Not so many years ago, a citizen could take his politics or leave it alone. He didn’t have to listen to campaign speeches unless he wanted to.
Then, the radio revised campaign methods in 1928 and now you can’t escape hearing the candidates.
But there’s more to come – in the post-war world. Senator Wagner, last Sunday night, was the first candidate for major office to be televised right into the homes of voters. Wonder what the campaign of 1948 will be like?
By Mrs. Walter Ferguson
As this is written the election is in doubt. Although many people are saying so, this campaign has been no meaner than many others we’ve staged. Between campaigns, we forget old rancors.
The reason we can forget the wounds of political campaigns is because we are essential a fair-minded people. Even when contests are hottest, neighbors and friends on opposing sides can laugh together over their differences.
Editorial and platform accusations sometimes sound vicious, but that’s a part of the game too, and those who are engaged in the fight know it. In Washington, Democrats and Republicans fraternize in private even while the public is led to believe them mortal enemies. Those skilled in political techniques use every device to win, but a good deal of their alarmist talk is pure bosh and nobody knows it better than they do.
Whatever the election outcome, the country faces a crucial period. It will take the best efforts of all good Americans to pull us through. We could therefore utilize the day to examine our own hearts and ask ourselves seriously why mankind has not been able to outlaw war.
We know the answer, too. Peace is not built on hates. It does not spring from greed. It is the result of human behavior. And a good many humans must change their behavior in order to achieve it. Maybe that means you and me, as well as our leaders.
Columbus, Ohio –
Governor John W. Bricker, Republican vice-presidential nominee, today voted the Republican ticket “all the way down the line.”
Houston, Texas –
John H. Crooker, Texas elector, declared here today that he will cast his electoral vote for Governor Thomas E. Dewey and Governor John W. Bricker “if that’s the best way to defeat the Roosevelt-Truman ticket,” and indicated other electors of the anti-Roosevelt party will do likewise.
By Thomas L. Stokes
Washington –
One very significant fact emerged from the 1944 presidential campaign as to the future function and objective of our government.
This is that laissez-faire, though long dead, was finally buried formally for all time, both as affects our place as a nation among other nations, and as affects the role of our government in the life of its people.
Both parties, through their platforms and candidates, agreed that no longer can there be any hit-or-miss, any happy-go-lucky attitude, any return to the principles of what are fondly called “The Good Old Days,” in the conduct of our affairs with other nations, or our own affairs within our country.
There will, of course, be dissenting voices in Congress, and perhaps bitter fights in Congress over the method of our cooperation with other nations and the method of adjusting our national economy. But it will be a battle over a plan, and not a battle as to whether there should be a plan.
The principle of national planning, of supervision from Washington of the delicate mechanism of our national economy, has been established and accepted finally, just as has the necessity of planning our relations with other nations of the world.
Significant turn
This is a simple fact, long recognized in many quarters, though hotly disputed in some others during this campaign. It is worth noting, for it represents a significant turn in national affairs that perhaps will assume more importance in the history books than it does now when seen as closely.
President Roosevelt and Governor Dewey stood together on the creation of a post-war world organization. Primarily such an organization is to keep the peace. But in that objective, it must plan in other directions – to do away with trade barriers, to open up access for all nations to raw materials, to check international monopolies, to protect minority groups, and the like, It is from these sources of irritation that wars spring.
The United States has taken the lead in the past in all these areas and is prepared, from its experience, to furnish leadership now.
Earlier in his campaign, before the fur began to fly, Governor Dewey expressed a philosophy of broad national government participation im meeting economic and social problems. Even before that, in his St. Louis conference with Republican governors, Governor Dewey supervised the drafting of a program which called for broad use of federal powers, in cooperation with the states, to promote the social and economic welfare of the people.
OK’d New Deal reforms
In his campaign along the Pacific Coast, he accepted the various domestic reforms of the New Deal, speaking as the leader of his party. At the same time, he espoused government intervention to keep the economic structure in balance, to provide jobs when private industry could not, to support prices of farm crops against collapse, and so on. He pronounced the end of the “Dog-Eat-Dog” philosophy.
At Los Angeles, he went a step further and advocated extension of social security to cover 20 million persons not now included, and additional assistance to veterans in getting jobs and being rehabilitated.
Simultaneously with advocacy of a broad participation of the national government in the lives of the people, Republicans made quite an attack on “bureaucracy” which raised an inconsistency often pointed out. The reforms of the New Deal require lots of personnel to administer, though not near as much perhaps as the government now employs.
Extension of Social Security undoubtedly would add some more.
What this all adds up to is that if people are to be given this sort of government, as both parties are agreed, then it will require continually large personnel to administer it. There is no way around it, even though politicians in the heat of a campaign don’t say so while making their promises.
But there is a “bureaucracy” issue in the top-heavy, inefficient structure, with its duplication of agencies and its waste, and Republicans performed a service in pointing this out. President Roosevelt recognized this vulnerability early in the campaign when he issued orders for a survey to prepare for liquidation of war agency personnel.
But more than a survey will be needed to cut the government structure down to size.
By Gracie Allen
Hollywood, California –
Well, so far as I’m concerned, the election is already a success. The official at the polls this morning asked me if I was old enough to vote.
I was so eager to cast my ballot that I told a little white lie and said I was.
George is terribly nervous waiting for the election returns to come in. And when he’s nervous he likes to smoke one cigarette right after another. Today he’s already gone through three cartons… But he didn’t find any cigarettes.
According to early reports, the Solid South is going the same way it has for the last 70 years… it still prefers Boubon.
OWI to radio results overseas
By Si Steinhauser
Now that you have listened to national Democratic candidates take up 34 hours and five minutes and Republicans 29 hours and 10 minutes of your network listening time, big league commercials go bye-bye tonight to make way for election returns and hourly “commentaries” by “experts,” along with alibis for out-of-bounds predictions.
