Savage Scrap in Illinois

"S.O.B." "Sissy." "Hypocrite." "Puppet."

These are just a sampling of the epithets that are being hurled back and forth between Democrats in one of the roughest gubernatorial campaigns in the gamy history of Illinois politics. Incumbent Dan Walker, 53, is stopping at almost nothing to keep his job in next week's party primary. Illinois Secretary of State Michael Hewlett, 61, is matching him blow for low blow.

It is a classic confrontation. Walker, urbanely handsome and acerbically independent, is running for a second term against the venerable Democratic machine of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. Hewlett, folksy and wisecracking, is running with machine support. The outcome will go a long way toward determining the political leadership of Illinois when Daley, 73, finally bows out. Indeed, Daley hand-picked Howlett to fight Walker, whom the mayor never liked and now despises because of his attacks on the machine. Boasts Howlett: "Dick Daley has been a friend of mine for 30 years." Retorts Walker: "We're going to whip Boss Daley like he needs to be whipped."

Ethnic Vote. In style, the two candidates could hardly be more different. A portly, genial, old-fashioned pol from Chicago, Howlett last year backslapped his way through 260 functions around the state; he is running at an even brisker pace this year. Though Walker is moving even faster, he is deceptively low-keyed at factory gates and bowling alleys: "Need your vote. Don't forget." He is working hard to slice off some of Chicago's ethnic vote, which is usually safe for Daley's candidate. Walker charges that no member of the Polish community has been picked for any county office by the machine this year. To cheers, he announces: "I'm tired of Polish jokes."

Walker might be stronger if he had not made such extravagant claims for himself. Says Congressman Abner Mikva, who has not endorsed either candidate: "When you blow your horn as often and as loud as Walker has, people start expecting a knight in shining armor." Walker indicated he would cut the state budget; instead, it increased from $7.6 billion when he took office in 1973 to a projected $9.9 billion for fiscal 1977. He pledged an immaculately clean government, but a huge Medicaid scandal has shaken his administration (TIME, Feb. 23). He said he would end patronage abuses, yet he has put many of his supporters on the public payroll.

The Governor has offended almost every organization that could lend him support. The Illinois Education Association, angry at Walker for vetoing education bills, is backing Hewlett. The United Auto Workers are against the Governor because the state took an unconscionably long time to distribute unemployment checks. The Illinois State Employees Association supports Howlett, charging that Walker is "creating a shambles of orderly government."

Key Issue. Angriest of all are Walker's onetime ardent supporters, the liberal independents, who were largely responsible for elevating the little-known corporation lawyer to the governorship. They are enraged by what they consider his turn to the right. Rather than abolishing the death penalty as he pledged in 1972, he signed a bill establishing it for certain cases, for example the murder of a policeman. He excoriates "welfare cheaters." He boasts that he is the first Governor in 27 years to avoid raising taxes. As he sees it, this is the key issue of the campaign. Says Walker: "I believe in playing the odds with patience and waiting for that good hand -- and then milking it for all it's worth."

Hewlett seemed to January to have the the winning hand --until last January. Then Chicago newspapers reported that he had been collecting $15,000 a year as "vice president" of Sun Steel Co., a post that, in some written statements, he implied that he no longer held. When he was accused of lobbying for legislation helpful to the steel-scrap industry, he denied the charge, but he resigned his post. On top of that, he divulged that in 1974 he declared as personal income--and paid taxes on--$100,000 in political contributions. He maintained that the money was used to retire campaign debts, though he had diverted some or all the funds for his personal use. In Illinois, this was legal in 1974 but of questionable propriety.

Probably no one is enjoying the bloodletting more than former U.S. Attorney James Thompson, who is likely to win the Republican primary. Whichever Democrat prevails in a race that is considered too close to call will then have to face a tough fight against a popular crimebuster. By successfully prosecuting many politicians, "Big Jim" Thompson has damaged the Daley machine more than anyone else.

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