Evening star., 1948-09-30
The Political Mill
Congress Race EnIivens
Montana Election FIGHT.
6. o. p. Counts on Davis to Defeat
Wealthy Senator Murray y
By Gould Lincoln

ny oUWN A<tHCOtW
HELENA Mont. Sept. 30-In a strenuous
effort to wrest a Senate seat from the Demo.
crats the Republicans of Montana have put
forward Thomas Jefferson Davis (populariy
known, however, as Tom j., a prominent
Butte attorney. Their target is wealthy Sena-
tor James E. Murray. Democrat. who has served
in the upper house some IA years.
Mr.. Davis is popular in Butte, long regarded
as Democratic stronghold. and the votes he
gets there will not help Senator Murray. He
has been active in civic affairs, although this
is the first political ONCE for which he has run.
He was president of Rotary International
1941-2 II
When Senator Murray ran for reelection in
1912, he won by a scant 1900 votes. He is
going to have to step fast to defeat Mr.. Davis,
and Republicans here are confident he cannot
do it, despite the fact that in some respects
Senator Murray appears stronger politically
than he did six years ago.
Backed BY Pr0gressives.
Unlike President Truman, who has to reckon
with the opposition Of the Wallace Progress
sives, Senator Murray has their support. Ths
Progressives decided against putting sena-
torial candidate in the field, and most of them
are supporting the Democratic Senator. Sem
ator Murray, however, has the implacable OPP
position of the faction which stuck with former
Senator Wheeler, who was defeated by Nflr-
ray-backed Democrat in the senatorial pri-
mary two years ago. The bitter fight then
resulted in the election of Republican Sena-
tor Fcton, who was believed at the time to
have small chance of victory.
The Lewistown Daily News earlier this
month published poll taken in 10 counties,
five regarded as Democratic apd five as Repub-
MI, a
per cent, Truman, 400 per cent, and Wallacs
SIS in the presidential race; Davis 518 per
cent and Murray 49, per cent in the sena.
torial race and in the gubernatorial race, Gov.
Ford, Republican 45.7 per cent, and John w.
Bonner, Democrat, 54.3 per cent. The poll is
by no means conclusive, but it does give Mr.
Davis the edge over Senator Murray-and the
Republicans believe that when the votes are
counted November 2, Mr.. Davis will win by
larger margin than is indicated in the poll
Senator Murray and the Democrats concede
nothing. Indeed, they insist they will win.
Senator Murray is stressing his record IN
Congress and particularly his vote against the
Taft-Hartley Labor Act. They are urging the
voters to return Mr. Murray to the Senate also
because of his long experience in Washington,
claiming that he will be far more effective
there than a new Republican Senator.
Senate Control t1ght.
The control of the Senate in the next Con-
gress has become q matter of tremendous inn
portance-particularly should Gov. Dewey Of
New York be elected President. Democratic
Senate, with a Republican in the White House.
would not make for efficient Government, even
though in many cases the Republicans might
be able to rely upon support from some OF
the Southern Democratic Senators. There
fore the Republican high command from
Gov Dewey on down the line, is striving des-
perately to win the Montana seat now held
by Senator Murray, hoping to Offset any loss
the Republicans may sustain In Senate races
in other States. 3f
Democrats in Montana, the ordinary run-of-
the mime voters, admit when you talk with
them that Gov. Dewey will win the presi-
Dental race They insist however, that tho
Democrats will carry Montana. Even Republi-
cans who seem wholly confident that Gov
Dewey will be the next President hasten to
say that while they expect Montana to 60 for
Gov Dewey the margin will be narrow-and
that Gov. Dewey will win by anywhere from
5000 to $4,000 votes. 1t is expected that about
225 900 votes will be cast. With Wallace out
of the race, these Republicans say, the contest
would be even closer
very particular drive Is being put on for
the election of Tom Davis to the Senate
with the farmers and the business interests
heartily back of it. Mr.. Davis defeated Well
ington D. Rankin for the senatorial nomination.
Mr. Rankin, brother of jeanette Rankin, the
first woman elected to Congress, was the Re.
publican nominee In 1912, when Senator Mur.
ray barely won out.