Evening star., 1938-07-12
NEW STAR RISES
IN TEXAS POLITICS
Zee 0'DanieI, Hi|I-BiI|y Flour
= Salesman Is Sweeping
State.
By BLAIR MOODY.

N.A.).-President Roosevelt headed to-
ward the highest peaks OF the Colo
RADIO Rockies today, with this cam
paign caravan still buzzing over the
sensational rise of a new personality
In Southwestern politics. who is sweep
ing Texas with drive for the Gov
ernor's chair, described as "Huey Long,
plus horse sense"
Veteran politicians riding with
Roosevelt through the plains and
plateaus of the Lone Star State could
talk Of no one but w. Lee .O'Daniel.
the Irish Hill Billy -four salesman"
who entered a cut-and-dried primary
Tor Governor four weeks ago and to-
day threatens to get more votes than
Ill 13 candidates running against him.
Mr.. O'Daniers radio show, which
he puts on twice a day with string
band for mountain music" his
homely Will Rogers philosophy. the
tremendous crowds that have flocked
everywhere to hear him and drop
enough nickels, dimes and quarters in
little wooden flour barrel to pay his
campaign expenses, and, above ALL his
astute psychological twist that avoids
specific or embarrassing questions, all
promise new deal in Texas politics
that will plump Mr.. O'Daniel in the
middle of the national stage.
Three Planks in Platform.
Mr.. O'Daniel has three planks In
his platform, which he sugarcoats
for thousands Of Texans daily. He
ts for the Ten Commandments and
the Golden Rule. He is against poll
ticians and he wants to industrialize
Texas.
In the middle of the depression he
went to Fort Worth and started selling
fhillbilly -four" which Is just like
Any other flour. He hired q string
band and radio time. He gave the
people the old homely generalities that
can't miss. He wept with them on
Mothers Day, boosted life insurance
and virtue. downed sin and helped the
people with their problems, and sold
flour For eight years he has been
with the people at dawn and sundown.
without mention of politics. A few
weeks ago he looked over a coiorless
field of l3 running for Governor. snd
announced one morning that some cne
had suggested he run.
If any Of you folks think ought
to run," he said, send me q post
card"
Received 5S,499 Post Cards.
Within few days he received 58,4s9
bost cards. He said he would give all
old folks in the State IS years or
older $50 a month, half from the
Federal Government-without any
poverty test His rivals computed the
cost to Texas at $45,000,000 = year.
Whenever a heckler asks him low he
:vill pay for it, Mr.. O'Daniel turns to
his band and says, Strike up tune,
boys"
Or he may interrupt q homespun
discussion Of Texas and its people
with Pass the biscuits, Pappy"
pass the biscuits, pappy," Is his
hogan, and helps sell flour, too. His
theme song is Beautiful Texas" the
States official song, which he wrote.
When the State attorney general
William McCraw, heavy favorite be-
fore Mr.. ODaniel entered, attacked
him for trivialities and his guitars
and fiddles." Mr.. O'Daniel answered
by having his band sing song Tor
Mr., McCraw-I Hate Mountain
Music"
When his opponents discovered that
hs had not paid his poll tax for six
Years Mr.. O'Daniel shrugged and said
That was because no politician IN
Cexas was worth $1.75.
When Mr.. McCraw charged him
With being . yankee Carpetbagger
from Ohio" Mr.. O'Daniel drawled,
hwe1l teach these politicians little
Eexas history" Then he recalled that
the cannons with which Sam Houston
won the battle of San Jacinto were
paid for by Ohioans, and had every
one stand in prayer for three famous
martyred Ohioans who died that Texas
might be free. Then he added, sure,
! came to Texas IS years ago. came
here because like Texas and want
to live here" Candidate McCraw
caught the boomerang right across
his eyes.
Mr.. O'Daniel does not discuss issues
In detail, and his publicity man. who
travels with him, filing news stories
TO papers all over the State, never
writes politics"
Just color" says the publicity man.
ssomething always happens Ut Lees
meetings"
His meetings have drawn crowds
bigger than those which dedicated
the States biggest municipal and
football stadium. Straw votes all
over Texas show him way out in
front, sometimes leading the entire
field. A majority in the primary July
Is will avoid run-on primary. In
one town, the village storekeeper put
$40 bill in his window and said
anyone who would dare say he would
vote against Mr.. O'Daniel could have
It. The $40 is still there
Mr.. ODaniel says, 1.-THE people
Are tired Of politicians, and I'm not
one"
Is he, then, q crackpot? Well, last
year he was president of the Fort
Worth Chamber Of Commerce. He
has made a half million dollars SELL
ing -four, and his sales have doubled
since he started running for governor
Like fox, he says that he will "in-
dustrialize Texas
Why" he says. should we get
bill these hides down here. and pay
through the nose for freight all the
way to New England and back, when
we can set up our own factories
here?"
(Copyrisht, 1898. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc.)