Vote Castings

Patriotically dutiful in a political off-year, several million citizens last week trudged earnestly to the polls, cast their votes in State and municipal elections. Major results:

Virginia. Nationally significant was the election as Virginia's next Governor of Professor John Garland Pollard (William & Mary), regular Democrat, over Professor William Moseley Brown (Washington & Lee), Hoovercrat. Republican claim-- stakes sunk in Virginia by Herbert Hoover last year were jerked up and cast aside as the State was returned to normal Democracy by a thumping 70,000-vote margin. When Republicans and anti-Smith Democrats coalesced on Professor Brown and "a new era of humanity" was predicted (TIME, July 8), President Hoover wished the new group well, hoped it would hold his 1928 gains in the South. Underlying campaign issue: "Raskobism." The election meant the political unfrocking of Bishop James Cannon Jr., who was absent in Brazil when election day came. Governor-elect Pollard called his victory "a warning to those who may seek, for partisan purposes, to revive religious strife." Commented Senator Moses, Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman: "The Dutch have captured Holland."

New York City. Tammany's Mayor James John Walker beat Republican Congressman Fiorello Henry La Guardia for the No. 1 municipal office in the U. S. by an eight-to-three margin. The only surprise in the election was a large "protest" vote given Socialist Norman Thomas (174,931 out of 1,314,820 votes cast). Said Mayor Walker: "One great issue was settled--a man can wear his own clothes. . . . My ambition is to make everybody in the city smile. . . . You ain't seen nothing yet." Mourned Candidate La Guardia: "What a shellacking they gave me! . . . People don't resent graft any more. . . . At least give the corpse a chance to cool. . . . Yes, I still believe in democracy."

Buffalo. Two years ago Mayor Francis Xavier Schwab's chow dog bit Jane Gunther, his little granddaughter. Mrs. Theresa Gunther, the Mayor's daughter and Jane's mother, indignantly demanded the dog's death. Mayor Schwab refused. The family breach thus opened figured in last week's election. Last week Charles Roesch was actively aided by Mrs. Gunther in turning her father out of office.

Indianapolis. The Republican party, hard-ridden by the Ku Klux Klan, stumbled and fell in defeat as for the first time in 16 years the city chose a Democratic mayor, Reginald Sullivan. In similar disrepute was the Klan-Republican alliance in many another Indiana municipality, including Senator James Eli Watson's own Rushville where Republicans were turned out, Democrats turned into office.

At Osceola, Ind., George Gulp and Harold Kirkpatrick each got 34 votes for town clerk & treasurer. They called upon a pair of dice to decide the will of the people. The dice chose Gulp.

Detroit. By the narrowest of margins Charles Bowles, Dry Protestant, Ku Klux Klandidate, defeated John W. Smith, Wet Catholic, for Mayor.