Evening star., 1925-09-10
'LAFOLLETTE FOES,
SPLIT, ARE FACED
WITH TW0F|GHTS
Must Beat Robert, Jr., in Pri-
mary, or Failing, in Sena-
toriai Election.
RELIGIOUS ISSUE RAISED
BY WILCOX CANDIDACY
Coolidge Backer Is Catholic, While
Klan Also Has Entry-McGov-
ern Is Fourth Aspirant.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
staff CORE spondent Of The Star.

The primary campaign for the nomi-
nation 10 succeed the late Senator
Robert NJ. La Toilette becomes an
even more tangled skein when
viewed close at hand than at dis
tance.
The one outstanding fact, how
ever, is the effort on the part of the
anti-La Toilette people, "stalwart"
Republicans, near Progressives,
Democrats and Socialists, to smash
the La Toilette organization TO
snlithereens. To do this they must
defeat Robert NJ. La Toilette, jr..
in the Republican primaries next
Tuesday, and failing that, must de-
feat him In the election September
90.
From the La Toilette angle, il is
decidedly satisfying TO see the oppo-
sition divided in support of three
! other candidates for the Republican
nomination; they are Roy p. Wilcox,
who declares himself a Simon pure
Coolidge Republican, and who was
the choice of majority of the
Oshkosh "stalwart" convention; for
mer Gov. McGovern, who disputes
the statement that La Toilette is the
only Progressive in the field" and
who insists he himself was too
Progressive and not enough pro-
Coolidge to be accepted by the Osh-
kosh convention, and Rev. Daniel
woodward, a Protestant clergyman
and candidate-or should it be klani-
date-of the Ku Klux Khan, who
insists he, too. is pro-Coolidge.
Religious Issue Raised.
The interjection of the Khan candi-
date raises the religious issue. OF
tne other candidates for the Repub-
hcan nomination, La Toilette Is a
Protestant. Wilcox is a Catholic and
McGovern in his early days was a
Catholic, but according to reports. has
drifted away from the church. In this
State there is a very considerable
number of Catholics. but in the past
there has been no particular division
mere along religious lines when Ii
came to politics. At a meeting of
the klan held here this week and
participated in by about 5000 people,
including klansmen from some of the
other Northwest States, speakers
plainly attacked the candidacy of VIII.
cox because he is Catholic and
Knight of Columbus. At the same
time the Klan candidate, DIR. Wood
ward. declared he could not support
the candidacy of Robert La Toilette,
n, because he was the candidate of
the political ring at Madison" and
because he is too young and in
experienced"
How strong the Klan is in Wiscon-
sin remains to be seen, and observers
here are looking forward to the vote
next week to tell them in a measure
what the strength of the organiza-
tion may be.
Although Wilcox is a Catholic and
La Toilette a Protestant. not all the
! Catholics by any means are behind
the former. Leading priests in their
communities have announced them
selves for La Toilette, jr., and in the
past the late Senator La Toilette re-
McGovern Out of Picture.
So far as organization is concerned,
| La Toilette and Wilcox seem TO have
the best of it. McGovern, while rec
| ogniZed as a strong man and with
a personal following, has been out of
the picture politically for some time.
He failed to get the backing of the
'stalwart" organization, such as it
is, which went to Wilcox at the Osh.
kosh convention. La Toilette has be-
hind him the Republican organiza.
ton" of the State, which is, in fact
the La Toilette organization, and
, which is now denounced by all its
opponents as the political ring at
Madison" headed by Gov. Blaine.
La Toilette has, too, the support of
all the members of the House from
Wisconsin.
Senator Lenroot. regular Repub-
| lican and supporter of the Coolidge
| administration, himself up for re-
election in 1925, is stumping the State
! for Mr.. wilcox, and attacking La Fol
| lette and his platform, which calls
| for repeal or modification of the Esch-
| Cummins transportation act and low
ering railroad freights on farm prod
! ucts and things the farmers buy. He
| is attempting to ridicule these plat
form pledges.
While Senator Lenroot is urging
| the candidacy of Wilcox, the Repub-
lican national committee is doing
nothing, at least openly, in this fight.
| Frankly, the national organization
fears to get it's fingers burned, and
| also that its open support of Mr..
| Wilcox from Washington or Chicago
| might be injurious to his cause or
! the cause of any of the other anti
La Toilette candidates.
Means New Problem.
! If La Toilette gains the Republican
tional organization will be faced with
/ a different proposition. 1t might
with some degree of justification enter
| into the campaign in support of Will
| cox running as an Independent.
| There are those in the La Toilette
| camp who insist that the Republicans
| may even send money into the State
| to aid the Democratic nominee-that
| they have done so in the past to aid
Democratic nominees against Repub-
lican insurgent members of Congress.
The interference of outsiders" in a
State campaign is always a ticklish
matter and is likely to raise some
measure of resentment. particularly in
primary elections. The fact that out
side talent is coming into the State
to aid La Toilette is being made a
Continued on Page 5. Column H.
E====z==-====- ====zs===-==== - -