Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-22

he was speaking out of the sincerity Of
his heart and mind.
The Willkie bulld-up at the time of
the nomination in Philadelphia was such
as to make the candidate appear to be
superman, wonder worker with the
vision of prophet and the glamour of
Clark Gable. Such a background was
inevitably a handicap. The Elwood ac-
ceptance speech was letdown. If his
voice failed at the outset of his first ma
tional tour, then the legend of the super
man would be seriously impaired
Has Technique of His Own.
But If Mr.. Willkie scorns the Roosevelt
tricks, he is nevertheless demonstrating
that he has an increasingly skillful tech
nique of his own. He can give and take
with crowd as Herbert Hoover or an
ALT Landon never could. He loves the
whole experience. That is an advantage
he shares with Mr.. Roosevelt. The sight
of crowd Is meat and drink to Mr..
Willkie.
In sense, he is as much of a show.
man as Mr.. Roosevelt, but their styles,
as their temperaments, are entirely diff
tent. Mr.. WILKES act is his own.
'I-Wendell WILHELM doing this"
he says in effect. Naturally this limits
his range. Mr.. Roosevelt has far more
OF empathy, word in the actors vo.
cabulary meaning the capacity to project
oneself into another character, to think
and feel as another person would think
and feel Campaigning, Mr. Roosevelt
projects himself into the feelings of his
audience whether it is on the plains Of
Texas or in a New England mill town.
1t was what he did across the country
in 1888, tour which now appears to
have been pointed directly at 1910 and
the third term.
Reluctant TO Take Advice.
Going it on his own, Mr. Willkie is re-
luctant TO take advice from the aids who
are accompanying him on this trip. 1t is
doubtful if candidate ever had such an
anomalous group of men around him.
Most of them are amateurs with a pas
sionate devotion to the Willkie cause.
Representative Halleck one of the few
politicians close to Mr.. Willkie is accom-.
pdllNIIIS IlIIll Oil lIlIS CIOSS-COullTN J6uIlU.
Russell Davenport, who resigned the
editorship of Fortune magazine to help
in the campaign. and the candidates
brother Ed have more influence with
Mr.. Willkie than any one else around
him. Intensely serious convinced that
only Mr.. Willkle can save the country
from catastrophe, Mr.. Davenport is con.
stantly at hand. While he may not &C.
tually write speeches for the strong
willed Willkie, his editorial skill has
been of great value. Distrusting poll
ticians, Mr.. Davenport believes that
his man can win through a fortnight,
about, come-look-see campaign. One
WILKES political capacities. he has the
confidence of the candidate.
One of Mr. WILKES campaign assets
is his wife. With a friendly smile she
takes the bow that is accorded her at
virtually every stop. In response to
the questions of woman interviewers-
she gives tactful replies with just the
right note of praise for her husband
When each new bale Of roses or or
chids is handed up to her she manage %
look as agreeably surprised as though
she hadn't seen flower for months.
Has Excellent Radio Advisers.
Mr.. Willkie has excellent radio ad-
visers on the train. One is T Wells
Church, chairman of the Republican
Committee on Radio the other Walter
,OKeefe, star of the stage and the radio
networks who heads the G. o. P Com
mittee on Entertainment. Both of these
have been acutely worried about Mr..
WILKES radio appearances. They feel
that he is beginning to perfect his own
radio style, having learned from the
misfortunes of the first two or three
days. Above all he is bringing himself
to make use of simplifying devices to
save his own voice. What has been
described as his Billy Sunday approach
is being smoothed down. 1t is GUS
tomary fer the candidate to end each
talk with fervent, God bless you and
keep you!"
just how many votes will come out Of
this road tour only psychic poll-taker
could determine. Devoted Willkiecrats
on the train are enormously pleased by
the crowds that have turned out and the
response of those crowds. AS many an
other campaign has proved. however,
particularly Al Smiths tumultuous CAM
paign of 1928, crowds mean very little.
1t is a big day in the life of any town
when a candidate rides through. The
political circus is free.
tCopyrisht 1910. by Pulitzer Publishing Coz
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