distrust of the New Deal" he de-
clared.
Mr.. Hamilton paused to shake
few Democratic hands, and con-
tinued:
''The elections further stress Re-
publican unity and confidence as
contrasted with Democratic division
and doubt and are sure indication
that the Republican victories in the
congressional elections of 1888 ran
true to historic tradition and presage
the elections of a Republican Presi-
dent and Congress in the forth
coming national election.
In each of the States where pri-
maries we're held during the past
two weeks, the increase in the size
of the Republican vote, with cor
responding shrinkage in the number
of Democratic voters, has been sig
nifcant, especially as conditions
were such as to bring out maxi
mum Democratic strength due to
the third-term issue. The vote was
such as to clearly indicate these
States will be safely Republican at
the November election
Mr.. Farley and Mr.. Hamilton
later greeted each other with pleas
ant smiles and handshakes, it was
reported.
The last word in the "who'll-beat-
whom" controversy went to Senator
Wheeler of Montana. Calmly and
dispassionately," ne appraised it
thus:
The Democratic party will win in
the November elections unless we
have a split in the party and I say
this in spite of the Republican trends
indicated by the primaries in Wis
consin, Nebraska and Illinois.
ANY party that has been in power
for the past seven hectic years Is
bound to have made enemies
When one looks back calmly and
dispassionately, it is not to be won-
dered that we made mistakes, but
rather that we did not make more
under the stress of the times.
That the people of the United
- al II