Evening star., 1936-06-21

he said. Things really look great for
us. 1t will be fight. but we want a
fight The people are really tired Of
Roosevelt"
He pulled at his Suspenders. His
white suit was soiled and his collar
was whiting He leaned back. There
sat the new National Committee chair
man: Born in Fort Madison. OF
French, Scotch and Irish lineage. A
hustling young lawyer A probate
judge. Speaker in the Kansas House
of Representatives. Candidate for
Governor the was defeated in 1923 in
a close race. Political opponent of
Landon. Counsel for the National
Committee and finally-that was in
March-manager of the Landon cam
paign for the Republican nomination.
Il went into politics." said John
Hamilton, because I was busted. 1t
was just case of root hog or die
That probate judgeship paid $3.50 a
month and the marriage fees. I was
elected in 1920. I married between
1000 and 5000 couples and l think
I can still recite the ceremony. My
father died broke-no Hamilton ever
saved one cent-and I worked my way
through law school. When I ran for
probate judge made house-to- house
canvass, I walked this town. I saw
everybody in Topeka and when I ran
for Governor in 1928 I saw everybody
in Kansas I went everywhere. I
was in every coal mine and on top
of every elevator and I'd die broke or
join the Army before I'd ever again
run for an elective Office"
Opposed Landon in Politics.
I asked John Hamilton how long he
has known Gov Landon. THE Gov
ernor and l." he said, "have been
friends for eight or ten years We
were opposed in politics. The Cover
nor always took his politics pretty
seriously"
Mr.. Hamilton holds his membership
in his Topeka law firm, but said that
he wasn't much of a contributing
member. He talked of his law prac-
t1ce: I've never tried a divorce case
in my 20 years Of practice. I've never
tried criminal case except once
when defended an A. g. P. store on
a short-weight case. My firms work
is mainly insurance work. I am now
general counsel Of the State Medical
Association. In 1924 the Ku Klux
Klan developed to its full power In
Kansas. 1t was really tremendous
l lost many client because I op-
posed it."
The aggressive, dynamic Hamilton.
the first service man to run for high
office in Kansas, got to Topeka on a
morning. There were con-
ferences all that day. They con-
tinued all of Tuesday. Before noon
John Hamilton took train for Kansas
City, 10 miles away. There the news
paper men descended upon him. He
spoke at a luncheon. At 1890 he
boarded a special plane for New
York.
Ar-passenger Hamilton was as
signed to seat IA, one of the two
rear seats, but he didn't stay in it.
He didn't stay in any seat. He was
al over the airliner. He talked with
one associate and then another
Charlton MacVeagh, National Treas
lrer Goodspeed, Committeeman Hal
anan, j. K. Bradley, Jim Jappe, his
executive secretary and erstwhile the
atrical press agent, and his staff secre-
,aries-the titian-haired Catherine
Hall of Flushing and the dark and
slender Eileen O'Daniel.
Caucus at 10000 Feet.
Five minutes after the great Doug
as airliner rose from the field at
Kansas City, Chairman Hamilton
had switched seats and had called
1ls strategists together. That's the
campaign method of these driving
'oung Republicans - caucuses at
10000 feet! All the way from Kansas
City to Chicago, the first stop.
The plane landed in Chicago. There,
n 10 minutes, Chairman Hamilton
leld press conferences corps of
eporters was waiting at the field
'osed for photographers, made tele-
'hone calls and sent kilograms.
Half an hour out of Chicago the
lirliner struck thunderstorm. The
lding was rough. The plane rose
md it dipped. I've never experienced
ougher air. The clouds were black,
he rain heavy. There were some
frightened passengers aboard that
lane. The stewardess went back and
orth and her smile was q triumph Of
raining and composure. But nobody
lse was smiling, The storm didn't