Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-14
Party May Turn to Key
State Leader for '36
Campaign.
EFFORT TO CLEAN UP
ELECTION LISTS MADE
Chicago Publisher Says Issues
Will Be Fought on Level Ear
Above Partisan Lines.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

CHICAGO, June 14-Illinois is the
keystone State of the Middle West for
the G. o. P. A Republican victory
in the national campaign next year
which did not include the electoral
votes of this State would be an amaz-
ing thing-probably an impossibility.
When this is considered in the light
OF the situation which has existed
here since 1880 1t is clear that the
Republicans have a lot to do to put
their house in order.
Col Frank Knox. who came to nli-
nois only four years ago, has quietly
been going about the Job of renovat-
ing the party in this State. Shot to
pieces in Cook County (Chicago) and
even downState with factions, the job
is a big. one. AS publisher of the
Chicago Daily News and at the same
time keenly interested in politics.
Knox has been helpful in getting to-
gether the heads of various factions.
He has a natural bent for organiza-
ton.
And at the same time that he has
labored with the job of rebuilding
the party in the State Knox has
come to be considered a possibility
for the Republican nomination-one
OF the three or four men in the
Midwest to whom the party may
turn for national leadership next year
Col Knox laughs of suggestions that
he is a candidate for the presidential
nomination. Nevertheless, there is
a growing sentiment for him. Friends
not only in Illinois, but throughout
many of the Middle West States and
in the East and South are doing a
lot of the necessary ground work to
build up a candidate who can go to
the national convention next year
with a stable group of delegates.
Illinois Support Seen.
If Knox is to be a candidate. and
there are plenty of signs that he
will. he may have a tough time get
ting the solid support of the Illinois
delegation. 1t will not be all beer
and skittles to bring that about.
However, there is at least one of the
leading Republican leaders in the
State with whom talked who believes
that Knox can have the Illinois dele
cation if he becomes a candidate
and there are probably others who
believe the same.
The fact that he is a newcomer to
Illinois has both its disadvantages and
its advantages. There are those who
say they do not see how he rates the
support of Illinois for President; that
he has neither proved himself as a
vote getter or an administrator. On
the other hand, he has the advantage
of no entangling alliances in the past
with the various factions of the party
in the State. On that ground, he may
be the man to rally the Republicans
into united group, something that is
sadly needed in Illinois.
In the meantime Col. Knox is bent
on cleaning up the situation In Chicago
He insists that there are in the neigh
borhood Of 100000 fraudulent regis
trations of Democrats in Cook
County. If these names can be
stricken from the lists. the Republicans
will have a real chance to carry
Chicago next year. Downstate can be
carried for the Republicans. The
registration lists are to be combed
with fine tooth comb during the next
few months in the effort to clean them
up. Efforts have been made in the
Legislature to get through a new cleo
ton law. Controlled by the Demo-
Gratis, the Legislature so far has turned
cold shoulder.
Encouraged by Farley.
Like over Republicans in this Sec
ton Of the country, Col. Knox has