Laying the Keel

The shipwrights of politics thumbed their blueprints and prepared to lay the keels of their Campaigns.

Republicans. The White House group were pleased to note how few of the Republican insurgents had followed Mr. LaFollette into the insurg- ent camp. The only two of prominence who openly went over were Senators Frazier and Ladd of North Dakota. On the other hand, Senator

Howell of Nebraska who, it was thought, might turn to the Progres- sives, came out for Coolidge. Others, such as .Senators Norris and Brookhart, remained on the fence. This will probably be the course of other insurgents. Meanwhile, in Chicago, Everett Sanders industriously labored to perfect a speaking program for the Republican candidates, while from politicians all over the country came word: "Send us Coolidge," "Send us Dawes," "Send us Coolidge and Dawes." Mr. Dawes decided to open his campaign with a speech at Lincoln, Neb., home of Governor Bryan, on Aug. 29. Maine will hold an election on Sept. 8 and Mr. Dawes may speak there prior to Aug. 29, but this is not to count as a speech in the National Campaign. Democrats. The procedure of John W. Davis and of his Campaign Manager, Clem L. Shaver, was dictated by the fact that each was just accustoming himself to his new part. Shaver, new to the arena of National politics, conferred and conferred again with members of the Democratic National Committee, with a view to setting up and setting in motion an active organization. Mr. Davis played golf with Frank L. Polk, chatted with visiting politicians, saw reporters daily, completed his acceptance speech, which is to be short--about 4,000 words (three pages of TIME) in length. Of it, he pertinently said: "If I were to put into the speech all the suggestions that have reached me it would be an unique address." Progressives. The LaFollette-Wheeler movement organized itself into a Campaign committee, Chairman of which is Representative John M. Nelson, nominal Republican of Wisconsin, and Vice Chairman of which is Robert M. LaFollette Jr. Other members of the Committee are: Senator Lynn J. Frazier of North Dakota, "NonPartisan" Republican; Morris Hillquit, Manhattan Socialist; William H. Johnston of Washington, President of the International Association of Machinists and Chairman of the Conference which endorsed Mr. LaFollette; Basil M. Manly of Washington, Director of the "People's Legislative Service"; D. B. Robertson of Cleveland, President of the Brotherhood of Locomo- tive Firemen and Enginemen; Mrs. Elizabeth Glendower Evans of Boston, suffragist; Mrs. Edward P. Costigan of Colorado; then a bird of somewhat different plumage -- Rudolph Spreckels of San Francisco. The fact which makes Mr. Spreckels' plumage outstanding is that he is a millionaire. He is the eleventh son of the late Claus Spreckels, Sugar King. He is President of the First National Bank of San Francisco, the First Federal Trust Co., the Real Property Investment Corp. and Vice President of the Universal Electric & Gas Co. Furthermore, he de- scribes his chief occupation, in Who's Who, as "reformer." Both as a reformer and as a millionaire he should prove useful to Mr. LaFollette. Immediately after the selection, this Committee met. It decided that the LaFollette-Wheeler ticket would be known as "Progressive." It rejected the Bull Moose as a Party symbol. It decided to avoid entirely the use of animals. Instead, it chose the Liberty Bell as a Party symbol. It then set about organization. The men whom it chose were the best professionals in the field. A drive was set up for a campaign fund of some $3,000,000--. Henry L. Rosenfelt, formerly a director of the Jewish War Relief, was made Financial Director, with headquarters at Washington. Alexander Kahn, formerly Chairman of the People's Relief Committee which raised $8,000,000 for War sufferers, was given charge in Manhattan and announced almost immediately that he had $500,000 pledged at $1 at head from the United Hebrew trades. Donald Richberg, go-getting Chicago lawyer, was given the business of putting LaFollette's name on the ballots in every State. Herman L. Ekern, Attorney General of Wisconsin, who was made General Director of LaFollette finances, said this was to be a "cash-and-carry . . . pay-as-you-go campaign." It was intimated that some $100,000 was already on hand. If so, this is almost twice as much as the Repub- licans had on hand a month ago. Governor J. A. O. Preus, Republican, of Minnesota, who has struggled with the Farmer-Labor Party at home, gave his opinion of the coming Campaign: "La Follette is going to surprise the natives this Fall by the large popular vote he will win all over the Country, and by the very small electoral vote that will result."

--This is a very fair-sized campaign fund. The Democratic Party in 1920 had a fund of only about $1,339,237.