The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-02-24

At the Committees meeting last
week the situation was far differ
emit. This year the field is wide
open, with small army of can
dldates scrambling anxiously for
delegates and no one with the
remotest idea what the outcome
OF the hot race will be. But the
name Landon Is still prominent
on every insiders tongue, although
not In the role of an aSpirant. He
closed this door with decisive fl
nality as far back as December,
1887.
So today, the big question mark
overhanging Republican ranks is:
Whom Is LandOn for?" Behind
this widespread conjecture is one
of the most interesting personal
triCmphs in recent political his
tory.
All Landon today is a far more
significant national figure than
he was as the COP presidential
standard bearer.
His good spontaneously In de-
feat, his modesty, his unfailing
good nature and honey wit, his
readiness to lay aside partisan
ship to serve his country in times
Of. crises, and his disinterested
efforts to rehabilitate his party
along liberal and constructive
lines-aIl have won him an in
fluence unequalled by any other
Republican.
While a public endorsement by
Hoover Is Stunned by the COP
candidates, there isn't one Of them
who wouldn't jubilantly welcome
such a declaration from Landor--
If it could be obtained. It would
mean a groundswell Of strength
which would practically ensure Its
recipient a place on the party's
ticket.
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN
A little stouter, his sparse brown
hair streaked with gray, with a
contagious laugh and a passion
for old, disreputable hats, ALT
Landon today Is one Of the great
est assets of his party.
His white-pillared home on the
outskirts Of Topeka has become
a Mecca for the young, up-and-
coming COP leaders. From all
over the country they come 70 lis
ten to his salty counsel. stand
ing before his huge fireplace, vest
less Che hates vests, his hands
under his coat-tailS, he encour-
ages them as an older brother.
The Landon Of today Is the
same Landon before he zoomed
into national prominence. He
still rises at dawn, stilI Is care
full to close cattle gates behind
him in crossing the prairie, stil
respectfully calls William Allen
White, "Mr. WHITE, and Is still
enc Of the best pitch hands in
the Middle West. His good ma
ture and drawing hurnor are
never-failing.
A month after his crashing de-
feat, when asked by he wasn't
gong fishing in q Republican
state, he replied with a grin. ''l3e-
cause it's too hard to find that
kind Of . state" The following
year, while returning home in a
driving rain he slipped and fell in
crossing pasture. Telling friends
about the incident. he laughed: [
'sYes, sir, It sure was funny.
Exactly q year from the night
was nominated for President,
/ was flat ON my face I'm a
Kansas ditch"
GROWN UP
william Allen White, sage stu
dent Of politics and men, recently
observed that few figures in
American history have grown in
defeat as ALI Landon. Several
factors are responsible for this
development.
One Is Landon's deep sense Of
humility. IL d q common frailty
among men who reach high 20
litical erninence to develop mes
siAnic completes; to consider
themselves endowed with special
attributes and divine ukase to
impose their theories ON the rest
Of mankind. But mot Landon.
He doesn't consider himself diff
ferent from other folks nor en-
trusted with a holy mission. He
Is q simple American who loves
his country and Is ready to do his
patriotic best to help promote Its
prosperity and security. During
the 1886 campaign Laildon hit