The 63 hours and 15 minutes of talk does not include spot announcements, five-minute recordings, in-person appeals, or state or county broadcasts.
If there is a decision tonight in the election, you may hear the victor and loser interviewed by network mikemen or the announcement “he has retired for the night,” a pre-radio version of “he has taken a trip up Salt River.” The younger generation may have that explained by their elders.
The Blue Network cancels all programs from 7 o’clock on. NBC, CBS and MBS begin their nationwide pickups at 8 o’clock.
Interpretative commentaries will be made by chairmen of national political committees, also by various aides and publicity directors. There will also be an election dramatization – as if the election isn’t drama enough – and man in the street interviews with “What do you think of the winner?” the $64 question. Servicemen will also he felt out as to “what do you care about it?”
The Office of War Information will begin overseas broadcasts of returns at 7 o’clock. These will continue until the globe is circled and time differences have been compensated and every military outpost has had the returns and the identity of the winner made available. Ten-minute return summaries will reach across the seas.
The Office of Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs will also broadcast returns in Spanish and Portuguese for Latin-American ears.
Wartime emergency transmitters will be used for tonight’s special broadcasts but returns will not be permitted to interfere with the regular transmission of military orders.
All of which is just a semifinal, to the nation’s return to normalcy, soap operas, blue jokes, promises of cheap television sets and warning to do your shopping early for Christmas is coming. And we’ll get more and bigger reports from the victory fronts in Europe and the Pacific. Of course, we’ll have to listen to the “I told you so” guys until next Sunday night. by which time all excuses and boasts will have been completed.
Next election you will see the candidates as they speak if what happened on a tiny scale in New York means anything. Senator Robert F. Wagner was seen by owners of television sets as he asked his native state to return him to the Senate. He was televised by Station WABD and was the first candidate ever televised in a campaign speech.
Now back to the old routine:
Larry Stevens, the “unknown discovery” of Mary Livingstone who made his singing debut on Jack Benny’s broadcast Sunday night was brought to the Benny home last July and signed as Dennis Day’s successor. That, according to Jack Benny, who ought to know, since his manager, Leonard Lyon’s, and Larry’s manager did the signing in Jack’s presence, following an audition.
Judith Wood, who plays a Japanese spy on the Counterspy series, is the wife of a member of the British Consular Service, Christopher Wren, whose father wrote Beau Geste. Judith makes a specialty of portraying Oriental women on the air.
We don’t admire Shirley Mitchell for going on the Fibber McGee Show last Tuesday just after she learned that her father had died. The “show must go on stuff” gets no favor here.
Donald Loughlin has joined the Woman of America cast as Logan Matthews.
Pittsburgh’s Earl Hines will play a boogie-woogie version of the “St. Louis Blues” on tomorrow’s (KQV 3:15 p.m.) Hollywood Show Time.
Len Doyle, who plays Harrington of Mr. District Attorney broadcasts, is Chief Special Investigator for the Admiral in the new Broadway play, The Streets Are Guarded.
Murray Kane, who sang with Fred Waring’s gang, is overseas in uniform and turning his experiences into money. Pfc. Kane picked up the G.I. query “Got Any Gum, Chum?” and made it into a song. Fred will introduce it Thursday night.
The Electoral College contains 531 electors representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia. A candidate needs a majority of electors – 266 – to win the presidency.
| FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT | THOMAS DEWEY | |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (266 needed) | 388 | 96 |
| NUMBER OF STATES | 32 | 11 |
| Alabama | 11 | 0 |
| Arizona | 4 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 9 | 0 |
| California | 25 | 0 |
| Colorado | — | — |
| Connecticut | 8 | 0 |
| Delaware | 3 | 0 |
| Florida | 8 | 0 |
| Georgia | 12 | 0 |
| Idaho | 4 | 0 |
| Illinois | 28 | 0 |
| Indiana | 0 | 13 |
| Iowa | 0 | 10 |
| Kansas | 0 | 8 |
| Kentucky | 11 | 0 |
| Louisiana | 10 | 0 |
| Maine | 0 | 5 |
| Maryland | 8 | 0 |
| Massachusetts | 16 | 0 |
| Michigan | — | — |
| Minnesota | 11 | 0 |
| Mississippi | 9 | 0 |
| Missouri | 15 | 0 |
| Montana | 4 | 0 |
| Nebraska | 0 | 6 |
| Nevada | — | — |
| New Hampshire | 4 | 0 |
| New Jersey | — | — |
| New Mexico | 4 | 0 |
| New York | 47 | 0 |
| North Carolina | 14 | 0 |
| North Dakota | 0 | 4 |
| Ohio | 0 | 25 |
| Oklahoma | 10 | 0 |
| Oregon | 0 | 6 |
| Pennsylvania | 35 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 0 |
| South Carolina | 8 | 0 |
| South Dakota | 0 | 4 |
| Tennessee | 12 | 0 |
| Texas | 23 | 0 |
| Utah | 4 | 0 |
| Vermont | 0 | 3 |
| Virginia | 11 | 0 |
| Washington | 8 | 0 |
| West Virginia | 8 | 0 |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 12 |
