The La Crosse Tribune from La Crosse, Wisconsin • Page 1

FINAL EDITION vxburn WEATHER Winds, clouds decreasing. Fair, much colder tonight. Thursday fair, rather cold. Low tonight, 28; high Thursday, 47. VOLUME 54.

NUMBER 171 THIRTY-TWO PAGES LACROSSE, WISCONSIN, WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 5, 1958 TWO SECTIONS PRICE SEVEN CENTS Demos Sweep Control Of Congress Proxmire, Nelson Pace Demo Victory By ARTHUR BYSTROM MILWAUKEE (AP) Wiscon- fin, long dominated by Republicans, returned to the ranks of two-party states Tuesday as voters wrote a remarkable repeat of 1932's Democratic landslide. Sen. William Proxmire, who rattle first Democratic senator since 1932 when he won a special election last year to succeed the late Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wis), led the way with si smashing victory over Republican Roland J. Steinle.

In the process Proxmire became the first member of his party ever re-elected to the Senate from this state. Riding the crest with Proxmire was State Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Madison, who became the first Democrat to be elected governor since 1932 when he defeated Republican incumbent Vernon W. Thomson who had been his second term. Also swept into office by the Democratic tide were three other state constitutional office seekers, five of the state's IO congressmen, and enough Assemblymen to assure eontrol of the lower house.

JAMES D. PETERSON LELAND MILDER The only Republican state office holder to stand against the surge was Secretary of State Robert C. Zimmerman who won re-election by beating Jerome J. Reinke of Kewaunee, the Democratic nominee. The lineup after the election seeking was identical to the 1932 Roosevelt landslide when Democrats captured five of the IO House seats, won a U.S.

Senate post and lost only in the race for secretary of state. it it i The turnout was a new record for a non-presidential year. With 50 precincts unreported, the unofficial total cast in the Senate race was 1,160,247. The previous record was 1,158,627 cast in 1954. victory was expected by most observers but even his staunchest supporters did sot expect him to pile up such a wide margin.

His margin is expected to be nearly 170,000. Nelson and Thomson were expected to run a close race. Until about three weeks ago Thomson was thought to have the edge but campaign seemed to catch fire recently. His margin is expected to be in excess of 84,000 when all the votes are reported. Nelson, 42, is an attorney and has been in the Senate for IO years.

He conducted a campaign much like that made by Proxmire, working up and down the state constantly on hand-shaking DEMO IN 2ND DISTRICT Mulder And Peterson Win Seats In Assembly DEMOCRATIC VICTORS CELEBRATE Mrs. Ellen Proxmire, Gov Gaylord Nelson, Mrs. Nelson, Sen. William Proxmire Withrow Defeats Clapp In All-Night Vote Duel By JEROME R. ROSSO Staff Writer) Republican Congressman Gardner R.

Withrow put on a finishing kick in late election returns Wednesday morning to outdistance his Democratic opponent, Norman Clapp, by only 2,500 votes in a sizzling all-night race. It finally became apparent at and speaking trips at which he iabout 2:30 a m. that Withrow had stressed what he contended was outlasted Clapp when he pulled La Crosse County will have split representation in the State Assembly when the next session of the Wisconsin Legislature convenes. Voters in the 1st Assembly District re-elected Republican James D. Peterson over his opponent, Otto Briggs, and Leland Mulder, toe Democratic candidate, edged Republican Norbert Nuttelman in the 2nd Assembly District.

Both races were extremely close and were decided by late returns from the polling places. it it it victory gives the 2nd District its first representation by a Democrat in several years. For Peterson, the victory sends him back for his fourth term in the Assembly. He has served continuously since 1954 and prior to that, he served one term in the 1920s. It was his second straight victory ever Briggs for the office.

