Evening star., 1952-08-17
|Westerner New @. Q. P. SecretQry|

liShments-a large comfortable
house in MisSoula where she and
her husband and mother live. q
small house on the ranch and a
summer cabin near Flathead Lake,
IS miles from Missoula.
She and her husband, a retired
utility executive. try to spend as
many summer week ends as pos
sible at the cabin. Chief attrac-
ton for him is the fishing, an
enthusiasm his wife does not
share. She likes it because
there's no telephone"
Her husband doesn't share her
interest in politics. but is very
tolerant about it. she says. "Actu-
ally. I was up to my ears in poll
tics before he even met me. I cast
my first vote for Harding in 1920,
a year after moved to Montana
as a bride. I've been active in
Montana politics ever since"
She was precinct committee
woman, county vice chairman, dis
trict committeewoman, State COM
mitteewoman and State vice chair
man before she finally reached the
national committee in 1910.
Il think I inherit my interest in
politics." she said. MY 81 and
father, Walter I. Smith, was a
Congressman from Iowa while
William Howard Taft was Presi-
dent. And my father and uncle
both held local Offices in Iowa,
where I grew up"
Believes in Organization
Mrs. Knowles believes that
"strong organization" is essential
to win elections. Her national
committee secretarial chores will
not be arduous this fall. she be-
lieves. and she plans to work hard
In Montana for the ticket.
Montana is a very important
State this year because we have a
Republican Senator-Zales Ecton
up for reelection" she said.
She thinks the Eisenhower.
Nixon ticket will carry her State
this November. and somewhat
more cautiously predicts it will
carry the Nation.
I'VE have two fine candidates.
I think we have a good opportunity
to win If We get out and work. It's
not in the bag by any means. No
election is. as we learned in 1948.
"The Eisenhowers are the kind
OF warm. down-to-earth person.
alities we need in the White
House." she added. "They don't
act warm just for political show,
it's just that they really are that
way"
She will try to sell Eisenhower
to Montana's voters on the ground
that I'VE need a more business
like administration.
"I think that time e-for-a-change
stuff is corny. It's being over
played. We need a businesslike
administration. We need to come
back to fundamentals and the in
stitutions for which this country
was established.
Must Reduce Toxes
I'VE desperately need a reduc-
ton in taxes. I don't think we
are going to have a sweeping
change the first thing. But I do
think we will have more careful
expenditure Of funds under the
Republicans so that we will have
q reduction in taxes"
Her whole political life has been
based on the thought that women
should take a more active part in
politics because of the stake they
have in their country" she said.
"And that all goes back to my
favorite subject, organization.
When we have better organiza-
ton we'll have better candidates.
When we have better candidates
we'll have better government"
The G.. o. p. leader would like to
see more women run for public
Office, "but not for President or
Vice President yet," she said. She
thinks the "time may be right"
by 1856 to start pushing a woman
for Vice President on the Repub-
lican ticket.
"But If we do want us to
really get out and work for her,
and get her some votes" She
thinks the nomination Of two
women vice presidential candi-
dates by the Democrats was "a
silly, empty gesture" since every
body knew they didn't really mean
it. and the women didn't get any
votes"