Evening star., 1940-10-27

The Wendell L. Willkie who is coming
down the home stretch at fast clip.
laundering at the heels of the Presi-
dent, Is a far different, a far more ef-
fective candidate than the man who
started out from Rushville, Ind, six
weeks ago.
Willkie the amateur, who surprised
everybody by romping OF with the Re-
publican nomination in June, still be-
trayed symptoms of rookie wildness when
he started campaigning in September.
But, In the short interval since that
time the Republican nominee, with a
seemingly endless storehouse of physical
stamina, has campaigned at a pace never
before equaled. He has crammed into
few weeks political experience most men
would have taken months or years to
acquire.
Travelling more than 1900 miles
through 81 States, speaking from to 10
times a day, he has gradually improved
his technique without sacrificing his
forceful, direct style of attack.
His position in the race has f1uctuated
campaign started, but never once have
the slumps been revealed in his outward
manner, or in the spirit of victory he
has tried to impart to his followers in
every community he has visited.
Too Much Fervor at First.
Starting West from Chicago on Sep
tember IA, Mr.. Willkie put too much
fervor into his rear platform speeches
Seeing thousands of persons crowding
around the end of his train for the first
time at station after station, he threw
all Of his lung power into what he was
saying. forgetting that the loud speakers
were there to do that for him. He also
made that day what some observers felt
was 3 mistake in placing on President
Roosevelt part Of the blame for the ac-
ton of the European democracies in
selling Czecho-Slovakia down the river"
BY evening, Mr.. Willkie had lost his
voice from the strain of putting too much
physical effort into his speeches. With
the campaign just beginning and his
first major speech at Coffeyville, Kans
oiiAy ~ liOAo 20 away, siOOill ocoIClIuCu OlI
the Wlllkie train that night. Doctors
were hurriedly sent for, and newspa-
permen wondered how long it might be
before he could make another speech.
But, with the aid of medical skill and
a day of complete rest in Kansas City.
Mr.. Willkie was back on the rear plat
form Monday. September Is, hammer
ing away against third term and list
ing his conception of New Deal failures.
Already the Republican nominee was
learning to save his voice and let the
microphones do the work The gloom
began to give way to new hope among
his advisers, but still the odds seemed
heavy against him.
Not Answered by Roosevelt.
The President was going serenely about
the task of directing the national de-
fense program, keeping his fingers on
the pulse of the foreign situation and
taking little or no public notice of Mr..
WILKES steady fire of attack on the
New Deal.
Other Democratic orators were an
swering Mr.. Willkie, but not his oppo-
nent. A less courageous fighter would
have been disheartened by such cam
paign situation. But Wendell Willkie
kept on quoting Jeffersons warnings
against the dangers of long continuance
in office; kept on pointing to the mount
ing national debt, with millions still un-
employed; kept on charging the admin
istration with having been slow to see
the need for strong defense.
Still. as he made the long journey up
the West Coast and back across the
Northwest, there were no indications
that he was making any appreciable
dent in the Presidents recognized lead
in electoral votes.
The Republican nominee, however, was
attracting large crowds. and he kept
reminding them that his third term
opponent was making no answer to his
indictment of New Deal failures
Rise in Willkie Strength.
After he had carried his fight through
the big industrial States of the East
and Midwest-Ohio. Pennsylvania and
New York-still drawing big crowds, the
President began following him into some
of these areas on military inspection
trips, but stin not discussing the issues
between them. Mr.. Willkie then turned
his fire on the inspection trips.
Meanwhile, surveys and reports began
to come in from various parts of the
country, rejecting a rise in Willkie
strength. especially in such vital States
as New York and Illinois.
About the same time heavy increases
in registration in populous centers be-
gan to indicate that the occasional, inde-
pendent voters were coming out to exer-
else their franchise this year. Both sides,