Evening star., 1937-09-05
WISCONSIN RALLY
OF MAJOR IMPORT.
Union Party Convention Will
Signal Start of Drive to
Gust La FoIIetteS.
BY JOHN J, DAILY,

Today in Wisconsin members Of the
Union party are holding 4 State rally
filled with political portent.
At this rally, held in the central
part OF the State. in the little town
OF Manitonic. the Union party will |
select and qualify its party workers
down to the precincts. Then will be-
gin q drive on two fronts aimed at the |
downfall of both the La Follettes-
Robert. the Senator, and Phil, the
Governor-along with the State demise
Of the New Deal. in 1888.
This rally Of the Union party, un-
heralded except to those on inside,
has more to 1t than meets the eye at
first glance. Designated as a State
convention, political observers with dis
corning vision see in this old-fashioned
political rally the marshalling Of many
forces, the Coughlinites, the Town
sendites and the Unionites. all under
one banner. This Is natural. Friend
ly relations have existed between the
Union party, Father Coughlin and
Townsend ever since they looked over
the Wisconsin situation and found it
to their liking
Singly, neither OF these forces is
strong enough to make dent in the
political armor Of the La Follettes or
the Progressive party With combined
strength, united under the Union
banner they look to the likelihood Of
rolling up an impressive vote next year,
with a senatorial vacancy and a gov
ernorship at stake.
Father Coughlin. the radio priest,
in this move comes out Of hiding
Though few know it, he is determined
to stage a comeback via Wisconsin,
For some time and mostly under cover,
his emissaries have been in the Green
Bay State forming so-called Unit
Clubs. This is Father Coughlins
latest method Of waging warfare on
the New Deal.
Important to Nation.
What Wisconsin does in November
will be Of great political Importance
to the Nation. Certain elements in
the warfare intend to make OF Wis
consin barometer to take the place
of the out-moded and out worn
Yankee slogan, "As Maine Goes. So
Goes the Nation" They are hanging
their hopes now on Wisconsin.
AS Wisconsin goes so goes the Mid
west-the heart of America-and as
the Midwest goes, so goes the Nation
That will be the new order If practi-
cal political dreams come true.
When November rolls around six
political parties will fight for su-
premacy in the Wisconsin field.
The Progressive party on election
dav, undoubtedly could pull the largest
vote. though its strength is nothing
like the Roosevelt presidential vote Of
1885. Normally, the independent
strength Of the Progressive party is
about one-third of the votes polled.
Next in line comes the regular Re-
publican party-the G.. O. Prom
which the La Follettes either with
drew or we're eliminated; a moot
question. In today's reckoning the
Republican party in Wisconsin is less
powerful than the Progressive party
and probably could be rated with one
fourth the voting strength.
Third comes the regular Democratic
party, slightly weaker than the Re-
! publicans.
Union Party Fourth.
Fourth in line is the Union party.
Though it waRed no campaign in
Wisconsin in 1886 the Union party
with Lemke for President-rolled up
more than $4,000 votes.
| Weak sister in local Wisconsin poll
tics is the Socialist party though 1t
rates slightly ahead of the Union for
Social Justice-Father Coughlin's
party.
The Democrats Of Wisconsin have
not been idle. Nor has the national
Democratic party laid of. This be-
cause there will be a successor named
for Senator F. Ryan Duffy, Democrat,
from Fond du Lac.
Senator Duffy is usually regarded
as an administration man. With all
that, he personally recognized the un-
popularity Of Franklin Delano Roose-
welt and his Supreme Court measure
in Wisconsin This accounts for the
manner in which the Senator "ducked
the issue" He turned himself inside
out running away from it. He was
last Of the few Democrats who sue
ceeded in concealing his position
Finally smoked out Senator Duffy
became an important factor in the de-
termination of the 1888 strategy in
Wisconsin.
1t works this way: Senator Duffy
as supporter Of the President would
naturally be the eligible candidate for
reelection.
Should the Progressive party decide
to realize its senatorial ambitions this
would force President Roosevelt and
Jim Farley to face both ways. They
would be positively embarrassed. try
ing to find which way to turn.
Support of New Deal.
The La Follettes have rendered loyal
support to the New Deal. Personally,
the President is grateful. He is sup
posed 10 be with them-to a man.
Still. the President could not sup
port the La Follettes and Senator
Duffy. too
In the ranks of all groups outside
the Progressive party-indeed, even
IN the party itself. there is talk OF
eliminating the La Follettes.
1t Is q well-known fact that Gov
Phil La Follette-now serving his third
TERMS anxious to run for the Senate
IN 1888. This would give to the Nation
a unique spectacle, two brothers repre-
senting the same State in the United
States Senate. That would make a
pretty picture. Furthermore, 1t would
enhance the possibility of Senator Bob
La Follette's reelection at the expira-
ton OF his term following the national
elections Of 1910.