The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-07-04

makes fascinating reading.
ter of recent political history.
willkie did not defeat the old
guard. as the headlines have II.
for the reason that there was no
"old guard" His rivals and
their managers were amateurs.
while he was the professional.
Moreover. he had on his side
though they concealed their
sympathies-Such skilled me-
chanics as Permanent Co1ven-
ton Chairman Joe Martin. Ma
tional Chairman John Hamilton
and COP. Publicist Franklin
Waltman. Jr. They saw to il
that Willkie got all the breaks.
Had he not been named, they
would have lost their political
scalps.
The 1910 Republican nominee
could not have crashed the DO
litical gate had such experienced
veterans as Penrose, Jim Wat
son and George Moses been the
generalissimos Of the opposi-
ton. They would have stopped
him, despite his popular support
as evidenced by gallery cheers.
But in Dewey, Taft and Vanden-
berg and their manageable
faced a crowd which still has a
lot TO learn about practical poll
tics.
Tom Dewey's weakness was
the real reason for Wilkes
nomination. Had the New York
prosecutor been able to hold his
delegates in line. the result
might have been different. Here
is the inside story of the conven-
ton maneuvering:
After the third ballot. when
the Willkie people were uncover
ing strong. secondary strength,
New York State Chairman Ed
Jaeckel hurriedly conferred in
the aisle of the hall with David
s. ingalls,, the Taft manager.
Said Jaeckel:
IF you want to stop this man
Willkie, you have got to throw
your votes to Dewey" Ingalls,
replied:
Why? Why don't you throw
your votes to Taft >"
Because, explained Dewey's
buddy, I'VE can't control our
votes. and you can. Our dele
gates will slip away if Dewey
starts to dwindle, and they will
slip away to Willkie. But if you
give US some Of your delegates
and build Dewey up, they will
stay with us. That is the only
way we can stop Willkie."
Taft refused To enter such a
deal, and the Jacket predic-
ton came true. Tom dropped
to only 81 votes on the fifth bal
lot; the vast majority of them
had Topped to the winning can
didate.
Nationa! Chairman John
Hamilton and Permanent Con-
vention Chairman Joe Martin
did their bit for the most amaz-
ing blitzkrieg since the British
troops were driven out of Flan-
ders. Here's how they helped
the winner:
The managers of all candi-
dates agreed beforehand to re-
cess after two ballots had been
taken. AS a rule, the conven-
ton takes three roll calls be-
fore quitting. But the Willkie
peoples private score sheet gave
him 116 votes on the first bal
lot. 254 on the second and AL
on the third. Had his rivals al
lowed the third ballot to be taxi
en- in quick sequence, there
would have been no need for
fourth polling. Willkie would
have been nominated then and
there.
In accord with the agreement,
Chairman Martin declared a re-
cess after the second ballot, but
he limited it to two hours. II
gave no time for deals or trad
ing among the anti-Willkie
groups. In fact, it did not give
enough time for the delegates to
eat dinner.
But the psyoff came after the
fourth ballot, which showed
tremendous surge to Willkie.
Senator Taft's brother, Charley
Taft, and his manager. Dave
Ingalls,, demanded time out;
they wanted TO talk with the
Dewey people, arrange an al
lance and slow up Willkie.
But Chairman Hamilton turned