Evening star., 1945-02-01

SSt &io"CNS1g
seems to have carried the conserva-
tive coalition leaders past the point
where they could stop even if they
cooled off long enough to consider
the consequences.
Symbolic of what the Senators
have started out in the sticks is the
spontaneous emergence of a "Busi-
nessmen's Committee for Wallace
The names most prominently as
sociated with this organization are
those of Andrew J. Higgins, ship
builder, and J. Louis Reynolds
aluminium manufacturer, two big
wartime producers. The temporary
chairman is James H. McGill, large
manufacturer.
Middle Glass Movement.
But the significance of the move
ment does not lie in these big names.
1t lies in the participation of smaller
businessmen. This is something dis
tinct from the support of the CIO
and similar organizations. 1t could
be called a middle-class movement.
Typical of the manner in which
1t has spread is the story of Judge
Kelso of Cape Girardeau, Mo.
The Businessmen Committee for
Wallace was born one day last week
in a Washington hotel room, oc-
cupied by James H. McGill, who had
remained in town after the inaugu-
ration. 1t was agreed by those pres
ent that there were a lot of busi-
nessmen who had confidence in
Wallace and agreed further that it
might be worthwhile to see If they
would stand up and be counted. 1t
was decided to send out few in
quiries. One of the first was ad-
dressed to l. r. Kelso of Cape Girar-
deau. Back came the response by
wire:
This will authorize you to use my
name also the following: Lyman A.
Matthews, banker; Louis Hecht,
merchant; Earl G. Granting, presi-
dent, building and loan association;
c. A. Vandivort, insurance and real
estate"
Next day the committee" received
another telegram from Mr.. Kelso.
1t read:
This will authorize you to use
names Of following well-known
businessmen and political leaders of
Kennett, Mo: w. B. Bragg, Hugh
Chapman, Metz Cherry, Paul Nc
Williams >" and so on for a total
of 20.
Hardly had the one-room COM
mittee copied down those names
when along came another telegram
from Mr. Kelso:
This will authorize you to use
names of the following well-known
business and political leaders of
Poplar Bluff, Mo-: DR.. Walter L..
Brandon, Robert I. Cope, Sam M.
Phillips =" and so on. Twenty-one
in all.
And again the same day, from
Mr. Kelso:
This will authorize you to add
the following businessmen of jack
son, Mo: j. E. Schmucke, Kent
Wilson, R. G. Miller, Robert Medley,
Fred Hartle and Cooper Lape, Also
B. C. Hardesty of Cape Girardeau.' y
Still More Come.
But Mr.. Kelso wasn't through yet
Another telegram followed:
This will authorize names of fol-
lowing citizens of ST. Marys, Mo-:
John j. Tlapek, ]. F. Henderson,
Frank Pratte, Clyde B. Smith. Also
add name of Judge Harry j. Petre-
quin of Ste. Genevieve, Mo-; Harry
Phillips, banker, of Perryville, and
Walter Oberheide, banker of Cape
Girardeau."
The effect of these messages on
the little group in the hotel room
was electrifying Conjured up in
their minds was the picture of a
modern Paul Revere galloping from
county seat to county seat through
out the 10th Missouri district
spreading the alarm, and the local
citizenry springing to arms. The
man who had originally suggested
his name had disappeared and no.
body knew anything about Mr.. Kelso
beyond the obvious fact that he was
a man who got around
When they told me the story, I
called up Representative Orville
Zimmerman, who represents that
Missouri district.
II. r. Kelso?" said the Representa-
tive. why, that's Judge Kelso, one