The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-09-12

ville'S leading department store.
Around the house runs spacious
porch, and it is here that Willkie
spent much of his time.
The COP standard bearer rose
around z A. M, and had a hearty
Hoosier breakfast with his wife
and son Phil. From then on, his
day was filled with interviews,
telephone calls, dictation, reading
and just plain taking it easy. He
usually retired a little after mid
night.
Willkie transacted most of his
important campaign business by
phone. For this purpose two ex-
erienced operators were brought
from Indianapolis and a special
switchboard set up. The other
day he talked an hour and a half
with San Francisco. His letters
average around $50 day.
Willkie was easily accessible to
friends, politicians and crackpotS
alike. With The latter two groups,
however, he obviously was quickly
bored and wished them off on
members of his staff. Special
friends he took out to his farm,
where he did his most important
comforting.
OF the five farms which
Willkie owns, three are in his
wife's name. The Frank Cross
farm used to belong to a we'll
tO-do farmer Ia DemOcrat) who
extended himself too far and
was caught in the depression.
The farm was bought for little
more than $40 an acre.
All of WILKES farms cooperate
in the AAA program and he and
his tenants will receive $3l10 in
benefit payments this year, which
they will divide fifty-fifty. Willkie
also owns business building IN
Rushville and an interest in the
Rushville National Bank.
HAPPY MRS. WILLKIE
Mrs. Willkie had a wonderful
time in Rushville. This is her
home, and the folks genuinely like
her. On the courthouse square
they say, Edith is mighty fine
girl. Don't know her husband very
WELL"
Mrs. WILKES father, Phil
Wilk, built the courthouse, later
was county auditor. At least two
hundred relatives of Mrs. Willkie
live in and around Rushville.
Son Phil, handsome Princeton
undergraduate, also had grand
time. He got a big rush from the
local bellies and had more invita-
tons than he could accept.
An important part Of the
Willkie encourage are the news
men covering him. They stayed
downtown in a hotel and were
about the only part of the cam
paign personnel that the towns
people saw regularly. The re-
pOrterS are the candidates
personal corps of advisers. He
cOnsults them frequently on
statements and strategy and
they are on the alert to protect
him.
An Illustration of this was his
frank admission the day he adj
dressed the townsfolk, "T'm not a
farmer, never have been and hope
1 never have to be-"
Not a word of this went out in
the dispatches-although it quick
" got around the neighborhood, as
local Republican managers dis
covered when they tried to put up
some large Willkie billboards.
They had to go five miles out of
town before they found a farmer
who would let them use his place
for this purpose.
On highway 50, entering Rush.
Vile, there Is a big sign on barn
reading, This Is NOT q WiIlkie
farm"
TALK
After the first few days of ex-
element quieted down. Rushviile
took Its distinguished guest pretty
much In stride.
The merchants put up bunting,
also picture posters here and
there. but as one storekeeper OBJ
served. "We've got sort Of used 10
Il. Can't be running around cele-
brating every day."
The local garage man says he
hears less about politics than IN
years. Folks are FAR more inter-
Dsted IN the war and national de-
tense.
over In Henry oNeIl's black.