Peterson defeated Briggs, 5,570 Steinle Accuses Proxmire Of Malice, Bigotry MILWAUKEE (AP) Republican Roland J. Steinle, who was snowed under by Democratic incumbent Sen. William Proxmire in the U. S. Senate race, declared today that campaign the all time low level in malice, falsity and religious bigotry in the history of Wisconsin In a statement released by his campaign headquarters, Steinle caid, Proxmire fought fair, I would have been the first to congratulate it it it The statement went on to say: campaign, aided and abetted principally by the Milwaukee Journal, the (Madison) Capital Times, A.

D. A. (Americans for Democratic Action) and the labor bosses presented the all time low level in politics. lias more money been apent on behalf of a candidate to beat another than in this Senate race. fight has just begun.

Republicans in Wisconsin will carry on the to sovietize the United for the freedom for our children. Reuthcr and Khrushchev won a great victory at the polls in this country it it it He referred to Walter Reuther, vice president of the AFL CIO and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrus chev. Proxmire walloped Steinle 664,041 to 496,206 with 3,352 of the State's 3,403 precincts reported. Proxmire won a special election last year to fill the unexpired term of the late GOP Sen. Joseph R.

McCarthy. Steinle is a former- Sec STEINLE, Page 16 to 4,964, despite the fact that he carried only eight of the precincts to IO for Briggs. Peterson, however, piled up sizable margins in the 2nd, lith, 16th and 14th (1st District) Wards for his victory. The story was much the same rn the 2nd District, where the loser, Nuttelman, carried 15 precincts to 13. Here again, big leads in the Town of Campbell and the La Crosse 6th, 8th and 18th (2nd District) Wards more than offset margin.

victory was by 6,248 to 5,734. Mulder moves into the Assembly seat which was left vacant when former Assemblyman Eugene Toepel was appointed La Crosse County Court judge. it it it Mulder, Holmen area farmer, held a lead of only 26 votes with five precincts still to report. He picked up an advantage of 61 in the 2nd Ward of Onalaska and increased his lead by 26 more from the Town of Medary. Nuttelman won by 23 in the Town of Shelby, cutting edge to 90, but the Onalaska 3rd Ward gave Mulder a margin of 69 and with only the Democratic-voting Town of Campbell to come in, Nuttelman conceded.

Mulder, loser in 1956 to Toepel in a three-way race, was course by his close victory. most significant factor in this Mulder said in a statement from his home Republican mismanagement of state affairs. it it it The vote for the Senate in 3,352 of 3,402 precincts wast Proxmira 664,041. Steinle 496.206. The vote for governor in 3,353 precincts was: Nelson 627,767.

Thomson 544,221. Zimmerman 48, is the son of the late Fred R. Zimmerman who served as secretary of state for many years. In winning reelection he had a margin of 700 votes ahead with only IO precincts left to be accounted for. Until the long-awaited returns from tile strongly pro-Withrow southern group of counties in the 3rd District came in, Clapp had trailed by only 200 or 300 votes in late returns after leading ing much of the middle part of the evening.

it it it To win, Withrow had to overcome the nearly majority by which La Crosse County endorsed Clapp in his second attempt to unseat the La Crosse Re- about 35,000 over Reinke. In publican, who thus won his 10th 303 precincts Zimmerman got 574,910 votes and Reinke 540,224. Mrs. Dena Smith, appointed state treasurer by Gov. Thomson early this year after her husband, Warren, died, sought to become tile first woman ever elected to a constitutional office in Wisconsin.

She was beaten by Eugene M. Lamb, 48, former Milwaukee assemblyman. The vote in 3,303 precincts was Lamb 562,816, Mrs. See PROXMIRE, Page IO term in Congress and his 6th in succession. Two years a much higher total vote because of the presidential race swamped Clapp, gathering 74,000 votes to the Lancaster newspaper 46,911.

