Evening star., 1940-10-27
Willkie, the Amateur in June,
A Skilled Campaigner Now
Nominee Grams Into Few Weeks of Tour
Experience Most Men Would Take
Months or Years to Acquire
By J. A. O'Leary.

as was to be expected, viewed the boost
In registration as favorable to their
cause. Some of the new voters un-
douhtedly are New Deal recruits, but
there are logical reasons to support a
belief that the majority are more likely
to be Willkie supporters.
In the first place. admirers of the
President have had two national elec-
tions in which to turn out and vote for
him. There is also a school of thought
which holds that flood of new votes is
likely to consist of protest votes.
Series of Roosevelt Talks.
Finally, as the Republican nominee
continued to speed back and forth across
the pivotal States, talking to big crowds.
announcement came from the White
House that the President would make
series of political speeches in the clos
ing weeks of the campaign, to answer
what were described as falsifcations by
the opposition.
Democrats insisted 1t was not last
minute decision. Be that as 1t may, it
brought elation to the Willkie camp.
Republicans construed it as evidence
Mr.. Willkie had shaken Democratic
confidence of victory. The Republican
nominee had not succeeded in his orig
inal strategy of drawing the President
into joint debate from the same plat
form, but, at least, they argued, he had
made the administration deem 1t nee
essary to debate with him at long range.
This story began with the statement
that Mr.. Willkie is a more effective cam
paigner today than when he started.
There are several definite indications of
the change.
First he prepared written text on more
of his speeches than he did at the start.
He nearly always goes beyond this text,
but the extemporaneous additions, in
general, have improved the text by add
ing a dash of oratorical fire, especially
to the endings.
Impromptu Remarks.
When a mass meeting is being broad
cast for definite period of time, one of
his favorite practices is to read a manu-
script cut to fit the air time. The
crowd applauds the closing line and he
pauses momentarily to let the an
nouncer sign him of the air. but lie does
not turn away. Instead. he grips the
| reading stand with both hands and
waits for the applause to subside. News
men following his campaign have
| learned to be ready for these signs.
They mean the candidate is going TO
deliver a separate, final appeal.
H. hA fAr
/ nioue of constant repetition TO drive
home his salient points of attack on
New Deal policies and on the principle
of no third term. For example, in recent
weeks he has almost invariably referred
to his opponent as the third-term can
| didate" instead of the President. He
also repeats over and over again his
charges that the New Deal has dis
couraged economic recovery by fright
ening private enterprise; that continued
deficit spending may lead TO bankruptcy
and leave workers without their social
security; that labor laws are of no value
to the millions still out of work.
One of the unusual angles of this un-
usual campaign has been the continued
epidemic of missile-throwing along the
path of the Republican nominee. Begin
ming in the West more than a month
ago, it has recurred spasmodically all
across the country.
Eggs and Votes.
The serious issues of the campaign
sation than the reasons for the practice
of hurting eggs, tomatoes or other pro-
duce at a public figure riding by in an
automobile or presenting his case from
a platform.
After the first incident occurred, the
power of suggestion no doubt had some
thing to do with its recurrence. What
ever the explanation may be, political
observers are inclined to agree that
it has made votes for Mr. Willkie.
Wendell Willkie has had silent part
ner in this campaign about whom little
has been written. but who probably has
won many votes for him without saying
a word.
Senators. members of the House. coun-
ty chairmen-all have done their part
to line up local support for him. but
that is a routine part of any campaign.
After Mr.. Willkie has spoken in hun
dreds of communities, small and large,
and the train is about to move on. some
local politico calls out to the crowd:
And now, want you to meet the next
First Lady Of the Land"
This is when the Republican nominees
silent partner, his unassuming, friendly
wife, does her bit for the cause, and
she does it with grace and dignity. She
| responds with a warm smile and a fare
we'll wave of the hand-but never a
speech.