Evening star., 1920-06-27
La TOILETTE SOON
TO BREAK SILENCE
Expected to Reveal His At
titude After Return From
Operation.
Special Dispa tch to The Star.

Special Dspa tch to The Star.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, June 26.-
Within week or ten days there may
be some light on the attitude of SEN
ator Robert NJ. La Toilette toward
the third party movement. Senator
La Toilette, who has been at Roch-
ester to undergo an operation, is ex-
pected on his return home to break
the silence he has maintained all
and the subsequent period. He has
disclosed nothing to the visitors he
has received during his convalescence.
/ People in Wisconsin, close to La
Follette or familiar, with his prac-
tees, admit that he might head a
third party movement. but they would
be considerably surprised were he to
do so. They expect him to run true
to form. They expect the La Toilette e
wing to capture the republican or
ganization in the primaries. and wage
hard battle for their state nomi-
nees. ignoring, to "a great extent, the
national ticket.
Have Not Been Chummy.
There are elements in the third
party movement with which Senator
La Toilette has never been particular
ly chummy. He has had no associa-
tons with Mr.. Hearst. The Hiram
Johnson following may be for La Fol-
lette, but La Toilette is not for john
son. In the republican convention
the La Toilette delegation never
voted for Johnson On a single bal
lot two La Toilette delegates broke
over, resulting in a caucus and heart
to-heart talk. after which they kept
away from Johnson. Senator La Fol-
lette>never liked the bull moose idea,
I'D orfxy
former moosers.
Another factor counting against a
La Toilette third party candidacy is
the campaign which he must wage
for reelection to the Senate two
years hence. AS a republican, he ap-
ticket, his reelection might not be
sure.
Those who think Senator La Toilette
may make the venture say he is not
opposed to the new party in itself
| that he deplores only the futile and
useless waste of effort in these at
tempts. Given proper conditions they
say he would emulate John c. FIRE.
mont in the founding of a political
party devoted to specific principles.
Whether Senator La Toilette be the
candidate or not the third party may
cause some uneasiness to national
republican managers in Wisconsin.
Voters here use two ballots in the
presidential election-one for the
state ticket. the other for presidential
electors. straight party vote for
state candidates. therefore. does not
help the electors. ''Forty-eighters"
| are talking of supporting the La Fol-
lette candidates on the republican
, ticket and putting up their own cleo
toral ticket-Which. presumably, will
be voted for by La Toilette repubri-
cans. This plan, if executed, might
result in the loss of Wisconsin's cleo
toral vote to the republicans.
Disorder In Own Ranks.
Engaging. Senator La Follette's at
SPECTATORS is the row which has
broken out in the ranks of his own
followers over state nominations The
first split is over the governorship, for
which two La Toilette candidates,
Lieut.. Gov E. F. Dithmar. strong
with the German voters, and Attorney
General John ]. Blaine. indorsed by
the Non-Partisan League. are fighting.
Two other candidates, Senator Roy
p. Wilcox and Secretary of State Mer-
lin Hull, are also in the field. The di-
vision is such as to invite Gov. f. L.
Phillip, conservative. to enter the
primaries for fourth term. Should
he do so, the odds will be in HIS ia
vor and if he is elected it will be the
fourth election in which La Toilette
has lost the governorship through tls
inability of his following to unite on
a candidate.
A little cloud has also appeared on
the horizon in the senatorial cam
paigp, in the form of the candidacy of
Mayor A. c. McHenry of Oshkosh for
the republican nomination for senator
against James Thompson, favored by
Senator La Toilette. and Irvine l..
Lenroot, who is up for reelection.
Most of the votes McHenry will re-
ceive will be those of men who would
vote for Thompson were McHenry
out of the race. The question is, how
many votes can McHenry get and
how many can Thompson offord to
lose. Should McHenry poll $4,000 to
10000 votes Thompson might be de-
feated and Lenroot again renominated
and reelected. ]. C. RALSTON.