Evening star., 1935-09-24
Band Wagon Getting Load.

That Is about all there Is to Knox
headquarters at present. except that
a lot of outlying politicians heard the
band wagon coming and started run
ming to get on.
The Eastern politicians have all
been whispering that Knox would not
even get the Illinois delegation. Some
inside fixing has been done about that
One of the interesting features of
the situation is Col Mccormick, pub
Usher of the Chicago Tribune. Nc
Cormick gave good hint of his inten-
tions by agreeing to introduce Knox
at a Constitution day celebration
Knox returned the compliment by
agreeing to introduce Mccormick at a
Republican round-table luncheon Sep
tember 80.
Furthermore, there are reasons for
believing Hearst will be cooperative
If not friendly.
This does not mean Knox will get
all his home State delegation. Nc
one ever had it. including Lincoln
But what he loses may not be as i'm
portant as Eastern bigwigs now expect
President Roosevelt has slipped
considerably here. A fair guess
Uould be that 80 per cent of loop
business men are against him. His
"breathing spelP' promise does not
seem to hare had much effect on
them.
Republicans are active and are In
telligently trying to capitalize the busi-
ness sentiment. A Republican citizens
association has been created. 1t is not
allied with any faction, issues or can
didacies, but Is soliciting business men
for funds to turn over to the National
Committee What is more remark
able, it is getting some money (mostly
contributions of less than 500 each
so far).
A similar organization Is starting
in Ohio and one is being planned for
Indiana. It may become q national
model.
Loop May Be Strengthened.
But these developments do not give
you the whole picture. You can find
that in the prospect the loop is
not going to be loop much longer.
A Democratic city machine Is going
to straighten it out; that is, Machine
Chauffeur Mayor Kelly is publicly
thinking about abolishing the elevated
track oval which gave Americas sec
ond city its essentially noisy character.
He is talking about straight lane on
nearby Wells street.
In that move you will find the fact
that the machine can and Is doing
nearly anything it wants today in Chi
cago and Illinois. 1t is bigger and
has fewer loose nuts and bolts than
Big Bill Thompson's machine ever
had. 1t is founded on jobs. There
are supposed to be 400 of Kelly's boys
on the pay roll in one single ward
The insiders say Kelly could decide
today how much of a majority he
wants for himself or for Roosevelt. 1t
is largely a question of conscience.
AS long as Mr.. Roosevelt is furnishing
millions illinois expects to get $780,
100000 out Of the Federal till before
next election) for Kelly's airports out
in the lake, and what not, the Re-
publicans will need all the contribu-
tions they can get. and then some
The bent, tired figure OCCASION
ally seen on Michigan boulevard
ih er-Emperor insult, the utilitist.
He gdpe the first million dollars for
the Worlds Fair, but he HDes now,
an eriled recluse, in a secluded
hotel.
There was a public assembly of fair
directors not long ago. insult had a
seat on the platform, but he came and
went without being spoken to. A
former minor employe, whom he could
not have known, once greeted insult
on the street, and the old man nearly
wept in gratitude.