| Wyoming | — | — |
49 needed for majority, 35 at stake, 0 undecided
| Party | Not Up For Election | Total Control | Gain/Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republicans | 24 | 38 | +1 |
| Democrats | 36 | 57 | -1 |
| Progressives | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Others | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Race | Status | Candidate | Vote | Vote% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama |  |
(D) Hill (incumbent) | 202,604 | 81.78% |
| (R) Posey | 41,983 | 16.95% | ||
| (I) Parrish | 3,162 | 1.28% | ||
| Arizona | |
(D) Hayden (incumbent) | 99,124 | 69.37% |
| (R) Fickett | 39,891 | 30.63% | ||
| Arkansas | |
(D) Fulbright | 182,499 | 85.10% |
| (R) Wade | 31,942 | 14.90% | ||
| California | |
(D) Downey (incumbent) | 1,728,155 | 69.37% |
| (R) Houser | 1,576,553 | 30.63% | ||
| Scattering | 526 | 0.02% | ||
| Colorado | |
(R) Millikin (incumbent) | 277,410 | 56.06% |
| (D) Whatley | 214,335 | 43.31% | ||
| (I) Whitehead | 3,143 | 0.64% | ||
| Connecticut | |
(D) McMahon | 430,716 | 51.99% |
| (R) Danaher (incumbent) | 391,748 | 47.28% | ||
| (I) Anderson | 6,033 | 0.73% | ||
| Florida | |
(D) Downey (incumbent) | 335,685 | 71.28% |
| (R) Draper | 135,258 | 28.72% | ||
| Idaho | |
(D) Taylor | 107,096 | 51.13% |
| (R) Bottolfsen | 102,373 | 48.87% | ||
| Illinois | |
(D) Lucas (incumbent) | 2,059,023 | 52.61% |
| (R) Lyons | 1,841,793 | 47.06% | ||
| (I) Schnur | 7,312 | 0.19% | ||
| (I) Holtwick | 5,798 | 0.15% | ||
| Indiana Special | |
(R) Jenner | 857,250 | 52.11% |
| (D) O’Brien | 775,417 | 47.14% | ||
| (I) Thompson | 12,349 | 0.75% | ||
| Indiana Regular | |
(R) Capehart | 829,489 | 50.23% |
| (D) Schricker | 807,766 | 48.91% | ||
| (I) Holston | 12,213 | 0.74% | ||
| (I) Tomish | 1,917 | 0.12% | ||
| Iowa | |
(R) Hickenlooper | 523,963 | 51.28% |
| (D) Gillette (incumbent) | 494,229 | 48.37% | ||
| (I) Bowden | 2,751 | 0.27% | ||
| (I) Drescher | 744 | 0.07% | ||
| Kansas | |
(R) Reed (incumbent) | 387,090 | 57.84% |
| (D) Hill | 272,053 | 40.65% | ||
| (I) Dubbs | 7,674 | 1.15% | ||
| (I) Billings | 2,374 | 0.35% | ||
| Kentucky | |
(D) Barkley (incumbent) | 464,053 | 54.81% |
| (R) Park | 380,425 | 44.93% | ||
| (I) Garrison | 1,808 | 0.21% | ||
| (I) Marret | 340 | 0.04% | ||
| Scattering | 1 | 0% | ||
| Louisiana | |
(D) Overton (incumbent) | 287,365 | 99.99% |
| (I) Clark | 380,425 | 0.01% | ||
| Maryland | |
(D) Tydings (incumbent) | 344,725 | 61.73% |
| (R) Randall | 213,705 | 38.27% | ||
| Massachusetts Special | |
(R) Saltonstall | 1,228,754 | 64.29% |
| (D) Corcoran | 667,086 | 34.90% | ||
| (I) Kelly | 12,296 | 0.64% | ||
| (I) Root | 3,269 | 0.17% | ||
| Missouri | |
(R) Donnell | 778,778 | 49.95% |
| (D) McKittrick | 776,790 | 49.82% | ||
| (I) Priesler | 3,320 | 0.21% | ||
| (I) Cox | 215 | 0.01% | ||
| Nevada | |
(D) McCarran (incumbent) | 30,595 | 58.38% |
| (R) Malone | 21,816 | 41.62% | ||
| New Hampshire | |
(R) Tobey (incumbent) | 110,549 | 50.93% |
| (D) Betley | 106,508 | 49.07% | ||
| New Jersey Special | |
(R) Smith | 940,051 | 50.44% |
| (D) Wene | 910,096 | 48.84% | ||
| (I) Ridout | 9,873 | 0.53% | ||
| (I) Butterworth | 1,997 | 0.11% | ||
| (I) Riger | 1,593 | 0.09% | ||
| New York | |
(D) Wagner (incumbent) | 3,294,576 | 53.06% |
| (R) Curran | 2,899,497 | 46.7% | ||
| (I) Hass | 15,244 | 0.25% | ||
| North Carolina | |
(D) Hoey | 533,813 | 70.25% |
| (R) Ferree | 226,037 | 29.75% | ||
| North Dakota | |
(D) Moses | 95,102 | 45.20% |
| (R) Nye (incumbent) | 69,530 | 33.04% | ||
| (I) Stumbaugh | 44,596 | 21.19% | ||
| (I) O’Laughlin | 705 | 0.34% | ||
| (I) Harris | 489 | 0.23% | ||
| Ohio | |
(R) Taft (incumbent) | 1,500,609 | 50.3% |
| (D) Pickrel | 1,482,610 | 49.7% | ||
| Oklahoma | |
(D) Thomas (incumbent) | 390,851 | 55.65% |
| (R) Otjen | 309,222 | 44.02% | ||
| (I) Beck | 1,128 | 0.16% | ||
| (I) Williams | 674 | 0.10% | ||
| (I) Nagle | 519 | 0.07% | ||
| Oregon Special | |
(R) Cordon (incumbent) | 260,631 | 57.54% |
| (D) Mahoney | 192,305 | 42.46% | ||
| Oregon Regular | |
(R) Morse | 269,095 | 60.71% |
| (D) Smith | 174,140 | 39.29% | ||
| Pennsylvania | |
(D) Myers | 1,864,622 | 49.99% |
| (R) Davis (incumbent) | 1,840,938 | 49.35% | ||
| (I) Stump | 14,129 | 0.38% | ||
| (I) Palmer | 8,599 | 0.23% | ||
| (I) Knotek | 1,989 | 0.05% | ||
| South Carolina | |
(D) Johnston | 94,556 | 92.94% |
| (R) Gaston | 3,807 | 3.74% | ||
| (I) McKaine | 3,214 | 3.16% | ||
| (I) Hendrix | 141 | 0.14% | ||
| Write-ins | 18 | 0% | ||
| South Dakota | |
(R) Gurney (incumbent) | 145,248 | 63.86% |
| (D) Bradshaw | 82,199 | 36.14% | ||
| Utah | |
(D) Thomas (incumbent) | 148,748 | 59.91% |
| (R) Bennion | 99,532 | 40.09% | ||
| Vermont | |
(R) Aiken (incumbent) | 81,094 | 65.80% |
| (D) Witters | 42,136 | 34.19% | ||
| Scattering | 18 | 0.01% | ||
| Washington | |
(D) Magnuson (incumbent) | 452,013 | 55.13% |
| (R) Cain | 364,356 | 44.44% | ||
| (I) Roberts | 1,912 | 0.23% | ||
| (I) Sulston | 1,598 | 0.19% | ||
| Wisconsin | |
(R) Wiley (incumbent) | 634,513 | 50.50% |
| (D) McMurray | 537,144 | 42.75% | ||
| (I) Sauthoff | 73,089 | 5.82% | ||
| (I) Uphoff | 9,964 | 0.79% | ||
| (I) Wiggert | 1,664 | 0.13% | ||
| Scattering | 106 | 0.01% |
