Two Governors

The strong men of the states--they whose currents of popularity are stronger than the tide of public sentiment in a national election--are few and far between. In this election, they were two, with 500 miles between-- Governor Al Smith in New York and Governor Vic Donahey in Ohio.

Al Smith, having contributed to a two weeks' Democratic deadlock last June, is perhaps the larger figure in the public eye. In the election just past, although Coolidge carried New York by more than 800,000 votes, and the Republicans captured practically all the state offices, Al, the idol of Manhattan sidewalks, saved himself with a majority of 100,000 votes. He ran 900,000 votes ahead of Davis. His fame increased.

Vic Donahey, however, though not so well advertised, performed a feat as great. As he did in 1922, so did he again sweep himself into office, although both times the state went Republican, and in the last case Coolidge ran 600,000 votes ahead of Davis. But Vic-- who was farmer and father of 10 chil dren before he was politician, Vic of old Scotch Presbyterian stock, Vic who keeps convicts, mainly ex-murderers as servants in the Executive Mansion, Vic who roars and pounds his desk as if making one unending campaign speech -- induced the people of Ohio to give him some 150,000 more votes than were necessary for his reelection.