Not following form –
Favorites fall to scramble pro grid race
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Poll: Solid South still for Roosevelt
Only Oklahoma and Kentucky are close
By George Gallup, Director, American Institute of Public Opinion
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Col. ‘Bill’ Hayward dies in New York
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Dancer put in 1-A
New York –
Gene Kelly, dancer and Hollywood actor, has been given a Selective Service classification of 1-A and will be inducted in about a month, Waldemar Grassi, chairman of Kelly’s local New York Draft Board, disclosed today.
Bricker calls OPA ‘inept, confused’
Denounces ‘politics’ in rationing
Sacramento, California (UP) –
Ohio Governor John W. Bricker declared today that the Office of Price Administration was inept, confused and devoid of planning and was being operated for political advantage.
Opening his California campaign, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, in a speech prepared for delivery here, blamed OPA for “keeping the people in the dark” on the entire rationing program. However, he admitted that rationing itself was necessary to combat wartime shortages.
But he asserted that handling of rationing by the OPA had been incompetent in eight ways:
- Planning was obviously poor.
- OPA had no understanding of the “psychology of rationing,” actually encouraging hoarding.
- Irregular rationing periods created confusion.
- Rationing was not coordinated with pricing.
- OPA had not always know how many rationing coupons it had issued.
- Responsibility was divided.
- Unnecessarily complex systems and forms were adopted.
- Black markets flourished and the pleasure driving ban was bungled.
Hits ‘political implications’
Asserting that the Republican Party believes in the principle of wartime rationing as an “instrument of war,” Mr. Bricker said:
The party does object to ineptness, the confusion, the lack of elementary planning and vision with which the New Dealers have administered the program… it particularly condemns the political implications of rationing.
Mr. Bricker illustrated the “political implications” remark by citing the recent order of OPA making “farm machinery ration-free” the very day after an OPA official dismissed as “astonishing” rumors of the removal. He said “we cannot know what the policy should be” because while OPA has the facts it insists upon “keeping the people in the dark.”
Influenced by election
He said:
But this we can be sure of the new policy undoubtedly was facilitated by the fact that Election Day is approaching.
Mr. Bricker makes his first major California speech tonight in San Francisco, which will be broadcast over MBS beginning at 8:30 p.m. PWT (5:30 p.m. EWT).
Mr. Bricker came to California after a tour of Oregon as the Republican Party’s assigned collector of its 25 electoral votes. Governor Thomas E. Dewey made only two speeches in the state, and party generals handed Mr. Bricker the job of winning over the voters for the entire ticket.
Wallace attacks Dewey as puppet
Calls him ‘front’ man for reactionaries
Cleveland, Ohio (UP) –
Vice President Henry A. Wallace last night attacked Governor Thomas E. Dewey as a “front” man who “cannot go back” on reactionary Republicans “as Hitler handled Theissen.”
“They pay the piper – they call the tune,” Mr. Wallace declared.
That is why, he said:
“The young man on the flying trapeze” spends part of his time talking like a liberal, part of the time like an old-fashioned reactionary and part of the time pretending that he really believes Roosevelt is a Communist.
The young, but vague Republican governor may be expected any night now to describe Governor Bricker as a New Deal Democrat.
Puts GOP in two classes
Speaking at a rally here, the Vice President divided Republicans into two classes, local Republicans, “usually fine people,” and national Republicans, “the Pews and Grundys of Pennsylvania, the Gannetts and Ham Fishes of New York, the Hearst-Patterson-McCormick newspapers axis, the Tafts, Gridlers and Hannas of Ohio.”
He said:
National Republicans are like the famous bird which always flew backward and thus could see where it had been, but never had any idea where it was going.
Their election would mean a soft war, a soft peace and a reactionary post-war period.
‘Fear a full vote’
Mr. Wallace charged:
The reactionary national Republicans fear a full vote. They have placed one obstacle after another in the way of the voter this year, and “outstanding leaders in this effort are the governors of Ohio and New York” whose “secretaries of states have lent themselves to efforts to restrict voting.”
He said:
The national Republicans voted against Selective Service, against an adequate Army Air Force, against Lend-Lease, against the arming of merchant ships, against repealing the arms embargo.
If the Republican candidate were a true liberal, he would tell the American people that it was the Republicans in Congress who are blocking adequate emergency unemployment compensation during the transition from war to peace.
