Millionaires

No man who has less than a million dollars to his name can well afford to own a yacht. So far there are three men out for election as Senator in Pennsylvania next fall. Every one of them could afford a yacht. In the background are four or five more men potent in Pennsylvania politics. They, too, could have yachts. Pennsylvania has rich leaders.

Pennsylvania is a Republican state -just as solid as the Democratic solid South. Hence all these men are Republicans. In the background who are the powers? There is Andrew Mellon (he could have a whole fleet of yachts). There is also his nephew, William L. Mellon. There is Ralph Beaver Strassburger (he married into the Singer Sewing Machine family). There is J. R. Grundy, President of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association. There is also in the background (so far as this year's Senatorial contest is concerned) Senator David Aiken Reed, also worth a few millions. But the three candidates ?

First there is Senator George Wharton Pepper, who wants reelection. He is probably worth more than a million. He has the support of Mr. Mellon and Senator Reed. His is day. He is a staunch Administration man. He will have part of the regular Republican vote, part of the highbrow vote.

Second there is Governor Pinchot. He has plenty of money. Last week he announced his candidacy. He is his own backer. He bucks the regular organization. He is dry and has the reform vote. He stands well with the Pennsylvania miners. He is a Progressive, and the Administration does not want him to win.

The third is Representative William Scott Vare of Philadelphia, another millionaire. He announced his candidacy a day after Mr. Pinchot. He is variously known as the boss or leader of Philadelphia Republicanism. He announced himself as the "Wet Hope" of Pennsylvania. He will have the Republican machine with him, at least in the eastern part of the state. In the western part the Mellons may swing the organization for Pepper. But Vare hopes to take compensation out of Pinchot's vote. He declared: "I shall be opposed by two candidates who would maintain the extreme rigor of the Volstead law. Enforcement of this law has failed, and it has failed because, in my opinion, the law is not enforceable in its present form.

"The American people are tired of this condition, and my candidacy will give the voters of Pennsylvania an opportunity to express their views on the question."

The miners are friends of Pinchot, but they are also wet. Who will get their votes, Pinchot or Vare ?

So it is to be a three cornered fight in Pennsylvania, just as, in; Illinois,* with one Wet against two Drys. One way or another in these uncertain triangles, the Administration may well be afraid of losing one or more of its supporters.

* Where Senator McKinley (Dry) is fighting with Frank L. Smith (Dry) for the Republican nomination on the World Court issue; and George Brennan, the Democratic leader, whose one plank like Mr. Vare's is Wetness, hopes to win.