In that election, La Crosse County gave Withrow more than a margin, as he outpolled Clapp here 16,488 to 13,020. Tuesday, Clapp got 12,306 votes Victory Puts Rockefeller In Presidential Picture By JAMES DEVLIN NEW YORK (AP) Republican Nelson A. election as governor by more than half a million votes skyrocketed him today as a possibility for the 1960 GOP presidential nomination. The overwhelming triumph over wealthy Democratic Gov. Averell Harriman stood out particularly late I cause of its contrast with Repub- Tuesday, that we, as Demo- bean defeats in other states, crats, have returned two-party It also appeared to knock out government to the whatever chance Harriman may was not just a personal have had for the Democratic presidential nomination two years hence.

Harriman had sought the See ASSEMBLY, Page IO WLNS NEW YORK FOR GOF Nelson Roektfellea, Above, Defeats AveseU Harriman nod in 1952 and 1956. The campaign spearheaded by Rockefeller also led to election of Republican Rep. Kenneth B. Keating of Rochester as U.S. senator.

it it it Keating, regarded as an underdog throughout the campaign, defeated Manhattan Dist. Atty. Frank S. Hogan for the office Republican Sen. Irving M.

Ives is vacating for reasons of health. Returns from 11,464 of 11,525 election districts gave; Rockefeller Harriman 2,542,435. Returns from 11,364 districts gave: Keating Hogan 2,670,365. Rockefeller has insisted and repeated he is not interested in 1960 possibilities and that he has other than to serve his four-year term as governor. it it it But his supporters have been talking him up as a possibility since it first became apparent that he might win the state election.

Vice President Richard M. Nixon, a chief contender for the GOP presidential nomination, telephoned Rockefeller to congratulate him on his victory. Rockefeller quoted Nixon as saying he was delighted and that it was brightest spot on the national scene for the Republican Nixon also put in a congratulatory phone call to Keating. The governor-elect said he intended to leave in a few days for a vacation on his farm in Venezuela get some rest and be in shape, ready to go after the Rockefeller, 50, genial, liberal- minded member of the famed oil fortune family, scored heavily in traditionally Republican upstate New York and cut sharply into the normal Democratic majority in New York in La Crosse County to 10,323. Clapp carried eight of the 12 towns, all three wards in the City of Onalaska and 18 of 27 precincts in the City of La Crosse.

(Six of the 21 wards are split into two precincts each), it it it The winner carried all four of the villages, in addition to nine of the City of La Crosse precincts. In addition to his 2,000 majority in La Crosse County, Clapp out- polled tile incumbent by approxi- See WITHROW, Page IO GARDNER R. WITHROW GOP KE EPSSE NATE EDGE Democrats Control Wisconsin Assembly MILWAUKEE (AP) turns, not one Democratic inrum- crats, for the second time in this bent assemblyman was ousted, century, have taken over control Democratic Senate of the Wisconsin Assembly, buLCasimir Kendzorski, Milwaukee; Republicans maintained their hold James Brennan, Milwaukee; Leon the State Senate. Returns from election gave the Democrats 55 seats, land McParland, Cudahy; Henry Maier, Milwaukee; Richard Zaborski, Milwaukee; Carl Lauri, which is enough for control and I Superior, Robert Dean, Roths- the right to organize the 100- member house. The Republicans won 45 Assembly places.

In the Senate there were 18 child, and Lynn Stalbaum, Racine. it it it Republican Senate Leo Green Bay; Kirby seats at stake and there were 15 Bendee, Milwaukee; Allen Busby, holdovers. Senators are elected Mllwaukee; Robert Knowns, New to four-year terms. The Republi-1 Richmond: Clifford W. Krueger, cans had ll holdover senators, Merrill; Gerald D.

Lorge, Bear and the Democrats four. The Re-j creek; Walter Hollander, Rosen- publicans elected nine senators, i william Trinke, Lake Gen- giving them a total of at least eva; william Clark, Vesper; Reu- 20 and control of that house again. ben La Fave Oconto, and Ray- The Democrats elected eight sen- Blce La Crosse, ators giving them 12. Republican Senate it However, as Sen. Gaylord Nelson was elected governor and as Election Results At A Glance AwmcUUd U.S.