Broadcast from Hyde Park, New York
I see some youngsters up a tree which reminds me of earlier days, when I wanted to get away from the discipline of the family, and I climbed that very tree up where that highest youngster is now, and I disappeared and I couldn’t be found. And they got everybody – I think they got the fire department up trying to find me. And I realized that I was causing a good deal of commotion, so I said “Yoo-hoo,” or something like that, and I came down.
Well, I remember my first torchlight parade right here in 1892 – Cleveland’s election. And I was asleep, or supposedly asleep, right up in this window, a little room at the head of the stairs; and I was listening, and I didn’t know what was the matter – a queer light outside the window, with people coming up on farm wagons – before the days of the automobile. It was Hyde Park – a large part of it – coming down here to have a Democratic celebration.
And I got up and appeared down here in an old-fashioned nightgown of some kind, on this porch, and I wrapped up in an old Buffalo robe that came out of a wagon. And I had a perfectly grand evening.
Now if Elmer were old enough, he would know about that. But he has done pretty well himself. He has been an awfully good supervisor for this town, and we are all mighty proud of our neighbor Elmer Van Wagner.
And then there are all kinds of people that I remember, which only very old people like myself can remember. And I remember, once upon a time, I was fascinated by old Dan Barrett’s brewery. And Dan, after meeting the train, which came in about twice a day in those days, used to bring people down here in his old bus, and I would go out there and I would talk to Dan Barrett by the hour. Now we have got a young Dan Barrett and he is down here on this place, here on the right.
The reports that are coming in are not so bad – but I can’t concede anything. Oh, I couldn’t concede anything – much too early. I can’t make any statement at all. The State of New York as a whole seems to be going pretty well – pretty well, but it’s much too early to say anything. We won’t get the final returns on these so-called pivotal states for, I suppose, another hour. And they are working out all right, so far, and it looks as if I will have to come back here on a train from Washington for four more years.
And it’s worthwhile still, and always will be, to leave Washington on a Friday night and get here Saturday morning, and go back to Washington on a Sunday night, just for two days up here. It will always be worth it.
And so I am glad to be here on this Election Day again – I might say again and again and again! But I’ll be perfectly happy to come back here for good, as you all know. I don’t have to tell you that.
It has been grand to see you. Thanks ever so much for coming down, but I have been on the telephone all evening to almost every part of the country. I have got a ticker in there, and I get the returns on that. I am trying to keep in touch with all these people – calling up a few people.
One person I haven’t called up – I am waiting and holding my breath – and that is a lady over in our neighboring state, in Connecticut. She is running against another lady over in the adjoining state, and my friend seems to be winning – she is ahead at the present time. And if she can only hold on to that lead, and they don’t hold back the returns too long, we will have a new Congresswoman down Bridgeport way. And so we have real hope, which will be rather excellent for our own feelings – and I think if they prove true, a mighty good thing for this country. And that’s a rough thing to say – about the other lady.
I haven’t had any word about the present Congressman from this district, but as I remarked yesterday somewhere, when I was taking a drive around, there is more than one way of getting rid of a Congressman. You have known about it being done by redistricting the state and putting the Congressman over in another county, but in the last returns that I have just got, he is doing very well in Rockland County – I mean his opponent Bennett. Bennett is also doing pretty well in Orange, and so there is a real possibility of our having a new Congressman in the lower districts. Of course, we are in a different district this time – Thank goodness!
It has been good to see you, and I will have to go on back and do some more telephoning.
Delivered at Hotel Roosevelt, Washington, DC
It is clear that Mr. Roosevelt has been reelected for a fourth term, and every good American will wholeheartedly accept the will of the people.
I extend to President Roosevelt my hearty congratulations and my earnest hope that his next term will see speedy victory in the war, the establishment of lasting peace and the restoration of tranquility among our peoples.
I am deeply grateful for the confidence expressed by so many million Americans for their labors in the campaign.
The Republican Party emerges from the election revitalized and a great force for the good of the country and for the preservation of free government in America.
I am confident that all Americans will join me in a devout hope that in the years ahead Divine Providence will guide and protect the President of the United States.
