The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-03-03
PRESS YpslLANT MARCH

| The congressional election IN the
2lst district of New York last Tues
day must be studied statistically to
appreciate its portent. This is
one of the strongest Democratic
districts in New York, no Republic
can having carried It in "a years.
II is the upper Harlem and Wash
ington Heights section OF the city,
the population being largely negro,
Jewish and Irish. One of its as
sembly districts, the 2lst East, is
almost exclusively negro.
The Democrats have in recent
years carried the district by
pluralities OF between 10000 and
$4,000. On Tuesday. they carried
1t by.a plurality OF 1871. But this
vote must be broken down further:
William S. Bennett. the Republican,
received on the Republican line,
1916 votes; James H. Torrens,
the Democrat, received on the Dem
ocratic line. s,4sl votes. Mr.. Tor
rens was elected by the Commun-
ist-controlled American Labor par
ty which gave him 1925 votes.
The small total vote is Characters
tic OF by.election on a snowy.and
sloppy day. The fact remains
that in 1912, the Republicans IN
this district received about SO per
cent OF the vote; in 1914 about IS
per cent.
In the 21st assembly district In
which the negro vote is largest,
Bennett received 2,039 votes; Tor
rens, 1869 yotes-which gives evil
dence OF a return Of negro senti-
ment to the Republican party. On
straight Republican-Democratic
vote, the Democrats carried only
one of the five assembly districts
in this normally Democratic con-
gressional district. 1t is also to be
noted that although the Commun-
lists have during the past 10 years
devoted themses ies TO negro propa-
ganda, their vote in the 2lst AS
semhly District amounted to only
S22 out OF 3.40S votes, Commun-
ism's boosted hold on the negro
vote does not show up.
There was only one issue in this
campaign, Franklin d. Roosevelt
No other issue was raised by eth
er candidate. Mr.. Bennett Is
distinguished lawyer, former
member OF Congress, a delegate 10
the New York state constitutional
convention, and Is participant
in civic activities. Mr.. Torrens
is Tammany district leader with
no legislative experience. In
campaign singularly devoid OF
personal attack or rsncor, Mr..
Torrens raised the banner of
Roosevelt-and asked the voters 10
stand by the President by electing
him to Congress. In 1912. the
, Democratic plurality was 29,792; in
this election, with Roosevelt the
issue, II was 1871. In 1912, the
total vote was 9l,3Si; in 1876
21.s43. The percentage increase.
II typical of the city, would give
the Republicans here a landslide
in a presidential election.
A further point needs to be made.
The Republicans have been partic.
ularly weak in the distribution of
patronage to party workers. espe-
cially among the lower level po-
sitions which build political clubs.
Governor Dewey. although in office
more than year, has been so
scrupulous in his appointments,
utilizing the state police to scrut.
| inize each candidate for a job, that
many Democrats remain in these
positions. to the disappointment of
Republican party workers. In ad-
dition. Governor Lehman protect
ed his Tammany supporters by
extending the civil service to COW
er them in the event of a Demo
cratic defeat in the state. The re-
suit naturally Is U'at many Re-
! puDllCdHS, NHO HaNc Deeu waiting
20 years for the party to return to
power in the state, are disappoint-
ed and do not give to campaigning
the essential enthusiasm which In
such a district as this means door
bell ringing and apartment house
stair-climbing to get the vote out.
The Communist ALP. workers are
often labor union and Communist
T officials who devote all their time
on payroll. to propaganda and par
ty activities. In an election in
which a shift OF about 500 votes
would have made all the difference
this particular factor is very i'm