Völkischer Beobachter (October 15, 1944)
Reichsmarschall Göring vor Rüstungsarbeitern –
Es wird ihnen nicht gelingen
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Kinder leiden in Konzentrationslagern –
Alle Altreichsdeutschen in Eupen eingesperrt
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Aachen und Remiremont
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Anglo-Amerikaner als Handlanger –
Kesseltreiben gegen Spanien
Von unserem Berichterstatter in Schweden
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Führer HQ (October 15, 1944)
Kommuniqué des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht
Die heftigen Kämpfe um die Scheldemündung dauern an. Der englische Druck an der Maas südlich Gennep hat sich verstärkt. In schweren, beiderseits mit größter Erbitterung geführten Stellungskämpfen zerschlugen unsere Truppen feindliche Angriffe nordöstlich Aachens und bekämpften wirksam die sich gegen den Ostrand der Stadt heranschiebenden amerikanischen Verbände. In der vergangenen Nacht griffen schnelle Kampf- und Nachtschlachtflugzeuge einen Nachschubstützpunkt des Gegners bei Aachen mit guter Wirkung an. Östlich Lunéville und Épinal und vor allem südöstlich Remiremont, setzte der Feind mit zusammengefassten Kräften seine Angriffe fort. Sie blieben auch gestern nach geringen Anfangserfolgen liegen. Die Versuche der 7. amerikanischen Armee und ihrer Hilfsvölker, in Lothringen einzubrechen und die Vogesenpässe zu gewinnen, haben dem Feind bisher nur starke Verluste und geringen örtlichen Geländegewinn gebracht, ohne daß er sich seinen Zielen wesentlich nähern konnte. Unsere Küstenstutzpunkte melden andauernde Artilleriekämpfe und Luftangriffe.
Das Feuer unserer „V1“ lag wiederum auf London und seinen Vororten.
In Italien setzte der Feind beiderseits der Straße Bologna–Florenz und an der Adriafront seine starken, von überlegenen Luftstreitkräften unterstützten Angriffe fort. Der beabsichtigte Durchbruch blieb ihm infolge des zähen Widerstandes und der entschlossen geführten Gegenschläge unserer Grenadiere, Panzergrenadiere und Fallschirmjäger versagt.
Durch den Verrat Rumäniens und Bulgariens ist die deutsche Balkanposition im Rücken bedroht. Es wurde daher notwendig, aus diesem Grunde Südgriechenland zu räumen. Diese Bewegungen, die auf den Ägäischen Inseln und dem Peleponnes begonnen haben, sind seit Wochen im Gange. Die letzten Nachhuten haben am 12. Oktober ohne Kampf Athen geräumt. In den aufgegebenen Gebieten ist sofort der Kampf zwischen kommunistischen und antikommunistischen Griechen entbrannt. Einige gut bevorratete Inseln in der Ägäis werden auch fernerhin gehalten.
An der Morawa und am Südrand von Belgrad stehen unsere Truppen in schweren Kämpfen mit vorgedrungenen bolschewistischen Kräften. An den Theißübergängen zwischen Szeged und Csongrad führten eigene und feindliche Angriffe zu erbitterten Kämpfen. In der Pußtaebene südlich Debrecen blieben gestern erneute starke feindliche Angriffe erfolglos. Entschlossene, von Schlachtfliegern unterstützte Gegenangriffe unserer Panzer und Grenadiere warfen die Bolschewisten an mehreren Stellen zurück. Im Gebiet des Czirokatal- und Duklapasses verstärkte sich der feindliche Druck.
Im mittleren Frontabschnitt setzte der Feind seine Großangriffe fort. Abgesehen von einem Einbruch nördlich Seroc errangen unsere Truppen im Zusammenwirken mit der Luftwaffe überall gegen an Zahl und Material überlegenen Feind einen besonderen Abwehrerfolg. Zahlreiche bolschewistische Angriffe gegen den Brückenkopf von Memel und südöstlich Libau scheiterten. 68 feindliche Panzer wurden dabei abgeschossen. Die blutigen Verluste des Feindes waren hoch. Übersetzversuche der Sowjets über die Düna bei Riga wurden zerschlagen. Vor der Küste von Kurland beschoss ein deutscher Flottenverband In den vergangenen Tagen zur Entlastung unserer bei Memel schwer kämpfenden Truppen wiederholt sowjetische Frontabschnitte mit guter Wirkung. Im hohen Norden setzten sich unsere Gebirgsjäger vom Nordteil des Petsamofjords ab und kämpften ihre rückwärtigen Verbindungen in schwerem Ringen gegen bolschewistische Umfassungsmanöver frei.
