Wallace Celebrates

Democrats of Cedar Falls, Iowa were sorely perplexed. Through a mixup, their printed instructions on how to use the newly-installed voting machines read simply: "Pull the Republican lever." Republicans in one Waterloo, Iowa precinct were equally baffled. Election judges the night before had inadvertently left a sign hanging on the Republican county ticket lever: "Do not touch."

In Washington Iowa's native son, Henry Agard Wallace, enjoyed more than usual philosophic serenity. He had voted by absentee ballot about ten days before. Reporters had trouble finding him on election evening. He was having dinner with his campaign tour manager and former assistant in the Department of Agriculture, tall, thin, monosyllabic James Le Cron (whose wife is a sister of John and Gardner Cowles, Midwest publishers, ardent Willkie backers both). Unruffled as ever, the man who was certain to have a big--perhaps unprecedentedly big--assignment in the new administration sat before the radio, listened, finally unbent, told reporters he was gratified. When the returns indicated a big electoral majority Henry Wallace, no celebrater, went home to bed.

One sign of what President Roosevelt calls "Henry's lack of political oomph": Iowa, home of Wallace and his forebears for three generations, was one of the few States that went for Willkie & McNary.

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