Völkischer Beobachter (November 8, 1944)
vb. Wien, 7. November –
Zum viertenmal hat sich Roosevelt am 7. November zur Wahl gestellt. War es schon ohne Beispiel in der Geschichte der USA, daß ein Präsident drei volle Amtsperioden hintereinander im Weißen Haus verbrachte, so hat es auch eine vierte Bewerbung bisher noch nicht gegeben. Der republikanische Gegenkandidat ist der Gouverneur von Neuyork Dewey. 1940 war es der inzwischen verstorbene Willkie und es stellte sich später heraus, daß den Wählern ein reines Theater vorgespielt worden war. Immerhin waren die Wahlbeteiligungen groß: Roosevelt erhielt 25,6 Millionen Stimmen, Willkie 21,5 Millionen.
Indessen entscheidet nicht so sehr die Zahl der Wahlstimmen als der Erfolg in den einzelnen Bundesstaaten, denn die Wahl ist mittelbar. Es werden zunächst die Elektoren gewählt, die dann wieder im folgenden Dezember den Präsidenten bestimmen.
Jeder Bundesstaat ist ein geschlossener Wahlkreis und hat so viele Elektoren wie Vertreter im Repräsentantenhaus und im Senat, in dem wieder jeder Staat gleichmäßig zwei Sitze innehat. Infolgedessen entfallen auf einen Wahlmann beispielsweise in Nevada rund 37.000 Einwohner, in Neuyork 290.000. Es ist also möglich, daß eine Minderzahl an Stimmen eine Mehrheit an Elektoren einbringen kann. Dies ist auch bei früheren Wahlen mehrfach geschehen.
Die Auswirkung der geschilderten Wahlgeometrie läßt sich auch daran ablesen, daß Roosevelt 1936 bei 27,5 Millionen. Stimmen 523 Elektoren erhielt, sein Gegner mit 10,7 Millionen Stimmen nur die acht Wahlmänner der kleinen Staaten Maine und Vermont, und dann 1940 Willkie auch nur auf 63 Elektoren kam, obwohl er nur um 4 Millionen hinter Roosevelt lag.
Das Wahlrecht ist übrigens nicht überall gleich; es richtet sich nach den örtlichen Bestimmungen, so daß nur ein Teil der Frauen stimmberechtigt ist und auch für die Neger die Stimmabgabe in manchen Staaten Beschränkungen unterliegt. Die außerhalb der USA stehenden Soldaten konnten schriftlich wählen.
Gleichzeitig wird das Repräsentantenhaus neu gewählt und der Senat zu einem Drittel erneuert. 1940 konnten die Republikaner beträchtlichen Mandatsgewinn erzielen und diesen 1942 erhöhen, so daß sie jetzt im Senat 38 von 96 Sitzen innehaben, im Abgeordnetenhaus sogar 222 von 435.
The Pittsburgh Press (November 8, 1944)
Dewey leads 14 states; total vote may reach record of 51 million
By Lyle C. Wilson, United Press staff writer
New York –
President Roosevelt’s fourth-term election was conceded today by Governor Dewey and with it came Congressional gains bolstering the Democrats in the Senate and guaranteeing their numerical control of the House with a clear-cut majority of the 435 members.
Democratic numerical superiority in the Senate was not in jeopardy in yesterday’s election.
As the count of ballots continued, incomplete returns tabulated by the United Press showed Roosevelt had won or was leading in 34 states with 407 electoral votes and Dewey had won or was leading in 14 states with 124 electoral votes.
The popular vote standing was:
| Roosevelt | 20,864,847 |
| Dewey | 18,234,463 |
The United Press tabulation indicated that a new voting record might be set in this election. The returns showed that if the average continues the total vote will be 51 million, exclusive of some service men and women ballots to be counted later. The total vote in 1940 was 49,548,221.
Mr. Roosevelt had won or was ahead in: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
Dewey had won or was ahead in: Colorado, Indiana, Towa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Dewey failed to break through Roosevelt defenses in the East, and that is where he lost this election. The big cities and most of the big states went for a fourth term. Big New York State put its 47 electoral votes solidly behind the President.
But Roosevelt would have lost the state except for the aid of the American Labor Party, which is allegedly controlled or influenced by the Communists, and the new Liberal Party, an anti-Communist labor organization which made its political debut yesterday.
The Democratic Party polled only 2,500,000 votes while the Republicans were piling up 2,906,000 in New York State on the basis of nearly complete returns. But the ALP rolled up 452,000 for Roosevelt, and the Liberals contributed 345,000 more. That leaves the two minor parties in a significant balance of power position in the richest, most populous and politically most powerful state in the union.
Trend in service vote
New York City’s five counties – or boroughs – illuminated some of the mysteries of the absentee armed service vote.
Of the 242,082 armed service ballots counted in New York City, Roosevelt got 73 percent and Dewey 27 percent. Significantly, the armed service ballots showed a majority for Roosevelt even in the two New York boroughs which are normally Republican – Queens and Richmond, although the margins were not great in either.
Changes in House
The returns by midafternoon showed that 383 House members had been elected. The breakdown was:
| Democrats | 214 |
| Republicans | 167 |
| American Labor | 1 |
| Progressive | 1 |
| Contests undecided | 52 |
At the same time, 28 candidates had been elected to the Senate. The breakdown was:
| Democrats | l8 |
| Republicans | 10 |
Undecided contests 7. Democrats led in 3 and Republicans in 4.
Senate holdovers who did not face polls this election: Democrats 36; Republicans 24; Progressive 1.
At 11:30 a.m., 13 governors had been elected, The breakdown:
| Democrats | 9 |
| Republicans | 6 |
Undecided contests 16. Democrats leading in 5 and Republicans in 11.
The big city machines poured in the presidential ballots for Roosevelt – New York, Jersey City, Chicago, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh remained loyal to the President, but Dewey was running a close Pennsylvania race. In New York City, Roosevelt had a greater vote and a greater plurality than in 1930, complete returns from the city’s five boroughs showed.
