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Trend. Says Wendell Willkie of his boom: "I would like to think it means I'm a hell of a fellow . . . but I think it means ... I represent a trend, or am ahead of a trend." Groping to define that trend last week, commentators called it a sign of impatience with politicians, an end to popular suspicion of businessmen as such, a recognition of the need for industrial leadership in a crisis. Deepest was the realization that the Republican convention would meet in the hour of Hitler's greatest triumph and democracy's greatest defeat. Wrote Columnist Ray Clapper: "Democracy has been a failure in Europe. It has been blind, slow, inefficient, unable to understand its interests and to protect them. . . . The idea of popular sovereignty is down flat on its back. The tribal king is on the throne again. . . . Republicans have just one issue in this campaign. It is whether Mr. Roosevelt or a Republican could do a faster, better job of obtaining the industrial production for defense. . . . They must look ahead and offer a man who can make the country believe he would do a better job. ... On that point Mr. Willkie is the only man the Republicans have who stands a chance of making an effective case."
* Although Chairman John Hamilton bangs his gavel for order at 11 a.m. June 24, and Keynoter Governor Stassen begins at 10 that night, next night ex-President Hoover says his say, third day is scheduled for the platform. Thus balloting will probably not begin until Thursday, June 27—which means the loss of a full work-week for delegates, who supposedly pay their own expenses during the Convention.