Hot Rod's Revolt

Life was simple and uncomplicated in the dairyland village of Bonduel, Wis., and the oldtimers wanted to keep it that way. They saved their money, got along without movies, debated the state of the world at daily card games in the town's nine taverns. At every spring election since 1936 about 90 of the town's 700 citizens turned out to vote, and re-elected big, square-set John Froelich the village president.

That was all right with everybody but the young bucks of the town, and chief among them was the village president's son Lorenz ("Hot Rod") Froelich. At dinner almost every night, Hot Rod, a big, 24-year-old redhead, would complain to his father that Bonduel was sleeping in a rut while progress passed by. The village board, Hot Rod argued, should wake up, give the kids a roller-skating rink, and bring small industry into Bonduel. Old John Froelich didn't pay too much attention.

One night in a tavern, the young bucks got together: they would file their own slate for the village elections. Hot Rod would run against his father; another young fellow would oppose his father-in-law for a seat on the village board. They rounded up 48 votes, figured that they thus controlled better than half of the votes usually cast. The trick was to pretend that their campaign was all a gag, so that the oldsters wouldn't get stirred up.

But secrets are hard to keep in Bonduel. The oldsters soon realized what was up, and campaigning began in earnest. Hot Rod made a speech: "Some of these Bonduel people must have been born old. All they do is sit on their fannies. Elect us and we'll do something." "These young fellows haven't got enough experience," replied John Froelich. John's wife added her two-cents' worth at the dinner table: "Lorenz, you quit this silly business. You're getting too big for your breeches."

Last week Bonduel's retired farmers and small merchants turned out in record numbers to pass judgment on Hot Rod's reform campaign, then ambled back to their beer and games of schmere and sheepshead. The count: 118 for John Froelich, 48 for Hot Rod. Said 51-year-old John as he began another term: "I guess I showed that young whippersnapper." Hot Rod's grandfather added: "I didn't vote for Hot Rod [but] he'll be all right after a while. He's like his dad."

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