Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-18
LAFOLLETTE + ACES
LEADERSHIP TEST
Young Senator Finds His
Own Party Contesting His
Right to Fathers Crown.
BY FRED @. SHEASBY.
.ial Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch 10 Inc star. QNi
MILWAUKEE,, July 17.--Senator
Robert M. La Toilette, wearing the
political crown of his father and
good rough-and.tumble carnpaigner
in his own right, returns home to
ind the Progressives challenging his
leadership in sending forth ticket
labeled La Toilette. when all Pro-
gressives are supposed to bow TO his
orders.
Bob III, opening his speaking tour
this week for the Blaine Ekern ticket,
with Gov. Blaine AFTER Senator Len.
roots scalp, faces the most threaten
ing split in the La Toilette camp since
1914, when the late Emanuel L. Phil
lip, Milwaukee millionaire and con-
sentative Republican, broke the Pro.
gressives' grip and continued in power
six years.
Should La Toilette, boldly ana cour.
ageousIy stalking much on his own
generalship, fail to put Blaine across
and elect Herman l.. Ekern governor
against two La Toilette insurgent
candidates, Fred r. Zimmerman and
w. Stanley Smith, and the conserva.
tive Republican candidate, Charles b.
Perry, there win be upeasiness about
his own candidacy for reelection in
1928.
Victory Means Security.
On the other hand, victory would
leave him secure on the political
throne of his father, with little chance
for President Coolidge or any other
conservative candidate for President
to carry Wisconsin two years hence.
Strong individual leadership is ira
ditional with the La Follettes. Even
the primary election never stopped
Bob, ST.. from giving HIS approval to
a ticket in the primary, reading out
Of the Progressive camp those candi-
dates who dared to challenge his word.
Young Bob, reared in that atmosphere.
Is trying the same thing. but under
hazardous conditions.
The La Toilette insurgents Of today
took orders from old Bob, but refuse
to accept his son as their political
master. That's one phase of the DO.
litical fighting In Wisconsin. Zin1.
norman, who was elected secretary
OF state two years ago by the largest
vote ever cast for a State candidate.
has surrounded himself with old-tirne
supporters of La Toilette, ST.. includ.
ing c. b. Ballard, candidate for treas.
urer, who until recently made his
home at the La Toilette farm near
Madison.
Blaine Wet, Ekern Dry.
Smith, the other insurgent candi-
date for governor, is going it alone
on q dripping-Wet platform, which an
noys the Blaine Ekern camp, because.
while Blaine Is wet, his running mate
Ekern. is dry. and their platform is
silent on prohibition modification.
Conceding nothing to any Progress
sives in their loyalty to the late Sena.
tor La Toilette. Zimmerman and his
associates are loudly denouncinR the
Dossing by young Bob and the So
called Madison ring" charging that
slate making violates the primary cleo
ton system which the Progresives
initiated and put through to kill off
stalwart bosses years ago. Young
Bob has countered with the statement
that the insurgents are backsliders
and are playing in the hands of con-
seryatives, who are clamoring to break
Progressive rule in Wisconsin.
La Toilette, jr., opened the cam
paign with a smashing attack on
Lenroot, calling him one Of the most
thorough-going reactionaries In Wash.
ington. Lenroot and La Toilette, ST.,
he said, were on opposite sides Of i'm.
World Court, Newberry and Muscle
Shoals, from the time Lenroot came
over to the Senate from the House.
World Court Is Issue.
on. the record La Toilette saws
Lenroot cannot be considered the right
kind of Senator to represent pro
gressive Commonwealth like Wiscon-
sin, adding that Blaine's election
would mean another vote to take the
United States out of the World Court.
Meantime LenrOot, admittedly up
against a stiff game, has surprised
the La Toilette crowd with his aggres-
sipe start. Lenroot has tried to turn
his greatest liabilities, the World
Court and prohibition, into his great
est assets, by carrying the fight to
Blaine on these issues.
Blaine having declined to meet him
in q debate on the World Court, Len
root Is saying the governor q afra11
of his shadow. On prohibition modifl-
cation. Lenroot is advocating q State
referendum in November, as ordered
by the Legislature, but contested in
the courts by the Arti.Saloon League,
with the added touch that he believes
2.75 per cent beer would not be a
violation Of the eighteenth amend
nent, and pledging. If rO-elected, to
carry out the majority sentiment ex-
pressed in the referendum. The row.
ernor, taking It for granted that the
public considers him wet, has merely
been Kidding about beer without
saying as much as LenroOt on modifi-
(Copyright, 1891