Evening star., 1950-11-04
Republicans Responsible
IF They Lose New York
Gov. Dewey Is Running
Against Weak Opponent
The Political Mill

~Vs ~S"~J -
Against Weak Opponent
By Gould Lincoln
NEW YORK.-Gov. Thomas E. Dewey
put New York back in the Republican
column eight years ago. II he Is defeated
in Tuesdays election and the Democrats
take over the State government again. it
will be the fault of the Republicans
themselves. Gov. Dewey Is running
against a weak candidate, in that Repre-
sentative Walter A. Lynch, the Demo-
cratic nominee, is practically unknown to
most of the people of the State, and has
had no administrative experience and
nothing to do with the State government.
When Gov. Dewey won his first term as
Governor in 1912, his plurality over his
two opponents. John j. Bennett. the
Democrat and Dean Alfange. the Lib
eral, was $4,000 votes, and his lead
over Mr.. Bennett, was 100000. Four
years later he ran against Senator Mead.
Democrat, who had the endorsement
of both the Liberal and the American
Labor Parties, and he beat Senator
Mead by $4,000 votes.
Gov. Dewey's prestige suffered Sc
we're reverse when he lost the Presi-
Dental election in 1948, although. he
did win the electoral votes OF New York.
However, his fine record as Governor
has stood him in good stead. 1t may
carry him to victory in this election,
and his prospects were rated exceedingly
good until the disclosure of the now
notorious Hanley letter.
Hanley Denied Deal.
1t. Gov. Joe R. Hanley, in that letter
to Representative w. Kingsland Macy,
written after he retired from the race
for the Republican gubernatorial NOM
ination. said in effect that he had been
definitely assured of being able to clean
up my financial obligations within 80
days" There was a lot more to the
letter, but that is what the Democrats
have centered on to prove that Gov.
Dewey bought Mr.. Hanley of. Both
Mr. Hanley and Gov. Dewey have de-
MED any such transaction. But there
the matter stands and the Democrats
are undertaking to put 1t into the hands
Of millions of voters. 1t is, indeed.
their one big asset, as they think, in
this campaign.
Mr.. Macy has denied fatty he gave
the letter to the Democrats, and has said
that he had nothing to do with its
publication. An enemy Of Gov. Dewey,
it had been rumored that he had dis
played the letter publicly. Mr.. Macy
and Frank Gannett. newspaper pub
Usher, both had loaned Mr.. Hanley
money and helped otherwise in his CAM
paign for the gubernatorial nomina-
tion-which they hoped would see the
end of Gov. Dewey in New York politics.
With Republican leaders clamoring
for Gov Dewey to run again, especially
in view of the danger of an all-out war
involving this country, it is entirely OBJ
vious that Gov. Dewey. by merely an
nouncing he would run again, could
have had the nomination without even
consulting Mr.. Hanley. Mr.. Hanley had
many of the delegates to the Republi-
can State Convention pledged to sup
port him-but with a Dewey drive on
the Hanley support would have gone
with the wind Anyway Mr.. Hanley
agreed to run for Senator a job, it is
rumored, Mr.. Macy would have liked
for himself.
Further Action Delayed.
Investigators for Senate committee
have questioned both Gov. Dewey and
Mr.. Hanley about the meaning Of the
Hanley letter. 1t looks as though moth
ing further may be done about it until
after election day. If SO the voters will
60 to the polls and either show their
faith or lack of faith in the Governor
The reelection of the Governor would in
all probability wind the matter up, un-
less, indeed, Mr.. Hanley. too, should be
elected Senator. In the latter event. tht
Democrats could be expected to demand
thorough ventilating. hoping thereby
to prevent Mr.. Hanley's seating and II
put Senator Lehman in his place.
For twenty years continuously th
Democrats had controlled New York be
fore Gov. Dewey entered the Governor
office. A defeat for Gov. Dewey woult
not only end Republican rule in Alban!
but might open the way for another loni
period of Democratic domination. Thi
is something that Republicans may con
slider on election day-even those wl'
are unfriendly to Gov. Dewey. Republi
can leaders insist that careful estimate
and privately made polls indicate tina
the Republican voters are not going U
let Gov. Dewey down; that they will vote
and vote for the Governor. They claim
Dewey victory by $4,000 to 100 900 o.
moro