Evening star., 1942-10-04

Judge Ferguson. however, is stickler
for obeying the law and looked
thoroughly into the question before
announcing his candidacy. Seven
precedents were found in which
judges have run for Office in the
past and none in which judge was
ruled out as a candidate. One Judge
recently was elected a member of
the House.
Labor Ranks May Break.
Generally speaking organized la
Dor has been considered strongly
Democratic here and has so voted
IN the past. There are evidences,
however, that this is not necessarily
going to be the case in the coming
election. For example, Paul Ste.
Marie, president of the Ford local,
C1O, and one of the strong leaders,
has publicly come out for the elec-
ton OF the Republican candidate for
Governor, Mr.. Kelly, and against
Gov. Van Wagner Also at a meet
ing the AFL political council the
vote was to S in favor of Gov. Van
Wagner, which shows strong mi
nority opposed to his reelection.
Two years ago Gov. Van Wagner
was elected over former Gov. Dick
inson, Republican, admittedly a
weak candidate, while the State was
re-electing Senator Vandenberg,
going for Wendell L. Willkie for
President and choosing II Repub-
lican members of the House to s
for the Democrats This year Gov.
Van Wagner is opposed by a strong
candidate. the secretary of state,
who has machine just as potent
as that of the Governor. Also it
has been true in Michigan for
some time that the Republicans
have carried the State in off-year
elections and lost it Except last
year, in presidential election years.
If the State went Republican two
years ago, when President Roosevelt
headed the ticket, there is little
reason to believe that it will not
go Republican again now.
Senator Brown has some Repub-
lican support. There are big and
little Republican industrialists in
the State who prefer to have him
on the Job in Washington. They
have to deal with a Democratic ad-
ministration there at time when
there is a great deal of business
to be transacted. Senator Brown
has been an effective Representa-
tive and shown his willingness to
go to bat. How far down this Re-
publican support will trickle it is
not possible to estimate.
Rural Sections Republican.
Outstate, as contrasted with De-
troit, is recognized as being pre-
dominantly Republican. A great
deal of it is rural. Mr.. Brown, in
charge of the anti-inf1ation bill,
now law, when it was before the
Senate opposed the demands of the
farm organizations and the farm
bloc in the Senate itself. It was a
courageous thing to do, and 1t will
probably help in the cities here.
But the farm vote is another thing.
The result of his stand, in votes
on election day, is variously esti-
mated, depending on who is doing
the talking. Mr.. Smith is already
attacking Senator Brown, declaring
he is no friend OF the farmers.
The Republicans are expected to
retain all of the House seats they
now have. That means the re-elec-
ton of Representative Hoffman and
a couple of other ardent isolation
ists-before Pearl Harbor. The Re-
publicans have good chance of
winning in the 18th district, where
former Representative Clarence Nc
Leod Is their candidate. Also in
the 18th district. represented now
BY Representative Rabaut, Demo-
crat, the Republicans have a chance,
though not so good with their can
didate, Claude Mcdonald. In the
18th district Representative Dom
dero, Republican, is opposed by
Mrs. Dorothy K. Roosevelt, divorced
wife Of the late Hall Roosevelt, a
brother of the Presidents wife. The
Democrats hope to win this fight,
but the odds are against them.