The Washington times., 1938-11-09
He'll BEATS PHIL
F 0 R GOVERNOR.
OF. WISCONSIN.
Wiley Conquers Duffy
For Senatorship

MILWAUKEE,, Wis, Nov. O.
Facing voters for the first time
since he launched the National
Progressives of America last
spring, Governor Philip F. La Fol
lette today found his third party
ambitions crippled, If not demol-
aShed.
"Brother Phil" bearer Of a
name which has known political
defeat only once before since the
late Senator Robert M. Fighting
Bob La Toilette first went to
Capitol Hill in 1905, has conceded
election of his Republican oppo-
nent, Julius P. Hail, in the Wis
consin gubernatorial race.
BELIEVED THE END
Returns, still incomplete but
conclusive, show He'll, manufac-
turer favoring the conservative
trend which has upset the New
Deal in so many States, far ahead
of the incumbent, who sought to
assume the governors chair for
the fourth time.
Whether Brother Phil" can sal
wage enough prestige or organiza-
ton to make his third party a
potent factor in the future re-
mains undecided. Observers here,
however, no matter of what politi-
cal bias, lean toward the view that
La Toilette has only a slight
chance of convincing celebrates
anywhere that another liberal
party is needed.
His crushing defeat, suffered in
a three-cornered race, found a
Democratic opponent, Harry Bo-
lens, trailing far behind La Fol
lette, who apparently has received
only half as many votes as He'll.
WILEY BEATS DUFFY
It was the same story IN the
senatorial race. The incumbent,
r. Ryan Duffy, blessed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt and campaigning
on q 100 per cent New Deal basis,
went down before Alexander Wiley,
Republican, vigorous foe Of the
Roosevelt administration. Herman
L. Ekern, Progressive, also bowed
to Wiley, who was far ahead OF
Duffy in conclusive returns.
Commenting on the contest, La
Toilette said the Republican vic
tory in his normally Progressive"
State would wipe out liberal gains
Of 40 years."
CITES FATHERS CAREER
He referred to the beginning
of the career of his father, Fight
ing Bob" founder of the La Fol
lette dynasty over 40 years ago
when he become governor of Wis
conSin. 1t was in 1905 that the
late Senator first came into ma
tional prominence, gaining in
prestige until his death in 1925,
when his other son, Robert
Marion La Toilette, jr., assumed
his fathers Senate seat.
Fighting Bob" stocky, aggres-
sive liberal, fought Americas entry
into the World War; battled for
reform in a country which pre-
ferred the idealiStic liberalism OF
woodrow Wilson or the static con-
servatism of Harding and Coolidge.
His sons took up the torch
against the old-line parties, then
conceded to be fairly alike in eco
nomic and social outlook, upon
Fighting Bob's" death. The latter
had always been nominally Re
publican, but his sons soon ap-
peared under the new banner OF
Progressive"
FIRST ELECTED IN 1924
"Brother Phil" still a young
man from a political standpoint,
first gained public office in 1924,
when he was 27 and chosen
district attorney of Dane county,
one year before his father died.
In 1880 he first became governor
Of his State, serving three terms.
In his defeat lie the ruins-at
least temporary-of the La
Toilette liberal tradition and the
urge to gain national recognition
and power for a third. reform
party.