How Powerful Is Power?

Widespread among political pundits is a belief that election results in the upper left-hand corner of the U.S.--Washington, Oregon, Idaho--are strongly influenced by the public-v.-private-power issue, with a majority of voters favoring public power.

November's returns seemed to fit the theory: though all three states were engulfed by the Eisenhower landslide, three Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate (Washington's Governor Arthur Langlie. Oregon's Douglas McKay and Idaho's Herman Welker) lost out to pro-public-power Democrats.

Last week pundits got an electric shock. Reported Pollsters Louis Harris & Associates after surveying public opinion in western Washington for Puget Sound Power & Light Co.:

P:More than 80% of the people interviewed said they were in favor of partnership between public and private power --which is the Eisenhower Administration's policy--rather than all-public or all-private.

P:Chief issues on the voters' minds last November, in order of importance, were 1) the international situation, 2) the high cost of living, 3) the schoolroom shortage and 4) a state right-to-work referendum. Only 2% said that the power issue mattered in the way they voted.

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