Froxmire Nelson (D) Lieutenant Governor Philleo Nash (D) Secretary of Zimmerman (R) Attorney General John Reynolds Lamb (D) Congress Flynn (D) Kastenmeier ID) Withrow (R) Zablooki (D) Rems (D) Van Pelt (R) Laird (R) Byrnes ester Johnson (D) (R) legislature Assembly (IOO seats) Democrats 55, Republicans 45. Senate (33 seats) Democrats 12, Republicans 20 (I vacancy). Republicans Returned To County Posts Republicans again carried all La Crosse County offices in general by much smaller margins than in previous years. Voting at the county level tended to follow the statewide and nationwide Democratic trend. Although the unopposed incumbent Republican candidates piled up the most votes of all candidates from both parties, their totals were somewhat reduced in comparison with other years.

it it it This condition leads to the belief that a number of county voters this election voted straight Democratic tickets without taking their past pains to also endorse the unopposed Republican officeholders. Of the opposed cand id a (es, Deputy County Treasurer Julian Johnson got 12,264 votes to Democrat Loren 9,981 for the post of treasurer being vacated by incumbent Marvin Johnson. Dist. Atty. George Thompson gained his third term by defeating his Democratic opponent, La Crosse attorney Alex Cameron, by 12,307 votes to 10,124.

In the third local race, Register of Deeds Everette B. Runge won his second term by picking up 12,079 votes to Richard T. 10,240. it it it Among the unopposed Republican incumbents, popular County Rockefeller Win Brightest In GOP Spot Defeat By WILLIAM T. PEACOCK and JACK BELL WASHINGTON surged in to their greatest control of Congress since New Deal days.

In the battles for state governorships, they smashed the Republican hold on California and made over-all gains. But Gov. Averell Harriman, one of the national leaden, was chopped down in New York by Nelson Rockefeller, a rocketing new star for toe COP. This outcome of the of idaho but was approved in the was toe happiest Kansas. spot in the picture for the Republicans.

However, they also ousted toe Democrats from governor ships in Arixona, Oregon and Rhode Island while losing in California, Maryland, Nevada, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. it it it Rockefeller's victory plumped the scion of old John D. into the COP presidential picture for I960. It beclouded, to some extent at least, the future of the No. I prospect for the GOF presidential President Richard M.

Nixon. And, of course, it virtually wiped out Harriman's chances for the Democratic nomination. In California, too, the epochal mid-year elections were fraught with possible portents for 1960, Sen. William F. Knowland, con- sidered a potential contender for the COP, went into sudden I eclipse.

He lost a contest for governor to Edmund G. Pat i Brown. Brown's emphatic victory was sure to get him talked about for the big Democratic prize two years hence. it it it The election gave President El-1 aenhower a record he was far from desiring. the first president in history to be confronted by three Congresses controlled by the opposite party.

Counting of the tide of perhaps reaching to 48 million or more was still continuing this morning. A few races were still inconclusive. But the indicated division in the new Congress, based on returns it it Over-all, the election outcome seems to augur a bigger voice for union leaders in Democratic affairs and more powerful influence in the selection of the 1960 presidential candidate. In 33 governor contests, Democrats swept up 22 and were leading in 3 others. Republicans won seven and led in one.

Ten statehouses changed hands, with tot Democrats winning the keys to six and the Republicans four. But toe election winds that uprooted Republicans in all sections of the country blew a crazy-quilt pattern that left room for spectacular GOP victories in such See DEMOCRATS WIN, Page 16 GOP, Demos Split State Congress Races MILWAUKEE (AP) Wisconsin voters divided the congressional delegation equally between major parties Tuesday giving Democrats five seats for first time since of 1932. In the process one Republican incumbent was turned out of office and a district that had been Republican for many years went to the Democrats. Winner in the 1st District was as of 8 a. shaped up in this I former State Sen.