Britische lind nordamerikanische Bomber führten am Tage Terrorangriffe gegen Köln, Duisburg, Kaiserslautern und griffen weitere Orte im Rheinland und in Oberschlesien an. In der vergangenen Nacht warfen die Briten wahllos eine große Zahl von Spreng- und Brandbomben auf Wohngebiete der Städte Duisburg und Braunschweig. Tilsit, Hamburg und Berlin waren das Ziel weiterer nächtlicher Bombenangriffe. 50 feindliche Flugzeuge, darunter 40 viermotorige Bomber, wurden abgeschossen.
Unter Führung von Oberst Reuter haben sich das Grenadierregiment 386 und das Pionierbataillon der 218. Infanteriedivision sowie die Marineartillerieabteilung 531 bei der Abwehr feindlicher Landungsversuche auf der Halbinsel Sworbe besonders ausgezeichnet.
Auch die 9. Sicherungsdivision und an Land eingesetzte Verbände der Kriegsmarine, die seit den Absetzbewegungen aus dem Baltikum im Finnischen Meerbusen und in der Rigaer Bucht in härtesten Kämpfen standen, haben sich bei der Abwehr wiederholter sowjetischer Landungsversuche auf der Halbinsel Sworbe durch hervorragende Standhaftigkeit besonders bewährt.
Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (October 15, 1944)
FROM
(A) SHAEF FORWARD
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
151100A October
TO FOR ACTION
(1) AGWAR (Pass to WND)
TO (W) FOR INFORMATION (INFO)
(2) FIRST US ARMY GP
(3) ADV HQ 12 ARMY GP
(4) FWD ECH (MAIN) 12 ARMY GP
(5) AEAF
(6) ANCXF
(7) EXFOR MAIN
(8) EXFOR REAR
(9) DEFENSOR, OTTAWA
(10) CANADIAN C/S, OTTAWA
(11) WAR OFFICE
(12) ADMIRALTY
(13) AIR MINISTRY
(14) ETOUSA
(15) SACSEA
(16) CMHQ (Pass to RCAF & RCN)
(17) COM Z APO 871
(18) SHAEF MAIN
(REF NO.)
NONE
(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR
Communiqué No. 189
North of the Sint-Leenarts Canal, Allied troops have made some progress southwards from the Biervliet area. The bridgehead over the canal has been slightly extended. Fighters and fighter bombers renewed their attacks on gun emplacements and strong points in the Breskens area. In the neck of the South Beveland Peninsula, the enemy continues to counterattack fiercely. In the Dutch salient, a local enemy counterattack, southeast of ‘s-Hertogenbosch was repulsed. North of the salient, medium bombers struck at rail targets at Utrecht and Amersfoort. Allied troops, south of Overloon, have advanced some 1500 yards through difficult wooded country in the face of stiff opposition. In support of our troops in this sector, light bombers cut the railway line leading to a bridge at Venlo and destroyed the western end of the Meuse River bridge at Roermond.
Our troops are advancing slowly in house-to-house fighting in the northeast section of Aachen. Fighter bombers continued the air attack on Aachen and also struck at rail communications in this sector. Enemy aircraft were sent up and our fighters shot down 18 of them for the loss of eight. North of the city, in the region of Bardenberg, the Germans, reinforced by armor, have increased their pressure, but several counterattacks have been dispersed by our planes and artillery. Just south of Kohlscheid and Würselen, our forces are moving forward slowly against stubborn resistance from both mobile and dug-in tanks.
In the Hürtgen Forest, near Germeter, we are making slow progress against stiff opposition to regain ground lost earlier in a strong enemy counterattack. Two miles southwest of Germeter, slight advances have been made and pillboxes are being mopped-up. Medium and light bombers hit Langerwehe, on the Aachen–Düren road. The bridges at Mayen, west of Koblenz, and at Euskirchen were also attacked. One medium bomber is missing from these operations. Fighter-bombers struck at rail communications at a number of points in western Germany.
East of Nancy, our patrols have penetrated the Forêt de Parroy and three-quarters of the forest has now been cleared of enemy. Our forces have made further progress against heavy resistance in the Moselotte River bend southeast of Épinal and have advanced over rugged terrain, to the vicinity of Cornimont. Pressure has been maintained near Le Thillot. Elsewhere, in the Vosges foothills, activity was limited chiefly to artillery exchanges and vigorous patrolling.