Dewey exceeds Willkie vote
He received 2,039,932 votes to 1,270,083 for Dewey in the city’s 3,700 election districts. This gave the President a plurality of 769,849 votes as compared with his 718,459 plurality over Wendell Willkie four years ago. His vote in 1940 was 1,966,083. Dewey, however, polled a heavier vote than Willkie, who got 1,247,624 in 1940.
Roosevelt was credited with 1,347,466 regular Democratic Party votes 388,608 American Labor and 303,858 Liberal Party votes. Even without the ALP and Liberal vote, Roosevelt had more than enough to beat Dewey in New York City.
Dewey conceded Roosevelt’s victory at 3:15 a.m. today in a statement which he read over the radio. The President heard it at Hyde Park and sent Dewey a “thank you” telegram.
‘No illusions for 1948’
As Dewes was leaving Republican headquarters somebody asked him about his plans for the future. He replied: “I have no illusions for 1948.”
Mayor Hague of Jersey City, New Jersey, the Democratic boss of the state, can congratulate himself on two counts.
His Hudson County machine apparently had turned up the votes to overcome Dewey’s lead accumulated elsewhere in the slate. And perhaps more important to Hague, it appeared that the proposal for scrapping New Jersey’s Constitution for a new streamline model had been licked.
Among advantages claimed for the proposed new Constitution was a set of provisions calculated to break Hague’s organization wide open and end his manipulation of one of the slickest political machines currently in operation in this country.
Governor Edge, a Republican advocate of the new Constitution, complained yesterday that Catholic priest had recommended in their churches Sunday that their communicants oppose the new Constitution. Edge charged that Hague had misled the clergy.
Other races recalled
The New Deal-Democratic machine, aided this time by a smooth organization of left-wing labor, was purring like a post-war motorcar. The popular vote was comparatively close and Mr. Roosevelt knew he had been in a contest. Dewey’s chief consolation, assuming there is no change in the trend, may be that he came closer than Herbert Hoover, Alf Landon or the late Wendell Willkie did to licking the champ.
The electoral vote score in those contests was respectively 472–56, 523–8, and 449–82.
The President stayed up until shortly after 3:30 a.m. EWT listening to the news, working pencils down to nubs on his own calculations and conferring by telephone with his scattered lieutenants. Between times he joshed with his White House aides gathered with him at Hyde Park and talked to the neighbors who assembled a couple of thousand strong in the grounds of the “big house” around midnight.
Thanks Dewey
Dewey sent no telegram of congratulations, a fact which Presidential Secretary Early remarked to newsmen at Hyde Park. But the President heard the broadcast report of Dewey’s concession and sent this telegram at once:
His Excellency Thomas E. Dewey,
Governor of New York,
Roosevelt Hotel, NYI thank you for your statement which I have heard over the air a few minutes ago.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
Dewey had said to reporters assembled at GOP headquarters:
It is clear that Mr. Roosevelt has been re-elected for a fourth term and every good American will wholeheartedly accept the will of the people. I extend to Mr. Roosevelt my hearty congratulations and my earnest hope for a speedy and lasting peace and the restoration of tranquility among our people.
Deweys leave smiling
There was a little more thanking his supporters and expressing confidence that “all Americans will join me in the devout hope that in the difficult years ahead Divine Providence will guide and protect the President of the United States.”
And then the Deweys went smiling on their way.
Some 120 reporters heard Dewey say he was licked. There had never been much enthusiasm around Republican headquarters on Election Day, although 2,000 or so party and headquarters workers gathered in the big Henrik Hudson room of the Roosevelt Hotel to whoop it up as the returns came in. What they hoped was that Dewey would make a victory appearance and give them a chance to raise the rood. The Governor did not show.
He was tempted to surrender at midnight, but decided to permit Republican Chairman Brownell to make a noncommittal statement instead.
Joy in Roosevelt camp
There was no foreboding up river where Mr. Roosevelt was the host and central figure. Just before midnight, his neighbors invaded the estate grounds and he told them that things were going fine.
“It looks like I’ll have to come back here on a train from Washington for the next four years,” he said and the crowd yelled its appreciation of Mr. Roosevelt’s appreciation of the community. It was worth the train trip just to get there for weekends, he told them.
“I’m glad to see you on this Election Day again – and I might say again, and again, and again,” he quipped.
The band of near-by Vassar College oompahed a tune and the rear porch affair was over. Less than four hours later, Mr. Roosevelt went to bed, confident that he had another four-year lease on the house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC. He was in gay spirits and almost as pleased that Rep. Ham Fish was licked as that Dewey had conceded him a fourth-term triumph.
Betting odds recalled
Election returns followed the betting odds which had made Mr. Roosevelt a favorite.
This has been a bitter campaign and the feeling will carry over into the next Congress in spite of best intentions all around. There is resentment against the fourth term. The anti-New Deal coalition of Republicans and conservative Democrats probably will continue to function.
Dewey pronounced the Republican Party “revitalized” by this campaign for the good of the country and for “the preservation of free government in America.”
And he feels that he contributed greatly to national unity on the issue of the method and extent of our post-war collaboration in the world peace organization.
But it remains to be seen how far the so-called “isolationist” Republican legislators will follow his lead – now that he has conceded that he will be in Albany when the debate begins in Washington.
By Florence Fisher Parry
Yes, yes, I know. It was NOT Tennyson who penned that awful couplet ending in “it might have been.” I have heard of my error agane and agane and agane. I have tried to blame it on the election, on something I ate, on being cursed with the kind of mind that is forever calling my son Frederic when his name is David, and my brother David when his name is Frederic. Sorry, sorry, sorry. When you write for a newspaper, you’re supposed to write it right.
Once when I first started writing a column, I nearly lost my job because, when the editor called me into his presence to tell me that I had made the appalling mistake of calling Florence Vidor Florence Fisher, I asked him what difference that made; everyone would know I didn’t mean me.
