The Primaries

By this week 26 States had held their primaries. Voting was light. People were too hot, too busy or too indifferent to make anything but elections-as-usual of the democratic right to name political leaders.

Editor in Ohio. Fourteen pre-war isolationist Congressmen won renominations. For the defeat of No. 15, the loudest of them all, Cleveland newspapers could claim a big red apple.

Outstanding among Cleveland's many human assets is Louis B. Seltzer, able, active editor of the Cleveland Press. He decided it was high time Ohio's 20th District elected a war-minded, world-minded Democratic Congressman to replace British-hating, New Deal-hating Martin L. Sweeney. Editor Seltzer printed sober, painstaking front-page stories that vivisected Martin Sweeney's ten-year obstructionist record and just as calmly boosted young (37), modest, energetic Michael A. Feighan, who had a good record in Ohio's legislature.

Mike Feighan (fee-an) ran on a single plank: Cleveland's votes would show whether it was for or against the Administration's war program. The Plain Dealer and the News joined Editor Seltzer's crusade, although newspapers usually consider it a competitive disadvantage to join a rival's campaign.

Last week Editor Seltzer rejoiced: Feighan got a sizable majority over noisy Sweeney, who cried: "It is a difficult assignment to try to beat a combination of newspapers, Communists and misguided persons."

Ham in New York. Editorialists thought the issues on the banks of the Hudson were Hamilton Fish's isolationism and his pre-war pro-Axis leanings. But actually, in the beautiful home country of Fish, Roosevelt and other gentry, the issues were: 1) Franklin Roosevelt; 2) outside interference.

In Orange, Dutchess and Putnam counties the old families, the wealthy estate holders and the conservative farmers renominated their own Ham Fish two to one over three candidates. Vowed Wendell Willkie: "For the sake of the country and of the Republican Party the fight for his [Fish's] elimination must continue." Lines were now drawn for the real fight; private polls showed that Fish was definitely in danger of his first defeat.

In New York City, other pre-Pearl Harbor non-interventionists won renominations by decisive majorities. Among them were Representative William B. Barry, Democrat from the Second District, and Communist party-line follower Representative Vito Marcantonio, who was named by his own American Labor Party and the Democrats and Republicans, besides.

Gentleman in Arkansas. James William Fulbright is young (37), handsome, wealthy and a Rhodes scholar (1925). He talked and whittled his way into the hearts of farmers and storekeepers in Arkansas' mountainous Third District and won the Democratic Congressional nomination against Supreme Court Justice Karl Greenhaw, a protege of Governor Homer Adkins. Going to the crossroads and hill farms, Gentleman Fulbright convinced the people that a little learning, a little farming, a little wealth and a little business would not hurt a Congressman who retained his horse sense. His Philadelphia-born wife went to picnics and ice cream socials to show the people that she, too, knew how to make soap, cure meat, rear children. The Governor's University of Arkansas trustees had ousted Scholar Fulbright from the institution's presidency in 1941 for unannounced political reasons.

Voice in Nebraska. Who shall replace George W. Norris, the Senate's great, old (81) liberal, if he does not choose to run? Democrats picked Foster May, whose high, chirpy radio voice has been known through Nebraska for years. Campaigning on a 100% New Deal platform, Voice May promised he would take his mike to Washington with him and send back biweekly transcriptions.

Republicans named Kenneth S. Wherry, 50, State senator in 1928-32, an auto dealer in Pawnee City, who believes the Republican party "will not adjourn politics now or ever." Genial, able Businessman Ken Wherry has for several years been a background force in Nebraska politics.

But independent George Norris, asked if he were definitely out of politics, replied: "No, I wouldn't say that. We don't know what's going to happen."

Crooner in Idaho. To run for the Senate against incumbent Republican John Thomas, onetime isolationist, Democrats picked Glenn Taylor, a cowboy crooner (TIME, Aug. 10).

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