COORDINATED WITH: G-2, G-3 to C/S
THIS MESSAGE MAY BE SENT IN CLEAR BY ANY MEANS
/s/
Precedence
“OP” - AGWAR
“P” - Others
ORIGINATING DIVISION
PRD, Communique Section
NAME AND RANK TYPED. TEL. NO.
D. R. JORDAN, Lt Col FA Ext. 9
AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
/s/U.S. Navy Department (October 15, 1944)
CINCPAC Communiqué No. 153
During the night of October 12‑13 (West Longitude Date), strong counterattacks were delivered against task forces of the Pacific Fleet operating in the area of Formosa by aircraft of the Japanese Imperial Air Force. During these attacks on one of our task groups, 13 enemy aircraft were shot out of the air by our own fighters and seven by anti-aircraft fire.
Beginning at dawn on October 13, carrier aircraft of the Third Fleet continued their destructive attacks against enemy forces and defense installations on Formosa Island and Luzon. Little air opposition was encountered over the targets. Preliminary reports indicate 11 enemy aircraft were shot down and 30 were destroyed on the ground.
In the mid‑afternoon of October 13, our forces were attacked by numerous single and twin‑engine enemy aircraft. A combat air patrol of one of our task groups shot down 28 of these aircraft and two were destroyed by anti-aircraft fire. Complete reports are not yet at hand regarding known attacks on other units of our force, but it is known that many additional enemy aircraft have been shot down. Our plane losses so far have been light.
This fight is continuing. Further details will be released as they become available.
CINCPAC Communiqué No. 154
Troops of the 1st Marine Division on Peleliu Island sealed off several ire caves occupied by the enemy during October 13 (West Longitude Date). Angaur, the few remaining Japanese were kept under continual pressure.
Navy search planes of Fleet Air Wing One bombed and strafed two small coastal vessels and five barges off the coast of Iwo Jima on October 13. Other search planes damaged a small cargo ship and shot down an enemy torpedo bomber in the same area.
On October 12, 11th Air Force Liberators attacked nine small cargo vessels near Matsuwa Island in the Kurils. The Liberators suffered slight damage from anti-aircraft fire, but all returned safely.
Mitchell bombers of 11th Air Force on October 12 bombed buildings and installations on Shumushu and Paramushiru Islands. A single Navy search plane of Fleet Air Wing Four bombed Paramushiru Island on October 12. Two enemy aircraft made unsuccessful attempts to intercept, and anti-aircraft fire was light. The 11th Air Force attacked Paramushiru again on October 13. Installations on the Eastern Coast were hit by Mitchell bombers. Moderate anti-aircraft fire was encountered. Other Mitchells strafed a two‑thousand-ton cargo ship and seven small cargo ships at Suribachi Bay. Liberators started several fires in the north, while other Liberators scored direct hits on docking facilities on the southern tip of the island. All planes returned safely.
Pagan Island was strafed and bombed by 7th Air Force Thunderbolts on October 13. A Navy search plane of Fleet Air Wing One bombed the airfield and supply dumps at Rota Island on October 13.
Nauru Island was bombed by a single Catalina search plane of Fleet Air Wing One on the night of October 12. The airfield and other aviation installations at Nauru were also hit by Mitchells of the 7th Air Force on October 13. Anti-aircraft fire was meager. Seventh Air Force Liberators met moderate anti-aircraft fire in bombing the airfield at Marcus Island on October 13. Other Liberators in a night raid dropped explosives on Wake Island.
Neutralization of enemy‑held positions in the Marshall Islands by air attacks was continued on October 13 and 14, by the 4th Marine Air Wing.
CINCPAC Press Release No. 584
For Immediate Release
October 15, 1944
The U.S. naval forces which have been operating in the sea approaches to Formosa are units of the Third Fleet, commanded by Adm. F. Halsey Jr. (USN), with VAdm. W. A. Lee Jr. (USN) as second in command.
In command of the entire Fast Carrier Task Force is VAdm. M. A. Mitscher (USN). Carrier units included are under the command of VAdm. J. S. McCain (USN), RAdm. Frederick C. Sherman (USN), RAdm. R. E. Davison (USN), RAdm. G. F. Bogan (USN) and RAdm. H. B. Sallada (USN).
