Evening star., 1933-05-14
|WISCONSIN'S NEW SENATOR .
FIGHTING KIND OF DEMOCRAT
Duffy Man of Celtic Vigor,
Who Defeated G. o. P.
"StaIWart."
Enthusiastic Supporter OIL
Theory of District Rep
reSentati0n.
BY GRACE HENDRICK EUsTIs.

BY GRACE HENDRICK EUSTIS.
The State that supplies this coun.
try with White Rock, cheeses, matted
milk. Oshkosh luggage, pale milwaukee,
bricks and some of its best beer has
bounced back into the Democratic side
Of the Senate this year, wearing green
When Senator F. Ryan Duffy was
elected with plurality of 22,6o0. one
loyal Irish voter said. Il see Ryan Duffy
has got in, and I voted for him."
This is the first Democratic Senator
Wisconsin has had since before the
war. The ranks of the State Democra-
tic party were split and for many years
divided the Republicans into progress
sives and conservatives in, his fight
against the lumber and railroad power
monopolies. There Is a primary system
in Wisconsin under the terms Of which
Republicans can 60 into Democratic
primaries and vice versa, SO for many
years Democrats worked with the Pro-
gressives and the Democratic party, pei
Sc, was debilitated.
Not until 1928 did life begin to CREEP
back into its veins. The call Of the
Happy Warrior was what the repressed
lads needed, and they arose and shouted
with ardent but weak voices.
Independence, the Cry.
From then on Celtic vigor was
aroused and independence was the cry.
This year they defeated John B. Chap
pell, "stalwart" Republican candidate
for the United States Senate. They
ho, IL -
deman, the first one in 40 years. In
the House Of Representatives there are
now five Democrats instead of one as
in the last session. There is majority
of them in the State Assembly and
there are nine in the State Senate.
Senator Duffy is handsome, gray
haired man. He walks with the God
given confidence of the Irish and his
laugh rings back from the corners OF
the room He was born in Fond du Lac
and educated In his State, getting both
his bachelor Of arts and bachelor of
law degrees from the University Of Wis
consin. During the war he went to
France, serving IA months overseas in
motor transportation work. for which
he was given the rank Of major. When
he came back he practiced law and was
very active in the American Legion. At
one time he was their State commander.
This caused him plenty of misery this
Winter, when the Presidents economy
bill was pending. However. he shut his
eyes and dove in, supporting the admin
istration.
Convention Delegate.
This Is his first political Office, but he
is no bewildered neophyte, staring
around strange places. He realized over
a year ago which way the tide was going
to run. so. in the State Convention held
in Fond du Lac in January. 1882, he
was one Of the most fiery Roosevelt sup
porters. The convention chose Mr..
Roosevelt as the States Democratic
candidate.
AS soon as this was decided Senator
Duffy started to campaign for himself
as delegate to the Chicago convention
and he was elected chairman of the
State delegation. Then he was on his
way. He was urged to run for Governor,
but declined He caInpaigned through
out the State in the primaries, where
he encountered no opposition, in a
ballyhoo car, speaking mostly about Mr.
Roosevelt. In the actual Senate race he
won with an enormous majority.
The town of Fond du Lac is near
water and wild, low woodlands. The
Senator's idea Of fun, when he can
escape legislative duties and the pa
rental responsibilities of four children,
Is to shoot ducks and to hunt deer His
Senate committees are Foreign Rela-
tions, Military Affairs and Privileges
and Elections. He is little hesitant
Of talking much in the chamber and
before the press, being Of the 1T is
better to be seen, not heard, during the
first session" school, but he is an openly
enthusiastic supporter Of the theory
of national representation for the citl-
zens of the District of Columbia.