AGGRESSIVE DRIVE TO SAVE DEMOCRACY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 153, 29 June 1940, Page 9

AGGRESSIVE DRIVE TO SAVE DEMOCRACY.

IN AMERICA.

W. L. Willkie's Surprise Win In Nomination Ballot.

CHOICE OF REPUBLICANS. United Press —Copyright. fKcceived 1 p.m.) PHILADELPHIA, June 2!?. The Republican convention nominated Mr. W. L. Willkie for the United States Presidency. The successful candidate was nominated on the sixth ballot after overcoming jMr. Thomas E. Dewey's early lead .and after Mr. Dewey and Senator J Arthur H. Vandenberg had released delegates pledged to them. After the fifth ballot Mr. Dewey announced that he was releasing delegate? [pledged to him, leaving Mr. Willkie and (Senator E. A. Taft in a straight-out fight. McNary for Vice-President. The Republicans nominated Senator C. L. McNary, former Minister to Canada, for Vice-President in the first ballot. Mr. W. L. Willkie in a brief speech pledged himself to support a crusade for the defence of American principles. "Democracy is facing the most crucial test in its history," he said. "We Republicans and Americans must dedicate ourselves and the United States to its principles, for here is the last foothold of freedom in the whole world. As your nominee I expect to conduct an aggressive fighting campaign to bring unity in America to farmers, workers and all classes in order to bring about the preservation of freedom."

The convention was then adjourned sine die.

It is conceivable that the selection of Mr. Willkie will alter Democratic strategy, which apparently is based on the expectation of nominating Mr. Roosevelt. It might even influence Mr. Roosevelt's decision whether to run, since Mr. Willkie favours an almost identical foreign policy, although he has mildly criticised Mr. Roosevelt's "provocative" utterances, also "inadequate" defence preparations. Mr. Willkie's nomination was declared unanimous after an official roll call gave him 990 of 1000 votes.

Adept in controversy and to many minds the best American brain on politics and economics, Mr. Wendell . Lewis Willkie was born 48 years ago, the eon of a wealthy landowner and lawyer. His mother also was a lawyer —the first woman member of the Indiana Bar. The name was originally Willeke, all four of Mr. Willkie's grandparents having left Germany in 1848. He became a barrister in 1916, and went into practice in Elwood.- With a family hatred of anything Prussian, he joined the army when America entered the war, and went to France. Return* ing to the United States afterwards, he joined a law firm and subsequently became attorney for a number of large undertakings. In 1929 he became attorney 'for the large Commonwealth and Southern utility holding company, with operating units in eleven State's, from Michigan to Alabama. In 1933 he became president. He is also chairman of the Consumers Power Company, and Ohio Edison Company, director of the Central Illinois Light Company, and Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Corporation, and a member of the board of trustees of the Edison Electrical Institute. Brilliant and thoroughly fitted to the task of holding the Presidency, Mr. Willkie has two serious handicaps to his election. He is associated in the public mind with utilities and he is unknown politically west of the Mississippi.