The Pittsburgh Press (October 15, 1944)
TERRIFIED CIVILIANS FLEE AACHEN
Yanks dig out diehard Nazis from ruins
Germans shift men from north flank
…
Dewey makes major speech here Friday
Candidate to appear at Hunt Armory
By Kermit McFarland
Governor Thomas E. Dewey, the Republican candidate for President, will deliver a major campaign speech in Pittsburgh next Friday.
Mr. Dewey will speak in Hunt Armory, East Liberty.
Arrangements for the Governor’s Pittsburgh visit were completed last night. Details have not been announced, but Mr. Dewey is expected to arrive here in the afternoon before his speech.
The Republican candidate’s appearance here tops a schedule of three major political rallies now lined up by the rival political parties here.
Truman to speak Nov. 2
U.S. Senator Harry S. Truman, the Democratic candidate for Vice President, will speak in Syria Mosque Thursday, Nov. 2, Democratic headquarters announced.
Congressman Clare Boothe Luce, one of the speakers at last June’s Republican National Convention in Chicago, will address a Republican rally in Syria Mosque tomorrow night.
This will be Mr. Dewey’s second Pittsburgh appearance since he became the presidential nominee, and his fourth since he became a national political figure.
He was here in July for a series of conferences with local political, business, labor, agricultural and war veteran groups, but made no speech.
Spoke here for Willkie
He addressed a dinner here in June 1941 when he was national chairman of the USO campaign for funds. And he spoke in Hunt Armory Oct. 17, 1940, on behalf of the late Wendell Willkie’s candidacy for President.
Mr. Dewey’s Friday address will begin at 9:30 p.m., but the rally probably will open at 8:30 p.m. Governor Edward Martin will undoubtedly appear on the program. The presidential candidate’s address will be broadcast over a nationwide network.
Details of the Truman rally here Nov. 2 are also lacking. Like the Dewey meeting, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate’s appearance here has been in the making for several weeks. The influence of County Commissioner John J. Kane, the original Truman proponent, and of Democratic State Chairman David L. Lawrence, virtually assured a Pittsburgh speaking date for the Missouri Senator.
Date moved forward
Mr. Dewey, who opened his campaign in Philadelphia, practically had assured Governor Martin and local Republicans that he would come here near the end of the campaign. Until yesterday, Oct. 30 had been listed as the tentative cure.
Republican National Chairman Herbert Brownell was here Wednesday, and the Dewey speech is a direct result of that visit.
When Mr. Dewey spoke in Hunt Armory, the largest hall in the city, in 1940, he was heard by an audience of 8,000. His main theme in that speech, a theme repeated in recent campaign addresses, was a charge that the Roosevelt administration had failed to begin soon enough the job of preparedness.
Clare Luce speaks tomorrow
Mrs. Luce, Congressman from Connecticut and wife of the publisher of Time, LIFE and Fortune magazines, will begin her address tomorrow right at 9:30. The speech will be broadcast over a statewide radio network.
Republican Headquarters announced that the doors at Syria Mosque will be open at 6:30 p.m. Prior to Mrs. Luce’s appearance, the program will be made up of music, community singing and an hour’s vaudeville show, featuring a patriotic tableau.
Republican County Chairman James F. Malone said a feature stunt of the rally will be an “old-fashioned political parade” through the aisles of the hall, led by an orchestra and the North Catholic High School Band.
Speakers will include Governor Martin, Republican State Chairman M. Harvey Taylor of Harrisburg, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Edna R. Correll of Philadelphia (Republican State Vice Chairman) and Mrs. Worthington Scranton (Pennsylvania member of the Republican National Committee). Candidates for statewide offices and Rev. James R. Cox of Old St. Patrick’s Church will be introduced.
Dewey revises speaking plans
Albany, New York (UP) – (Oct. 14)
Governor Thomas E. Dewey, in addition to scheduling a major speech at Pittsburgh Oct. 20, revised his campaign itinerary tonight to include: St. Louis Monday, The Herald-Tribune Forum in New York Wednesday, Minneapolis Oct. 24, Chicago Oct. 25, Buffalo Oct. 31, Boston Nov. 1, New York City Nov. 4, and a speech from a radio studio Nov. 6 Election Eve.
It was indicated the Governor may sandwich a speech in between the Chicago and Buffalo appearances and if he decided to do so, it probably would be at Detroit or Cleveland.
The Governor spent most of the day at the Executive Mansion working on his St. Louis speech with his close adviser, Elliott Bell. He took occasion to issue a proclamation designating Oct. 27 as Navy Day.
