U.S. ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19461, 7 November 1928, Page 11

U.S. ELECTIONS.

POLLING PROSPECTS.

MR HOOVER FAVOURED.

FINAL APPEALS TO VOTERS

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —BT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COPTEIGHT.) (Received November 6th, 8.45 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 5. The Presidential cainpaign is over —nothing is left but the polling, and it is clearly indicated that Mr Herbert Hoover, the Republican nominee, will be returned by a considerable popular and Electoral College majority. It is interesting to note that betting odds have lengthened. In the last 24 hours the scarcity of Smith money forced the odds to five to one on Mr Hoover to win. At the last minute a definite movement towards Mr Hoover is clear from the betting alone. Ten days ago considerable money waß heing wagered at three to one, favouring Mr Hoover; to-day it is rumoured that one noted speculator on Wall street wagered 1,000,000 dollars to 200,000 dollars on Mr Hoover.

I It is discernible now that the Republican issue of prosperity, Mr Al. Smith's religion, and dissensions in the Democratic Party in the south over the religiouß and Prohibition issues are the chief factors working for Mr Smith's defeat. Mr Hoover and Mr Smith made their final speeches to-night over the radio in a last-minute appeal to voters. Politics this year have been brought into every home in"the nation by means of the radio, since every speech of importance was broadcasted over a national hoolc-Up with 40,000,000 listen-ers-in. Mr Smith made nearly three times as many addresses as Mr Hoover. It is announced that the Governor consumed 22J hotirs on the National Radio, the cost of which to the Democrats was 125,000 dollars. Legislative Control. Deaths among members of Congress during the past fortnight have somewhat changed the position as concerns the present Party in control in the Legislature, and possible changes may be due to the ielection. The Senate has 47 Republicans, 46 Democrats, one Far-.mer-Labourite, and two Republicans, who are elet-ted but not seated. Thirtyfour Senators will be elected on Tuesday, and the Republicans have & better chance to make gains in the Senate because most of those States choosing Senators at this election are nominally Republican. It is likewise expected that House control by a considerable ity will also be- vested in the Republicans unless the unexpected occurs and Mr Smith is selected by a landslide that carries with it Democratic officials throughout the nation. Costly Campaigns. major political bodiSS have filed returns of campaign expenditure, Shewing that the Republicans have disbursed 5,000,000 dollars and the Democrats 4,000,000 dollars; the Association 'hgainst Prohibition 300;000 dollars, and tlid Anti-Saloon league 610,000 dollars. These figures, it is estimated, represent only part of the total sums expended on the election by various groups, Since the campaign funds listed are Only those which Came under the control the National party heads. It is believed that when the funds spent for the Congressional campaign and On thousands of minor officiate throughout the nation, wlio will oe elected to-inorrow, are, deluded, the total sum may be five times as great. The Women's Vote. Conservative estimates are based oil the extraordinarily large r °^ e^ s i which indicate that the totdJ vote Will possibly reach , 89 fl> 000 {, i 8 10,000,000 more than in 1924, It » known that the increased enrolment is due chiefly to the fact that wotnen are now participating in the suffr»g_ abbut equally with men It ed that only 50 per cent, of thepbten tial female voters exercised the tran participation is ascribed t* a greater familiarity Wit politics, this beinc only the thud presidential contest wherein thev have been able to vote, and the great in terest manifested m the pre&ent cam paign, which has been the most strenu ously fought since 1912. Interest In the South. "A get out and vote" movement this year was, moreover, strikingly successful. and in the South, where the elections are usually perfunctory, oecause the States are solidly Democratic, the electioh this year 1& a controversial matter thus resulting in an augmented enrolment. b It is expected that if the weather good the rural rote Will be unusually large, thus favouring Mr Herbert Hoover, becaUsG Mr Smith's strengtn is avowedly in the urban areas- Australian Press Association, United service.

MR SMITH FEELS « ALL RIGHT »

NEW YORK, November 5. Mr Al. Smith feels "all right" about the outcome of the election on Tuesday, but is not making any predictions. , 109 Two women are included in tne m* candidates to contest the 37 Senate seats in 33 States. Four hundred and fifty members of the House cf Representatives will be elected from 95U candidates, including IS women, while 124 candidates contest 34 States for Governorships. It is estimated that the total popular vote will be 35,000.000. . A Chicago message states that the Board of Election Commissions, in order to prevent ballot-stuffing and other untoward incidents at the polls on Tuesday, is mobilising to.ooo ° ffi "f' and volunteer watchers to guard the election.—Australian Press Association, United Service.