Evening star., 1952-09-02
The Political Mill
First 81 Election Test
To Occur in Maine
Republicans Are Sure to Win.
But Percentage Is Significant
By Gould Lincoln

The first voting test in the 1852
political campaign will occur week
from today-the elections for Governor
and members of Congress in Maine. It's
been a long time since the old slogan
"as Maine goes. SO goes the Nation
has been anything more than memory.
However, the Maine elections will be
scanned this year with unusual interest.
Republican victory is expected for all
major Offices. The test will come on the
measure of that victory. If the Demo-
Gratis, percentage-wi do well, as COM
pared to other years, they will have
something to cheer about. They will say
that the desire for a change" doesn't
mean a thing, and that the charges of
corruption in Washington will scarcely
be a major issue, despite Republican
claims. The Republicans, on the other
hand, if they show strongly in the Maine
elections, will maintain that these issues
have been pointed up; that the prospects
for the G. o. P. in the rest of the country
are bright.
Left Nothing to Chance.
The Republicans have left nothing to
chance in Maine. They have been work.
ing hard and will continue to do so UP to
election day. Senator Smith, Senator
Brewster. until he left recently for Eu-
rope. and Senator Dirksen of Illinois,
have all been speaking for the party
ticket. The Republican vice presidential
candidate, Senator Nixon of California,
is going into the State for a final drive
this week.
Democratic hopes rest chiefly in the
gubernatorial race. They have nominated
as their candidate former Representative
James Oliver. who was Republican dur
ing his service in the House. He is pitted
against Burton Cross, the Republican
nominee. Mr.. Oliver is a good cam
paigner and persuasive talker. When
he was Republican member Of the
House, he was maverick" very liberal
and Townsendite. He won his first
nomination. as Republican, in field of
nine candidates, and never was consid-
cred a strong Republican. although he
won denomination and reelection. That
was a number of years ago.
Gov. Frederick Payne, who defeated
Senator Brewster for the Republican
senatorial nomination in hard-fought
primary campaign. has been under at
tack because of charges Of corruption in
the liquor control administration. These
charges were made, however, during his
campaign for the senatorial nomination
and they did not prevent his victory The
belief is he will be elected to the Sem
ate, too, without much difficulty.
House Delegation All G. O. p.
Names House delegation is all Repub-
lican in the present Congress. It is ex-
pected to remain so in the coming elec-
tions. The Democrats have tried in vain
to diSlodge Representative Robert Hale,
who represents the Portland district, in
which there is a large labor vote. He
seems entirely safe for reelection.
Maine, like all the rest of the States,
will vote for its presidential electors In
November. While Maine has clung to the
Republican national ticket year after
year. the margin Of Republican victory
in these presidential elections-in Maine
has a number of times been consid-
senatorial elections.
The campaign now under way In Maine
is dealing with national as well as State
issues That goes for both Republican
and Democratic speakers. Neither Gen.
Eisenhower nor Gov. Stevenson. however.
has gone into the State-and whether
they will enter the State later, when the
campaign is for the presidential electors.
remains to be determined. II the State
is strongly Republican in the State elec.
ton, it seems improbable that the candi-
dates will give the time. needed for cam
paigning elsewhere, to such an invasion.