The Governor declined to comment on President Roosevelt’s declination to appear at the Herald-Tribune Forum and he had also “no comment” regarding charges by Assistant Secretary of State Adolf A. Berle that the GOP candidate had been “surprisingly dishonest” in some of his campaign speeches.
Lewis ‘prescription’ fails –
Hard coal miners don’t swallow GOP
Union rank-and-file still behind Roosevelt
By Robert Taylor, Pittsburgh Press staff writer
Robert Taylor, an experienced Pennsylvania political writer, is touring the state to get a line on election sentiment.
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania – (Oct. 14)
John L. Lewis’ bitter opposition to the federal administration and New Deal labor policies hasn’t altered the political opinions of the rank-and-file of miners in Pennsylvania’s hard coalmining region.
The miner is still for President Roosevelt. He’ll back up Mr. Lewis on union policy. He feels that Mr. Lewis has been kicked around by the Roosevelt administration while he was fighting for the miners, but he isn’t following the UMWA boss in politics.
Not personally popular
As President of the Mine Workers, he’s okay – as something else, that’s another matter,” is the way miners summarize it.
Mr. Lewis isn’t personally popular in the hard coal section. In the past 20 years there have been three rump movements aimed at forming a separate anthracite workers’ union, to break away from what the hard coal miner believes is union domination by soft coal men.
The UMWA boss came out on top in all three fights, but there was violence and bloodshed in some. Three years ago, one of the three hard coal UMWA districts lost its autonomy in a revolt by district officers against the Lewis administration.
Haven’t profited by war
The hard coal miner’s devotion to Mr. Lewis, accordingly, is purely on an economic basis. The same reasoning applies to his political sentiments – the New Deal record of pro-labor legislation in the nation and the state counts with the miner. So, he supports Mr. Lewis in union matters; Mr. Roosevelt politically.
This might indicate that the five hard coal counties which, in 1940, produced a majority of almost 50,000 for the President, will repeat again in the fourth term campaign, but the majorities are not expected to be as large.
The hard coal section is the state’s only major industrial area which has continued under depression conditions during the war. Few war industries moved in; the coal industry has been going down for years, and thousands have moved out of the area in the past few years to take war jobs elsewhere.
Population losses have been sharp – local residents don’t like to estimate how sharp. Added to effects of the military draft, they have stripped the hard coal counties of thousands of their younger workers. The losses show up in the registration figures – particularly in the Democratic column.
Luzerne County typical
Luzerne County has almost 40,000 miners – nearly half the total in the anthracite region. In 1940, it had 126,580 registered Republicans and 94,884 Democrats and produced a majority of 21,892 for Mr. Roosevelt. This year, the registration is: 121,247 Republicans; 61,955 Democrats – a loss of 38,000 voters, only 5,000 of them Republicans.
Lackawanna County produced a majority of 16,412 for Mr. Roosevelt four years ago, when the registration stood 80,448 Democrats and 71,031 Republicans. This year’s registration, not yet totaled, will run about 74,700 Democrats and 63,500 Republicans – a loss of more than 13,000.
Schuylkill County has been near the break-even point in recent elections. In 1940, it gave Mr. Roosevelt a 5,234 majority in more than 92,000 votes. Last year’s registration was 61,441 Republicans, 35,172 Democrats.
GOP organization strong
Carbon and Northumberland counties produced majorities of 2,159 and 3,401 for the Democratic candidate in 1940. Both have Republican registration majorities and both went Republican in the 1942 governorship election.
Throughout the hard coal district, the Republican organization is well knit, well financed and backed by state and, in most district’s local patronage. The Democratic organization, built on a WPA base in 1936, is hampered now by lack of patronage and money.
Labor, however, is working together in the anthracite region for Mr. Roosevelt. The CIO Political Action Committee is campaigning among 80 CIO locals in the silk, textile, clothing and other minor industries of the region. AFL and Railway Brotherhood groups are cooperating, and some rank-and-file miners help.
GOP rallies well attended
Both Governor John W. Bricker, GOP vice-presidential nominee, and Vice President Henry A. Wallace drew large crowds in Wilkes-Barre. UMWA District officials – miners refer to them as the Lewis “payroll” – attend all rallies for Governor Thomas E. Dewey.
Despite the drop in total registration of voters, attributable to the population loss, the registration of new voters was heavy in the hard coal section, indicating unusual interest in the election and a heavy vote.