“You make ships only about the things you know best,” I tried to tell him. And I still am of the same mind. Accurate people are never quite sure of their ground. They never take the risk of letting their minds slip. into neutral, they’re always in gear.
That’s the only fault I could scrape up to find with Mr. Dewey. He is ALWAYS so doggone accurate. Of course, this country could DO with a little accuracy… but don’t let’s get on THAT subject today. It’s Election Day as I write these scrambled words and if I implied yesterday that Tennyson wrote Maud Muller, I’m apt to put ANYTHING in this column today! One comforting thing is that it won’t be read – who’s going to see, think, LIVE anything but the Returns!
Fond delusion
Now already the easygoing are beginning to tell us that never mind who wins, this election and its issues will slide off our united backs like water off a duck’s back, and that we’ll be just one good-natured family again, telling each other that we hadn’t meant what we said, we were just talking.
I say such a loose attitude is an insult to Americans. If we can’t keep on believing TODAY what we believed YESTERDAY, what kind of folks are we anyway? If we can’t fight and pray today for the things we fought and prayed about yesterday, what kind of souls have we, say?
I saw a woman voting today at 7:00 a.m. She was on her way to her war work – Nurses aide in one of the hospitals. I saw another a few minutes later who had just got word that her only son has been killed. She was on her way to the Blood Bank – where she hasn’t lost an hour since the news came that her only child was dead.
These women worked hard campaigning. Nothing was too much for them, I saw men, too, at the polls this morning who had been putting their whole might into this campaign. Now, these people happened to believe as I believe.
And at the polls I saw those on the OTHER side who had worked like zealots, with an equal drive, purpose, belief. You can’t tell me that after today these men and women are all going to be in sweet accord with one another!
We are a wonderful people! We pull together in war. In crisis we are one. Our Armed Forces’ performance has been the astonishment of the world. But to assume that in order to achieve this teamwork we all laid aside – or will again – the deep political fundamental issues which electrified this campaign, is crazy. We all kept on thinking the same thoughts, and we will continue to do so.
The same as ever
Now they say this has been a dirty campaign, contemptible, shameful, low. I don’t think so, when you consider how, ever since the war began, the people of this country have been doing their almighty best to put their political detestations aside for the sake of the greater stakes this war confronted us with.
This campaign was a perfectly natural breaking out on both sides, and as healthy as hives.
Oh, yes, there has been campaign oratory; the professional politicians have had a great time. But they’re not the American people; they’re not the rank and file.
We, the people, are a different breed. God keep us faithful to our land, our flag, and the dreams that went into its making!
Ham Fish among those defeated
New York (UP) –
The Democrats appeared assured of stronger control of the House of Representatives today with a gain of approximately 20 seats.
A United Press tabulation shortly before noon showed Democratic nominees had ousted 20 incumbent Republicans and had filled at least four of the five vacancies now in the House. The Republicans won two seats now held by Democrats, leaving the Democrats a net gain of 22. There were 93 undecided contests.
The Republicans lost five seats in Pennsylvania, four in Connecticut, three in New York, two in Illinois and one each in Maryland, Kentucky, Minnesota, California, Missouri and Ohio.
The 342 candidates definitely elected included 202 Democrats, 138 Republicans, one Progressive and one American Labor Party member. The Democrats have 214 against 212 Republican seats in the present Congress, and need at least 218 for a bare majority.
The Democrats lost one seat in California, when Republican Gordon L. McDonough defeated Democrat Hal Styles for the seat which former Democratic Rep. John M. Costello lost to Mr. Styles in the primary election.
The Democrats shared one notable victory but it will do them no good when the House is organized. Augustus W. Bennet, nominee of the Democratic, American Labor, Liberal and Good Government parties, defeated Republican incumbent Hamilton Fish Jr. (R-NY). A lifelong Republican, he will vote Republican in the House.
Fish won primary
Mr. Bennet unsuccessfully opposed Mr. Fish in the Republican primary.
Of the 292 candidates definitely elected, 189 were Democrats, 101 Republicans, one American Labor and one Progressive.
The House leaders of both parties were reelected. They were Republican Leader Joseph W. Martin Jr. (R-MA) and Democratic Leader John W. McCormack (D-MA).
Another Republican loss was Melvin J. Maas (R-MN), ranking GOP member of the House Naval Affairs Committee.
Mr. Maas served on Guadalcanal in this war as a lieutenant colonel of Marines. A sharp critic of the New Deal, he was trailing Democrat Frank Starkey.
Mrs. Luce wins
Mrs. Clare Boothe Luce (R-CT) finally won reelection after trailing Democrat Miss Margaret E. Connors.
Incumbent Democrats were generally winning. Among the closer races was that of Chairman Andrew J. May (D-KY) of the Military Affairs Committee. Incomplete returns showed him running behind Elmer E. Gabbard.
Of the 435 members of the new House, three Republicans were elected in September, and five Republicans, 51 Democrats, mostly in the South, and one American Labor Party candidate were unopposed.
Precedent maintained
The prospects of another Democratic House were in accord with election precedents. Not in 68 years has the party which elected the President lost the House. In every presidential year election since the Civil War, except that of 1916, the President’s own party has increased its House membership.
Four years ago, when Mr. Roosevelt defeated the late Wendell L. Willkie, the Democrats won 268 House seats. This total was cut down in the 1942 election and was further reduced by deaths among Democratic members.
Says he waged his strongest fight
Albany, New York (UP) –
Rep. Hamilton Fish Jr., veteran member of Congress and pre-Pearl Harbor isolationist, was defeated for reelection in the 29th Congressional district by Augustus W. Bennet, Democratic and American Labor Party candidate, practically complete returns showed today.
