Evening star., 1936-09-13
RALLY FLOP SEEN
|. THOMPSON FINALE
Few at Picnic of Illinois
Third-Party Governor
Candidate.
BY HARRY M. BEARDSLEY,

CHICAGO, Ill. September l2.-Vir-
gubernatorial candidacy of Big Bill"
Thompson was signalized by the flop
Of the former Mayors Labor day
rally. political observers believe. The
Thompson debacle was perhaps the
most significant event of a week seeth-
ing with political action that found
national figures fitting In and out OF
Chicago in endless procession.
Thompson. candidate for Governor
in opposition to Henry Horner. Dem
ocratic incumbent. and Wayland
Brooks, Republican aspirant, held
one OF his famed Labor day pic
mics at Riverview Park, on Chicagos s
northwest side. In the old days, when
the Thompson machine was operating
smoothly, these rallies were attended
by hundreds of thousands. Thompson,
for weeks. had confidently forecast
that he would blow the political sit
uation wide open to a throng of
100000. The attendance was around
l0,000-some 10000 less than greeted
Father Coughlin the previous day.
Democrats Marking Time.
While Republican State candidates,
split into pairs and trios, waged a
five-ring speaking campaign through
out the State, Democratic candidates,
with few exceptions, were marking
time awaiting the official opening of
their campaign next week. Gov. Hor-
ner has been making frequent mon
political appearances at fairs. COM
munity celebrations, bridge dedica-
tons. and the like, but as yet the
party campaign has not got under
way.
The official opinion among party
leaders is that they are sitting pretty
and need not wear themselves out with
a prolonged campaign; but among the
rank and file there is considerab Bile
chafing at the bit. and more than
little dubiety. Many of the workers
feel that the confidence of the cam
paign managers is based on too rosy
forecasts by bell wethers not closely
enough in touch with the situation.
Even many who profess confidence
in Horner's ultimate victory believe
that q vigorous campaign will be
necessary to offset the gains Brooks
is making throughout the State.
With only seven weeks remaining
before election. they point out that
it is customary for candidates of both
parties to devote the last three weeks
of the campaign to Cook County.
Here in Chicago and its environs
reside approximately half of the voters
of the State. This leaves the Demo-
Gratis only four weeks in which to
cover the remaining 101 counties,
many of which contain several
strategic towns that must be visited,
in addition to the county seats.
Split Cause Of Delay.
One reason for the delayed start OF
the Democratic campaign has been
the split between Gov. Horner ana
the Cook County machine headed
by Mayor Kelly of Chicago. After
the bitter primary fight, IN which
Horner defeated Dr. Herman Bunde-
son, the Kelly candidate. Kelly sue
ceeded in electing Bruce Campbell OF
Belleville, State chairman despite
Horner's opposition. Thus the Gov
ernor found the Management of his
campaign In the hands Of a party Zoe
Aided by Intervention OF National
Chairman Farley, = truce was effect.
ed and Campbell and Kelly agreed
to the appointment of F. L. Smith OF
Pontiac as executive director OF the
campaign. Thus while Campbell II
nominally the head OF the party
Smith (not to be confused with Franz
L. Smith, former Republican national
committeeman) win be the active
head. Smith managed Horner's pri-
mary campaign down-state. carrying
all Of the local down-state counties
The procession Of politician n
through Chicago began last weekend
with President Roosevelt, followed
closely bY Father Coughlin. Formei