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Show THE LIBERTY DIGEST POLL The public generally and the politicians particularly are speculating upon the import of the nationwide poll of the New Deal, now being conducted by the Literary Digest. This magazine has made a specialty of conducting tests of public sentiment, scoring with remarkable accuracy the trend of opinion, in some instances down to a fraction of one per cent. The good faith of The Literary Digest is, we think, unquestioned. unques-tioned. Concerning the present straw vote, addressed to the same list canvassed in 1934, partisans say, on one side, that it doesn't prove anything and, on the other, that it spells inevitable defeat for the President next year. Obviously, neither conclusion is correct. At present, with partial returns from voters, whose names were taken from telephone directories, motor registration registra-tion lists and other rosters, a majority has replied in the negative to the question: "Do you NOW approve of the acts and policies of the Roosevelt New Deal to date?" The 1934 poll, conducted by the same magazine, showed a majority in favor of the President's course and forecast the Democratic victory at the polls in the congressional elections. elec-tions. Significantly, the present poll shows a change on the part of those participating in this balloting, with a perceptible percepti-ble slip in the support accorded the New Deal. The question arises whether a vote disapproving the New Deal now is a certain vote against Mr. Rooesvelt for reelection re-election next fall. His opponents maintain the affirmative, insisting that the trend against him is running stronger than ever and will be "in flood" when election day rolls around. His supporters point out that a vote against the New Deal may come from two widely divergent groups, one objecting to it because it does not go far enough. Moreover, they pin their faith in the President's resourcefulness and personal popularity. Anyway, the Digest poll, whatever it may mean, is interesting. inter-esting. Certainly, at this time, it indicates no land-slide for either side in 1936. n |