Mr. Bennet had approximately a 5,000-vote lead over Mr. Fish who conceded his defeat, and blamed Communist propaganda.
Mr. Fish said:
I admit, publicly, that my defeat should be largely credited to Communistic and Red forces from New York City backed by a large slush fund probably exceeding $250,000. This slush fund and propaganda had no effect where I was known in Orange County but did succeed in deceiving the people in the three new counties [of the reapportioned district].
I have no regrets whatever as I waged the strongest fight that I knew how.
The one-time isolationist leader and long-time adversary of President Roosevelt said that he was “fearful that the overwhelming election of President Roosevelt is at step toward setting up one-man and one-party government in our own country.
President’s 1940 figure is sliced
Returns from 1,020 of Allegheny County’s 1,024 election districts gave President Roosevelt a lead approaching 80,000 votes over Governor Dewey and rang up another smashing victory for the President in this Democratic stronghold.
Although Mr. Roosevelt’s margin of victory over his opponent may be about 23,000 votes below his county lead over the late Wendell Willkie in 1940, it blasted the expressed hopes of Republican leaders that they could hold the President to something like a 50,000 plurality.
Returns from 1,020 districts gave:
| Roosevelt | 321,679 |
| Dewey | 243,097 |
The President came out of Pittsburgh with a lead of 54,718, four districts missing, then proceeded to roll up another commanding lead in the third-class cities, boroughs and townships. His Pittsburgh vote, however, was close to 20,000 below that he received in 1940.
Governor Dewey took five city wards away from Roosevelt – the 7th, 19th, 26th, 28th and 29th, but not by sufficient margins to stop the Roosevelt rush, In 1940, Mr. Willkie succeeded in capturing four city wards. The city vote, with four districts missing stood at:
| Roosevelt | 157,367 |
| Dewey | 102,649 |
The Roosevelt lead was amassed in almost every section of the county – not confined to heavily Democratic Pittsburgh and the highly industrial third-class cities, although the latter gave him approximately the same vote as in 1940, with the exception of McKeesport. That city showed a drop of roughly 2,000 votes for both candidates, as compared with its 1940 totals.
In the townships, Mr. Dewey made his best race in Mt. Lebanon, where he handed the President almost a five-to-one beating. Complete returns there gave Dewey 9,803 votes, Roosevelt 2,105.
Township totals showed the following result:
| Roosevelt | 49,926 |
| Dewey | 47,261 |
The Mt. Lebanon vote, however, Was offset by a disappointingly low vote in Wilkinsburg, the county’s largest borough, which has the reputation of going Republican by wide margins. With only two districts missing, Dewey polled 8,217 Votes to Roosevelt’s 4,556. In 1940, Willkie polled 10,183 to the President’s 5,888.
Returns from the boroughs gave:
| Roosevelt | 87,693 |
| Dewey | 79,402 |
Other Democrats lead
Approximately 565,000 ballots were cast in the county – plus an estimated 50,000 soldier ballots – bringing the total to about 615,000, something like 30,000 less than in 1940.
Democratic nominees for state offices also showed an early lead over their Republican opponents on the face of almost complete returns from the county.
U.S. Senator James J. Davis, Republican incumbent, was trailing his Democratic opponent, Francis J. Myers of Philadelphia; Returns from 1,009 districts gave:
| Myers | 310,320 |
| Davis | 240,314 |
Returns from 1,016 districts in the fight between Federal Judge Charles Alvin Jones of Edgeworth, the Democratic choice, and Judge Howard W. Hughes of Washington County, the Republican candidate showed Judge Jones out in front with a comfortable lead.
Returns from 1,016 districts follow:
| Jones | 312,398 |
| Hughes | 239,553 |
Judge Jones is expected to run particularly strong in the county where he has shown unusual strength in past campaigns. He was appointed to his present post on the Federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals by President Roosevelt in 1939. He had previously been a Democratic candidate for Governor in 1938 and for several years served as County Solicitor of Allegheny County.
Run neck and neck
The Democratic candidates for two vacancies on the state’s Superior Court bench were also leading their Republican opponents on returns from 1,016 districts. The two Democratic candidates, Auditor General F. Clair Ross of Butler and Judge Chester H. Rhodes of Stroudsburg, were running well ahead of Common Pleas Court Judge J. Frank Graff of Kittanning and his Republican running mate, former Governor Arthur H. James, now serving on the Superior Court bench by appointment of Governor Edward Martin.
Returns from 1,016 districts of the county showed the following results in the Superior Court fight:
| Ross | 312,375 |
| Rhodes | 306,890 |
| Graff | 234,565 |
| James | 233,257 |
The two Democratic candidates for State Treasurer and Auditor General, the state’s highest fiscal offices, were also showing their heels to their Republican opponents.
Wagner leads
The 1.014 districts reporting gave G. H. Wagner, Democratic candidate for Auditor General, and his opponent, State Senator G. Harold Watkins, Republican of Luzerne County, the following vote:
| Wagner | 306,364 |
| Watkins | 233,382 |
In the contest for State Treasurer, 1,014 districts gave the Democratic nominee, Ramsey S. Black of Harrisburg, a lead over Edgar W. Baird, now City Treasurer of Philadelphia. Available returns show:
| Black | 305,257 |
| Baird | 236,607 |
Weiss leads
Two Democratic incumbent Congressmen were assured of victory. They were Congressman Samuel A. Weiss, of Glassport, who was leading Republican Ray A. Liddle 65,334 to 29,108 in the 33rd district, and Congressman Herman P. Eberharter who was leading Republican Gregory Zatkovich 75,778 to 30,660 in returns from 174 out of 190 districts.
The Congressional race in the 29th, 30th and 31st district were of the neck-and-neck variety. Attorney James G. Fulton was leading incumbent Democrat James A. Wright in returns from 224 of 232 districts in the 31st district.