Evening star., 1954-10-21
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Meek Still Confident
He'll Defeat Douglas
Coils Opponent Senior
Illinois Socialist Senator
BY Gould Lincoln

BY Gould Lincoln
CHICAGO, H.. Oct. 21.--Joe Meek,
short and stocky, dark hair receding,
is something different in senatorial
candidates. There have been singing
cowboys from Idaho. "Kingfish'' from
Louisiana, demagogues from the North
west--not confined, however, to that
section.
But nothing quite like the genial Joe.
who is running as the Republican hope
full in Illinois against that imposing
figure, Democratic Senator Paul DOUG
las. Joe, the typical small town trades
man, went out to get senatorial
nomination with the aid of some Sc, 900
storekeepers-members of the Illinois
Retail Dealers Association of which he
has been president and for which he
has been chief lobbyist for years. And
with their aid he got it, running some
zoe, 900 votes ahead of his nearest COM
petitor in nine-man primary race for
the nomination.
Not Awed in Least.
All over Illinois Joe Meek has been
telling the folks quite simply that he
got to thinking about q senatorial
nomination and decided to 60 after It.
He was no more awed by the thought Of
being United States Senator than he
was night or two ago. when he found
himself following on the speakers stand ,
that present-day master of political
oratory - Senator Everett Mckinley
Dirkseh, also of Illinois. Senator Dirk
sen had just taken Adlai Stevcnson-I
"Adlai, old boy"-for "a target of his
extreme sarcasm, and when Senator
Dirksen Is sarcastic, he has his audi
ences ready to laugh or rage. Anybody
who has to follow Senator Dirksen on
the platform is in tough spot" Joe
Meek admitted ruefully. But" he con-
tinued, I'm going to have my inning,
even if lose the baseball"
Mr.. Meek, without polished phrases,
but in plain, slam-bang language pro-
ceeded to tell this audience composed
OF thousands of Cook County party
workers as well as all the Republican
candidates for Office in the coming
election, and Gov. Stratton, what he
thought of Paul Douglas and why
he, himself. was running for Senator.
There are two reasons I'm running"
Joe said. First, want to help give
President Eisenhower a real Republic
can majority in the Senate Second,
I want to give my Joe, my Judy and
my Julia chance for the AmericanS
way of life that the senior socialist
Senator from Illinois Douglas, and
the Humphreys and the Morses and
the Lehmans would take away from
them"
Refers to Family.
He refers frequently to his children,
Joe. Judy and Julia, and to his wife,
Margaret. He told his audience that,
when he said to Mrs. Meek he wanted
to run against Senator Douglas, sheI
said; "Go ahead. He's no Democrat
anyway" Then he adds with fervor:
I'm going to fight for the little guy,
up and down your streets. And with
you, I'm going to win
'Ninety-four hundred miles I have1
Travelled up and down and over the
State" Joe said. "I've made q lot
of fine friends and I've eaten hundreds
of fried chickens. I've met some who
say to themselves about me: Who
do you think you are, trying to run,
for the Senator And some of them
say it to me. But I'm for President
Eisenhower and his program. And the
Democrats say: We can't sell this
feller, Douglas, as he is; we'll sayd
that we like Ike and Paul likes Ike
better than Joe.'"
Mr.. Meek insists the Democrats havel
no issue of their own in this cam
paign that they are merely engaged
in desperate conspiracy" to cripple
Republican exposures Of graft. 'TheX
are trying to cover up such putrid bel
trayals of public trust as were foun
in the FHA scandals" he continue
"They fear more than anything els
that still more corruption will com
to light"
Fears for Country.
It is Mr.. Meeks contention that
the Democrats win in November an
take over control of Congress they wi
go up and down the land proclaimin
that Gen. Eisenhower has been repudi
ated and should resign and make wa
for new order. All the nations watch
ing this election will think the sam
thing and the United States will
back in the same socialist mess fror
which Eisenhower and the Republica
Party rescued the country just tw
short years ago."
Mr.. Meek is conservative of con
servatives, although he accepts th
Eisenhower program. He charges tha
Senator Douglas and his supporters al
spending 81 million to win this eled
tion-and he wants to know who
putting up the money-although he
sure it comes from the left-wingers.
Joe has tough job on his HAND
beating Senator Douglas - so mar
people just don't see him in the ro
of Senator. But Senator Dirksen, chaii
man of the, Republican Senatorial
Committee, says, "The practical thing(
to do is elect Joe Meek"