Scare Strategy

P: Last week the following bulletin was broadcast to all Ford Motor Co. employes throughout the land:

"The Ford Motor Co. is not interested in partisan politics. We do not seek to control any man's vote. We feel, however, that the coming election is so important to industry and employment that our employees should know our views. President Hoover has overcome the forces that almost destroyed industry and employment. To prevent times from getting worse and to help them to get better President Hoover must be elected."

P: From the offices of the Pennsylvania R. R.. President William Wallace Atterbury issued the following statement: "The Pennsylvania R. R. has over 250,000 stockholders . . . 115,000 employes. I feel a personal responsibility to each individual. The sources of their livelihood are at stake. . . Mr. Hoover is in no way responsible for the chaotic economic condition of the world. . . . We are slowly but surely recovering. . . . All of our employes are of course at liberty to vote as they think best. So far as I am concerned I expect to vote for Mr. Hoover and to work for his reelection. I believe that result to be in the best interest of the country."

P:Democratic national headquarters received a telegram from Virgil E. Rogers, local Ohio committeeman at Akron: "Goodyear, Goodrich and Firestone Rubber companies carrying on campaign of intimidation among workers in effort to secure votes for Hoover. All chain stores, including Acme Cash Stores which operate chain of 129 stores, passing word down the line to their employes to vote for Hoover."

P: Robert Hendry Lucas, Republican executive committee chairman, told President Hoover: "The greatest encouragement we've had recently is the way business men are advising their customers, clients and employes to think seriously before they vote for a change."

P: Louis Seibold, Hearst newshawk, reported New England mill and factory owners were "applying the screws" to their employes to vote for President Hoover.

Against this apparently concerted wave of warnings, a thunderstorm of Democratic protest immediately broke. At Indianapolis Governor Roosevelt flayed "organized and ruthless propaganda of eleventh-hour political desperation which dangles the old ghost of panic before our eyes." Democratic Chairman Farley called it the Republicans' "last frantic move," predicted that the mass of voters would actually resent such "last-minute threats or intimidations." He recalled Mr. Ford's denunciation of the Hawley-Smoot Tariff, pointed to the Ford plants set up abroad to evade that law's "penalties." Other Democratic roars: "Essence of cruelty . . . appeal to fear . . . coercion at its worst . . . meanest weapon . . . bugaboo . . . unsportsmanlike !"*

Goodyear, Goodrich and Firestone promptly denied the Rogers telegram-- denials supported by three prominent Akron Democrats who pointed out the rubber companies had posted no bulletins, made no statements to influence votes. Harvey Samuel Firestone Sr., good Hoover friend, upbraided Chairman Farley for trying to "intimidate business men and keep them from expressing their views on political matters." Mr. Ford, uneasy at the attacks upon him. commented: "People will drive automobiles just the same with either a Hoover or a Roosevelt in the White House. We believe, however, they'll drive more with Hoover still on the job."

*In Boston Democratic Mayor Curley warned city workers that a Hoover victory would mean a cut in the municipal payroll.

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