"ROOSEVELT LUCK”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 3 October 1936, Page 7

"ROOSEVELT LUCK”

A FURTHER ILLUSTRATION FEATURES OF PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN NO CURRENCY TINKERING (United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) NEW YORK, Ist October. Easily the most important development in the presidential campaign thus far was the announcement of the co-operation of the United States with European nations towards monetary stabilisation.

It was a further illustration of the so-called “Roosevelt Luck,” since it lobbed the Republicans of an important issue, stabilisation having been one of the leading promises of their platform, and gave the Democrats an opportunity to show mutual fulfilment of a similar plank in their own platform. American business, moreover, is definitely reassured that it has nothing further to fear concerning tinkering with currency from President Roosevelt. The whole episode is thus considered to favour his political fortunes.

The Communistic issue appears to have been definitely repudiated by both candidates. The Terre Haute authorities’ zeal in detaining Mi Browder yesterday is also being condemned and his release was secuied to-day. NEW DEAL ISSUE

While the contest still continues more or less on the basis of generalities. with President Roosevelt stressing that he is a true Conservative, for he wishes merely to reform existing economic institutions, and Mr Alfred Landon emphasising his opponent’s dangerous regimentation of American life, vital isolated issues have begun to assume considerably more importance, and are receiving greater emphasis by both parties. Among the Liberal supporters of President Roosevelt the point has been made that insofar as the conservation of the best features of the New Deal is concerned, President Roosevelt’s real opponent is the Supreme Court, and not M. Landon. They therefore have begun to ask if he is prepared to take the issue of the Supreme Court’s negation of much of the New Deal legislation to the people, and does he as a candidate for re-election intend to ask for a mandate from the country on this fundamental question? This is likely to become embarrassing to President Roosevelt, because it is increasingly clear that since the Supreme Court’s ruling that the temper of the people is against any considerable changes in the Supreme Court, which institution the Republicans are strongly championing, as a skilful politician there is very little likelihood that President Roosevelt will make this an issue for re-election, probably contenting himself to present the question to the people one way or another after rather than before the election.

THE STRAW VOTE Straw votes as an index to popular sentiment appear to differ, some canvasses indicating President Roosevelt s re-election, while the Literary Digest’s” poll’s latest figures give Mr Landon 438,601 votes, President Roosevelt 282,524, and Mr Lemke 29 038. Attacks have been made on this poll that since the names are taken from the telpehone directories a vast number of unemployed and relief workers are therefore not represented The attacks have been hotly contested by the “Digest’s” editor who claims that the poll will ultimately reflect the actual result with mathematical accuracy.