Evening star., 1943-11-04
COP Marches On

Whether the results of Tuesdays
voting, coupled with the trend to
the Republican Party in 1912, reflect
any real impairment of President
Roosevelts personal political pres
tige may be debatable question.
But it cannot be doubted that the
election results point to a strong
and growing public dislike of boss
ridden political machines and labor
political organizations which have
contributed in no small degree to
Mr.. RooseveltS success at the polls
In former years.
From the Republican viewpoint,
the election of Joe r. Hanley as
Lieutenant Governor of New York
was the most impressive of the COP
successes In Tuesdays contests. Mr..
Hanley was swept into Office by a
majority Of some $4,000 votes-by
far the best showing that any
Republican has made in the Empire
State in many long year. His
predecessor, the late Thomas w.
Wallace, was elected by a majority
Of only 24965 votes, while Governor
Thomas E. Dewey polled a majority
of but 17l,5l1 over the combined
vote Of his Democratic and Ameri-
can Labor Party opponents last year.
1t would be difficult to say what,
If anything, the Hanley vote reveals
of the Presidents political stand
ing in the State. The American
Labor party, which claimed to hold
the balance of power in New York,
but which could not deliver when
the test came, appealed to its fol-
lowers on the ground that vote for
General William N. Haskell, Mr..
Hanley's opponent, was vote for
President Roosevelt Democratic
and Republican spokesman. how
ever, tried hard to exclude national
questions from the campaign and
to conflne the debate to State issues.
And Governor Dewey, after the re-
suits were in. said: Il don't think
this has had any relation to the ma
tlonal administration We didn't
discuss national matters in the State
In this campaign"
Two things seem perfectly evident.
however. First. the decisive Hanlev
victory is an emphatic Endorsement
by the voters Of the excellent ad-
mlnlStratiOn which Governor Dewey
has given them. Although the Gov
ernor has said repeatedly that he
is not candidate for the Repub-
Ncan presidential nomination next
year, 1t is inevitable that Tuesdays
results will add enormously to his
national political stature. The move
to draft him for the partys nomi-
nation may be expected to gain
strength. Second. the verdict OF the
voters, particularly in New York
City, is clearly rebuke to the
Democratic political machine. which
has been definitely linked to the
criminal racketeering element. Tam
many may survive this blow as an
organlza ton, but its future political
usefulness to the President is GER
tain to be reduced.
The triumph of Walter E. Edge
COP gubernatorial candidate in New,
Jersey, is another blow to machine
and labor politicians. Mr.. Edge was
opposed by labor candidate, who
had the Endorsement OF national
and State officials of the AFL. the
CIO and the railroad brotherhoods
His opponent also was supported bv
the Communists and by Mavor
Frank Hague, boss of the powerful
Hudson County political machine
Boss Hague had promised the Demo-
cratic nominee q 100 900 majority
In Hudson County. where the ballots
are counted late, and he came
through handsomely. But this was
not enough. The voters throughout
tHe otdIe. eVldentlV tired OF Mayor
Hague and his allies. overcame the
Hudson County margin and elected
Mr.. Edge by a majority of about
l25 900 votes.
Other straws in the wind are the
defeat OF New Deal Candidate Will
liam c. Bulltt in Philadelphia. the
election Of Mayor Edward J. Jefrries
over a labor-indorsed opponent in
Detroit, the switch of Hartford, Con-
necticut, to the Republican column
for the first time In ten years, and
the sensational showing of the Re-
publicans in Kentucky
Unquestionably, the political tide
throughout the country is running
to the Republicans. This may be re-
verSed if Mr.. Roosevelt becomes
candidate next November, but
such tide has way of running it's
course, regardless of the candidate,
Remember those ooOd old doyr