Evening star., 1947-06-10
The Political Mill
Washington State Election
Called Moior Porty Defeat
Savage Beaten Despite Endorsement
OF Both Wallace and Administration
Bv Gould Lincoln

BY G0Hfd Lincoln
Neither President Truman nor Henry Wal
lace can get any joy out OF what happened to
their candidate, former Representative Savage,
IN the third congressional district OF Washing
ton in last Saturdays election for Mr..
Savage was defeated by his Republican OPP
ponent, newspaper editor, Russell '. Mack.
Mr.. Savage was Mr.. Wallaces candidate pri-
marily. but after Mr.. Savage had defeated At
torney General Smith Troy in the Democratic
primary for the nomination for representative,
President Truman, Governor Wangren OF
Washington and Gael Sullivan, executive direc-
tor and vice chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee, all stuck their necks out.
Mr.. Truman at . recent press conference pub
licly announced his support of Mr.. Savage, and
Governor Wallgren and Mr. Sullivan had pre-
ceded him.
The Democrats, as a matter Of fact. were
counting heavily on winning this by-election
in Washington to fill vacancy created by the
death OF the late Representative Norman, Re-
publican. victory there would have been con-
strued by Observation-Disclosures a sure sign
that the tide had turned and that the country
was again swinging Democratic. This desire for
victory Is s'probably what impelled Mr.. Truman,
Governor Wallgren and Mr.. Sullivan to get
back of Mr. Savage. The President did not
have to mix himself up in this congressional
district fight Neither he, nor Governor Wall
gren nor Mr. Sullivan wanted Mr.. Savage
nominated
1t is being argued in some quarters that
Henry Wallaces support of Mr. Savage was
what did him in at the polls, and that had
Mr.. Troy been nominated, the Democrat might
have defeated the Republican. But that is by
no means necessarily so. Mr.. Savage won the
TroHy hoco <Hf
CIo and radical support. They went to town
for MIR. Savage in the primary and in the gen.
eral election - and they might have done
neither for Mr. Troy, known as a conservative
Democrat. The election as well as the primary
was held on Saturday-an odd day OF the
week for an election. AS 1t happened that Is
day when the CIO workers and other organized
labor Is free-while the farmers, who work
six days week, are not
Radicals Supported Savage.
The defeat Of Mr.. Savage was Democratic
defeat-not just defeat for Henry Wallace.
One Of the reasons the Democrats lost heavily
in Washington in the 1916 elections was be-
cause the charge was laid against them that,
as a party, they had played along with the
radicals, fellow travellers and Communists
for the sake of getting their votes. Mr.. Savage,
who was then in Congress. was charged with
being one of the most radical Of its members
He was defeated by nearly 1000 votes by the
late Fred Norman. He was defeated Saturday
by narrower margin, some $500 to 1000 votes
Last November was a general election, with
many candidates for other Offices Saturday
was a special election with only the Savage
Mack contest. In consequence the vote Satur-
day was much nghter-about $4,000 as COM
pared to $4,000 cast in 1916
There was no slightest doubt that Mr. Savage
had in this recent campaign the support OF
the radicals, including Communists. The will.
ingness, therefore, of the Truman Administers
tion to line up for Savage, as we'll ss Henry
Wallace, again raised the same old issue
that the Democrats, for political expedency,
are willing to go along with the Reds, despite
the fact that President Truman in his foreign
policy has displayed great firmness IN dealing
with Soviet Russia ...
The Democrats, in this campaign for Mr.
Savage. raised the issue that the Republican
party was out to beat down the West-becauss
the Republican House had cut vigorously the
appropriations for the Interior Department,
reducing the Government money to be expended
for reclamation, irrigation and power projects
in that area. They figured it would be effective
and the Republicans were uncertain about
1t. Still the Republican candidate won.
arch foe of legislation opposed by the labor
unions. So Republican congressional action on
the labor bill now awaiting approval or dis
approval by President Truman played it's part
in the campaign. Organized labor was des-
perately fighting to put Mr.. Savage back in
the House. There is large organized labor
group in the district. Still the Republican cam
didate won.
Only twice in the last Is years has the
Sd Washington district elected q Repub-
lican to the House-each time it was the late
Fred Norman. First in 1912 and again in 1946,
Mr.. Norman won. Saturdays result, therefore.
can give little satisfaction to the Democrats
as they look forward to the national election
in 1948. If they cannot win in such a district
with Mr.. Wallaces blessing-they cannot win
without him either.
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