Every Democrat for Himself

Oklahoma has almost, but never quite elected a Republican Governor. But in national politics the Sooner State has twice strayed from the Democratic reservation (Harding and Hoover).

The fear that the next big Republican wind might be a tornado has long disturbed Democratic officeholders in Oklahoma. Since 1928 they have been busily digging a storm cellar.

Last week lanky Irving Dilliard reported in the New Republic on a trip through Oklahoma, checked the Democrats' work. When Herbert Hoover's 1928 victory swept Republicans into State jobs, the Democratic legislative majority promptly put through a law separating the Presidential ticket from State office ballots, so that small-fry Democrats might be re-elected even when their Presidential candidate went down. Then last November, Edward H. Moore, a Democrat-turned-Republican, trounced New Dealer Josh Lee for the U.S. Senate. Democrats in the State Legislature saw new storm signals, decided to act again. This time they took care of themselves by creating still another ballot.

Anyone who wishes to vote Republican in 1944 now cannot merely put an "X" at the top of one ballot and be done with it. He must mark a Republican ballot for President, another for Congress, a third for State and county offices. Oklahoma Democrats were prepared for the whirlwind.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.