Gerald Flynn Frank Panzer, Brownsville; Peter Carr; Robert Travis, Platteville; William Draheim, Neenah; James he was a holdover senator, there Leverich, Sparta; Chester Demp- is one vacancy. A major Republican casualty in the Assembly race was former speaker Mark Catlin Jr. of Appleton who was defeated by Republican Martin Priebe, on the ballot as an independent. Catlin defeated Priebe in the September primary. During the 1957 session of the sey, Hartland, and Harold Huibregtse, Sheboygan Falls.

Democratic Assembly Robert Barabe, Mellen; George Mireau, Rice Lake; Edwin Rohl, Prescott; Clifford Dorr, Chippewa Falls; Frank Nikolay, Abbotsford; Frank Cosgrove, Richland Center; Glenn Henry, Madison; Fred Risser, Madison; Richard Cates, Ma- Legislature, the Republicans hadjdison; Carl W. Thomson, Stough- a 67 to 33 edge. See STATE, Page IO The only other time the Demo-) crats controlled the Assembly was in 1932 when they held 59 seats. Democrats never have gamed control of the Senate. it it it Among Republican incumbent assemblymen defeated were Vie Wallin, Grandview; Marne Ward, Mondovi; Wilder Crane, Chippewa Falls; Corwin Guell, Thorp; Carroll Metzner, Madison; Lawrence M.

Hagen, Superior; William Owen, Menomonie; Dennis Daniel-, son, Eau Claire; Walter Schm.dt,1 and broken the power of fashion; Senate: Democrats 61 or 62; Re publicans 35 or 34. The undecided Senate race was a battle in Wyoming where Republican Sen, Frank Barrett was opposed by Democrat Gale W. McGee. These figures leave out of account the two senators Alaska will elect Nov. 25.

House; Democrats 284; Republicans 131. One additional House member will be named by Alaska. it it it The indicated Senate lineup is the most predominantly Democratic since the party elected 65 senators in 1940. That was the year Franklin D. Roosevelt won Clerk Esther Domke led her par- tmn.

as she has so often in The Democrats have not had so Hie won her 16th term mgny House embers since 1936 by collecting 14,720 votes, more, wbe0 they elected 333. than any other candidate on the ballot. She was followed by Sheriff E. will give way in January to the newly elected one, the party divi- W. Voss, with 14,385 toslon jg Senate: Democrats 49, give him ise COUNTY, Page IO of Racine, who defeated Mrs.

Eleanor Smith, widow of the late GOP veteran Rep. Lawrence Smith. Returns from all but one of the 250 precincts gave Flynn 62,654 to 60,491 for Mrs. Smith. it it it Beaten in his bid for a second term was Republican Rep.

Donald Tewes of Waukesha. He lost to Democrat Robert Kastenmeier of Watertown, 78,102 to 71,764, with 329 of 330 precinct! reporting in the 2nd District. Five other incumbent Republicans held their seats, although two were involved in tight battles for a time. The three incumbent Democrats were easy victors. Rep.

Gardner Withrow, La Crosse Republican, had a stiff fight to defeat Norman Clapp, In the present Congress, which Lancaster Democrat and former Complete Totals For tables showing how La Crosse County precincts voted on state and county candidates turn to Pages 20 and 21. Republicans 47; House: Democrats 235, Republicans 200. In Ohio and California voters balloted on referenda on the question of enacting state right to- work laws. Unions were fighting secretary to the late Sen. Robert M.

LaFollette Jr. (R-Wis). In 401 precincts of the Erd District, Withrow polled 47,486 to 44,967 for Clapp. Withrow served in the House from 1931 to 1938, then returned in 1948 and has served without interruption since. it it it Rep.

William K. Van Pelt of Smashing Democratic Victory Ends Era In Wisconsin Political Life By JOHN WYNGAARD a Crowe Tribune Bt err Writer) MADISON, era in Wisconsin political life has ended. Rarely in the history of Wisconsin has a political party scored a Sheboygan; Bernard Lewison, Viroqua; Alvin Redford, Waukesha, and Arthur Crowns, Wisconsin Ra -1 pids. According to the incomplete re- Where To Find It Page Births ....................................29 Classified Adv 29, 30, 31 Comics ...................................28 Community News ................18 Daily Records .......................17 Death Notices .......................29 Editorials 8 Local News ............................17 Markets TV and Radio Log 28 Sports and 27 Tri-State Deaths ..................29 Weather Map its opposition, in the way the Democrats achieved yesterday. It was a part of a national and apparently irresistible trend.

