The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-07-08

D1 1OM NOLf
MOST people who remember the
AVA undergraduate Wen willkie
think of tall. husky boy. invari-
ably clad in a brilliant red sweat
er. who chewed tobacco to show
how tough he was. He was widely
considered a radical.
Actually young Wilkes radi-
calism boiled down to great in
terest in socialism of the Jack
London variety Including the
abolition of all inheritances) a
great respect for trust busting
Teddy Roosevelt; and a worship
of Fighting Bob" La Toilette.
La Toilette liberalism m can
fighting a system under which Big
Business poured money into polit-
zeal machines TO elect men who
would do its bidding. Much of
wilkes fight with the present
administration is based on his
hatred of this kind Of system.
In the present situation willkie
sees Big Government doing ex-
actly what Big Business did in the
systems which La Toilette found so
insidious.
Though usually at odds with the
soft shoe" group at Indiana. Will
~ x-.xx, ,,,.srh IF Saptfc
leader. For the major part Of his
undergraduate years he led the
fight on the frsternitics because Of
their snobbishness. He eventually
resigned himself to the existing
system and joined elegant Beta
Theta ri.
TRAINED AS SPEAKER
IN COLLEGE
LIS powers as an orator were
IL vastly enhanced as an under
graduate, and his brilliance as a
debater and speaker earned him
the position of senior orator for
his class 1913. His family dinner
table had stood him in good stead.
During his college and law
school summers, Wen worked as
lack OF all trades throughout the |
west. Money was a secondary OBJ
feet to travel and experience.
He worked variously as a dish
washer, short order cook, har-
vester, dresser of oil tools, vege-
table picker. and even as barker
for tent hotel in rush town in
Colorado. His work took him into
nearly every state In the west.
Since all his later work has con-
fined him east Of the Mississippi,
these summer experiences are
proving invaluable to Candidate
Willkie.
LOST FIRST CASE
TO HIS FATHER
WHILE he was still an under
w graduate Wen got his first
law training. At 16 he helped his
father prepare the defense OF two
Iaborers who had violated an anti
picketing injunction. The WILKES
won their case.
In his first case after graduation
from law school. however. Wen
dell's defense was a masterpiece.
1t took three hours to deliver.
His fathers reply WAS two SEN
fences: I'm sure my son will
make a great lawyer. He can
make 80 much out Of nothing"
Fathers prophetic words won.
About this same time a new
assistant librarian came to FL
wood. Her name was Edith WIKI.
She had been a classmate of Wen's
at Indiana. although they had
hardly known one another there.
Posterity has 1t that when Wen
met her in riwood. he said: Miss
WIKI. I'd like TO add three letters
to your name" But the obvious
ness Of this bon mot does its sup
posed author an injustice.
Pretty young Miss Wilk was not
swept off her feet. She thought
blue-eyed. shaggy Mr.. willkie was
something Of a dreamer. America
was In the war before the knot
was tied.
Capt willkie came home from
officers' Training Camp in a
blizzard which delayed the we'd
ding two days. His brides bou-
quet, picked up en- route, was
still frozen stiff when Edith WIKI
marched down the aisle on Jan.
IL. 1918. TO add three letters to
her name.
DEFENDED SOLDIERS
WHILE AT WAR
LIS grandparents hate Of Prus-
A sianism was strong in Wendell
willkie, and he volunteered for the
u. 8. army the dav after America
declared war. He served in France
I