Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-11

You can't DUCK business al
the time. Swainson's all right
but he's just too close to those
union guys"
But the big issue is the sub
urbs is taxes, and particularly
the Governors veto of the
Bowman bill, a measure that
would have prevented Detroit
from levying a l per cent pay
roll tax on nonresident work
ers.
A part-time saleswoman in a
Macomb County shopping CEN
ter was one of several Romney
switchers who complained about
the veto. I'm a Democrat"
she said, but when Swanson
vetoed the Bowman bill tspon-
sored by a Macomb County
Democratic LEGISLATOR, that was
it,"
Mr.. Romney's efforts to cam
paign almost as a non-partisan
has left most Democrats unim-
pressed. 1t has also, his head
quarters acknowledged, aggra-
waited some rural Republican
legislators, who see no reason
why the G. o. p. label should
be so repugnant to him. But
the Romney managers say
there will be no organized re-
volt against him by any impor-
tant Republicans.
In the Detroit area, at least
a few Democrats are being lured
by his tactics. An engineer said,
I'm a Democrat but I may
switch to Romney because I
think he's a Democrat at heart.
He might get more Of our pro-
gram through for us than
Swanson did"
With such a voter In mind,
Democratic m a ayers are
agreed that one essential Of
their comeback drive must be
the sharpening of partisan
lines. The Governor Is striving
nightly to do this, referring
constantly to my Democratic
administration" and my Re-
publican opponent"
He is also stepping up his
attacks on Mr.. Romney. seeking
the reputation of forcefulness
which has so far eluded him.
But he is obviously going to
need help, and that help can
come from only two sources.
Precinct Trouble
The first is the precinct Or
ganization of the Democratic
Party and the labor unions.
The organization has looked
punk in the past two years. 1t
failed to mobilize the potential
Democratic vote in any Of the
IL separate elections that have
taken place in parts or all OF
Wayne County (Detroit) since
November, 1860.
A top AFL-CIO official in
Wayne County said bluntly:
Our guys are just popped out" "
Others think the causes Of
the failure are more basic.
Many Of the key men in ex-
Gov. G. Mennen Williams six
successful mpaigns have
moved to Washington with him
to take jobs in the administra-
ton. Neil Staebler, the long
time Democratic chairman, is
now occupied with an appar-
emily losing race against ex-
Representative Alvin Bentley
for Congressman-at-large.
One Republican m anagerI
said, frankly. our biggest ad-
is that we're running
against their second team"
But the evidence is not all
on one side. The registration
drive which ended Monday
night was the most successful
ever held in a presidential
year. Detroit registered almost
$4,000 new voters, half again
as many as in the best previous
off-year.
Perhaps, the D ocratic-
union organization has regained
its touch.
Kennedy Tie Helpful
The other source Of help for
the hard-pressed Governor is
President Kennedy. His identi-
fication with the President is
the biggest single factor going
for him in his battle against
apathy.
A retired molder in Ham
tramck said. Swanson is all
right. He's a young man, like
President Kennedy. That's what
we need now"
A young unemployed printing
apprentice in Detroit, preparing
to cast his first ballot, re-
marked: "Swainson's giving us
a lot of taxes. I guess he's do
ing it for something, but I don't
know what. I like the Demo-
cratic Party, anyway. I like
that medical care for the aged
bill. Swainson's like Kennedy
he's doing his best, but he
doesn't have enough support. "
The President will be back in
Michigan once more before
election day to plug for Gov.
Swanson. Mr.. Romney is 60
ing it alone, declining offers OF
help from former President
Eisenhower and other Republic
cans.
| If anything upsets his apple
cart, it will probably be that
last Kennedy visit.
. Police Accuse 3