Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-03
Wi|Ikie Needs Miracle
1oCapture Montana;
Wheeler Holds Whip
Miss Jeanette Ronkin's
Return to House Is
predicted by Some
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,
Star Staff Correspondent.

Star stair correspondent
HELENA, Mont. Oct. Son the
surface. Montana is Roosevelt's fol
the taking. The Democratic leaders
say so emphatically. More i'm
partial observers express ;imilar
views, although here and there one
is found who says that the Roosevelt
lead of $4,000, rolled up in 1886, Will
be cut materially-to ratio Of lC
to 7. for example, instead of the
"a to of four years ago. Republican
leaders, on the other hand, talk with
extreme confidence of carrying the
State for Willkie. They back up
their predictions with reports of Re-
publican strength among the farm
ers, many of the cattlemen who
remain largely rugged individual
lists" with no fondness for Henry A
Wallace They claim. too, that even
among the w. P. A. workers and
parts of organized labor, the anti
Roosevelt and pro-Willkie voters
are to be found in material numbers
Irf addition. they insist that many
lifelong Democrats will not stand
for a third term" Generally speak
irle, if Mr. Willkie carries Montana
It will be little short of political
miracle
Mr.. Willkie travelled across Mon
tana in his recent Western trip
The plant of the Republican man.
ayers is that his visit to the State
was too hurried, that the people
really did not have time to get a
real closeup of the candidate
not even in Butte, where his princi-
pal stop was made and he addressed
the largest political gathering ever
held in the State, variously eSti-
mated at from $4,000 to $4,000.
Butte Strongly Democratic.
Reports of his reception in Butte
vary from enthusiastic to respectful
to chilly, depending very largely
who is doing the talking. Butte is
a. Democratic stronghold in Mon
tana. 1t cast II 600 votes for Roose-
welt in 1886 to $500 for ALI M.
Landon. Undoubtedly many of the
n1en and women who damned the
stadium where he spoke came out of
curiosity. Be that as it may, they
listened to him and gave him a
measure of applause. fractional diff
ferences have torn the Democrats
asunder in recent years and the Re-
publicans are counting on these diff
ferences in the opposition to help
them in both the national and State
elections next month. However,
none of the Democratic factions
has come out in opposition to the
President and all are giving him
verbal support.
The most powerful Democratic
figure in Montana-so far as vote
getting is concerned-is Senator
Wheeler. An original Roosevelt man
when the President was striving for
his first nomination, Senator Wheel
er broke with the administration
seriously in 1887 and lead the Senate
fight against the Supreme Court bill.
After that fight the New Dealers
decided to 60 after Mr.. Wheeler's
scalp. An effort was made to build
up former Representative Jerry
O'Connel, with the idea that O'Con-
nell was the man to take Wheeler's
measure and his seat in the Senate
In 1910. Senator Wheeler did not
wait for 1910 to roll around He
went right after O'Connell in 1888
and allied Gov. Roy E. Ayres with
him. The upshot was the electrion
of Representative Thorkelson. Re-
publican, in Mr. O'Connell's place.
New Deal plans to purge" Senator
Wheeler went up in smoke.
Became a Candidate.
This year, Senator Wheeler de-
clared himself against a third term
for President Roosevelt or any man
He became presidential candidate
himself, but withdrew his name be-
fore the balloting began in Chicago.
as soon as it became definitely
known the President would run.
He announced he would 60 along
with the party nominee. There is
grave doubt out here. however, that
Senator Wheeler will do any work
for the presidential ticket.
Running against Senator Wheeler
on the Republican ticket is E. K.
Cheadle, jr., of Shelby, an attorney.
Mr.. Cheadle is a lieutenant colonel
in the National Guard and is now
on active duty in Washington. He
is not campaigning in the State,
leaving that job to the Republican
leaders here. The senatorial con-
test brings into opposition two
classes of thought on the present
national defense program-repre-
sented by Wheeler, who opposed the
consumption bill and who has at
tackled much of the foreign policy of
the President, and by Mr.. Cheadle,
who is a supporter of the defense
program. There is a wide difference
of opinion as to how popular or
unpopular the CONSUMPTION bill is in
this State. No one, however. gives
Mr.. Cheadle the slightest chance to
win over Senator Wheeler, who is
regarded as sure winner no matter
what else happens in the election.
That is the view frankly given by
Republican leaders speaking off
the record" as we'll as the view of
the Democrats.
Close Governor Race Possible.
Gov. Ayres was renominated over
the opposition of the O'Connell fac
ton in the Democratic party Mr.
O'Connell had a candidate of his
own for the governorship. but he
was defeated. If some of the O'Con-
nell followers turn against the Gov
ernor, as is predicted in some quar-
tiers. the gubernatorial race may be
extremely close. The Republicans
are hoping to elect their candidate,
S. c. Ford of Helena. a former
attorney general. Montana has two
congressional districts, the first
which comprises the Western part
of the State and has always been
strongly Democratic, and the Sec
ond, the Eastern section-the farm.
ing area, as distinct from the min
ing section. The second district is
normally Republican.
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