Republicans of this state who had things mostly their own way for nearly a generation might find some they are disposed to do so the realization that they a better show in the face of the tide than did their party in most of the country, a it They faced the balloting nervously. The depth of their trouble, I however, was not recognized. Nor I did the Democrats, including Gov. Elect Gaylord Nelson, know how commanding and cheerful was their position. Or they might have been cau- tious out of a respect -for this I uninterrupted record of Re; publican ballot box majorities i over nearly two decades.

News ll, 12, 13 Crossword ................23 I Could local Republicans have resisted the drift toward the Democratic ballot? Saddened GOP partisans were asking themselves the question today. One of the shrewdest and most experienced state house Republican politicians had an answer. is nothing more we could have he said. He pointed to the fact that Gov. Thomson, as lead of the ticket, had campaigned more furiously than any other Republican gubernatorial nominee within memory.

He had stumped almost without respite ainee his inauguration two years ago, after fashion of victorious Sen. Proxmire of the Democrats. Had he not done so, the Democratic margin might have approached a landslide. The size of the Democratic victory will have a profound effect upon the future of state politics. It will cut short the career of Gov.

Thomson, the most experienced campaigner of his party. Obviously it makes of Nelson, a fairly obscure state legislator for IO years, a commanding figure in his party. these proposals which would bar; any requirement for union mem- Fond du Lac, first elected in 1950, hership in order to hold a job. turned back Democrat James Such a proposition also was vet-1 Megellas in another nip and tuck ed down in Washington, Colorado affair. With 225 of 228 precincts reporting, Van Pelt pulled away to a winning margin 60,408 to 54,556 in the 6 th District.

Rep. Melvin Laird, Marshfield Republican, had little trouble winning a fourth term from Kenneth Trager. With 339 of 395 precincts reporting, Laird led, 47,166 Almost surely It will give Nel- to 29,599 in the 7th District, son an opportunity to overtake jn the 8th District, Rep. John Proxmire, as the top man of his Byrnes of Green Bay won an party and the chief policy-maker .1 righto term by beating Democrat Parties are built on a state basis. Milo Singler.

In 287 of 304 pre- A governor is the key man in the tincts, Byrnes had 63,088 to 47, political life of his state and in 496 for Singler. his party. Nelson's capture of the governorship, however, does not point to abrupt changes in state government policy, for the Republi- And 10th District Republican Rep. Alvin of Mercer whipped Democrat Basil Kennedy in winning his ninth term. ski polled 49,659 to 25,426 for Ken- cans will retain a veto power nedy with 393 of 414 precincts re- through their mechanical control porting.

of the state Legislature. it it it The governor-elect proposed a number of important changes in state as a change in the state constitution to permit bonded he be able to achieve them without toe consent of the Republican Legislature. Unless the Legislature is tamed or demoralized as the result of the loss of the statewide elections, it be disposed to scuttle traditional rules of state operations. The Republican; majority, in fact, will be looked to by the GOP to make the See WYNGAARD, Page 16 it it it In the 9th District, Democratic Rep. Lester Johnson of Black River Falls overwhelmed Republican Charles Homback.

third full term by a 55,027 to 32,479 vote, with all 409 precincts reporting. two incumbent Democrats also smothered their opposition. In the 4th District. Rep. Clement Zablocki drew 110,063 votes to 58.804 for Republican James Arnold, with 308 of 311 precincts reporting.

In the 5th Rep. Henry Reuss polled 101,843 to 45,413 for Republican Otto Werkmeister, with SSS of 360 precincts reporting..