Monday, Nov. 11, 1940
Sidelights
As the U. S. staged its greatest election in 151 years, citizens sulked, rejoiced, talked, paid bets, made peace, died, and were born.
> As soon as the Democratic victory became apparent, James A. Farley pleaded for "no reprisals," declared over the radio: "No American should have fear for the future." > Urging "unity" mass meetings, William Allen White, sage of Kansas, suggested public bonfires of campaign literature.
K Advertised in the New York Herald Tribune day after election: "Biggest Sale in History of Campaign Office Furniture --54 Suites of furnished offices used by The Republican National Headquarters . . . Must Be Sold Quickly." >Counted by Minnesota officials was the vote of a dead man: Hobart Reynolds, Manyaska farm hand, who filled out an absentee voter's ballot, went to the hospital for an operation, died.
> On her way to the polls in a Democratic worker's car, Mrs. Edward Steele of Peoria, 111. changed her mind, told the driver to go to the hospital instead. There she gave birth to a boy, named him Franklin Delano Steele.
> Among inmates of Sing Sing who were given "special privilege" to listen to radioed election returns: Tammany Hall's James J. Hines; New York Stock Exchange's Richard Whitney.
> Harmony reigned in Harmony, Me. Harmoniums voted: for Roosevelt--170, for Willkie--170.
> Sign of national unity: "Bloody Breath-itt" County, Kentucky, where four men were killed and 17 wounded in a 1921 election, reported three shot and wounded.
> First-Voter: Albert Einstein of Princeton, former citizen of the Reich, citizen of the U. S. for five weeks.
> Non-Voter: Vice President John Garner, who sat tight-lipped in his big brick house in Uvalde, Tex., saw no neighbors, saw no newsmen.
> The line from New York's long-running Life with Father which brought down the house on election night: "Why did God make so many damn fools and Democrats?" ^ Edward Devlin, 19-year-old University of Alabama freshman, made a 66-hour marathon speech for President Roosevelt in Tuscaloosa.
> The New York Post urged an end to bitter feelings and words, then proceeded thus to remind John L. Lewis of his promise to resign as head of C. I. O. upon President Roosevelt's reelection: "Here's your hat, pal--and your reversible coat." Washington observers predicted 1) that with Lewis' resignation, C. I. O.-A. F. L. peace would come soon; 2) that as leader of United Mine Workers, Lewis would continue as a potent C. I. O. figure despite his resignation; 3) that able, undramatic Phil Murray would head C. I. O.
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