The Pittsburgh Press (September 19, 1944)
Bricker to set pace tonight for GOP here
Dewey’s running mate to speak at Mosque
By Kermit McFarland
Republicans will throw one of the biggest shows of the fall political season here tonight when Governor John W. Bricker, candidate for Vice President, comes here to deliver one of the principal addresses of his campaign.
Mr. Bricker, accompanied by Governor Edward Martin, was scheduled to arrive here about 6:00 p.m. ET from Erie, where he delivered a noonday talk.
The Ohio Governor has delivered several speeches here on previous occasions, but this is the first at a meeting open to the public.
Will speak at Mosque
He will speak in Syria Mosque at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Mr. Bricker’s half-hour address will be broadcast over WCAE and the Mutual Network.
Preceding Mr. Bricker’s appearance, the Republican rally, scheduled to start at 8:30, will be addressed by U.S. Senator James J. Davis (candidate for reelection) and County Court Judge Blair E. Gunther.
Rev. Cornell E. Talley, pastor of the Central Baptist Church, was scheduled to speak at this meeting, but is ill. If he is unable to appear tonight, his place will be taken by Hobson R. Reynolds of Philadelphia, former Negro Legislator.
Mr. Reynolds is the sponsor of the so-called “equal rights” law enacted by the 1935 session of the Legislature.
Other speeches scheduled
From here, Mr. Bricker will go to Harrisburg, for a noon address tomorrow from the Capitol steps and thence to Wilkes-Barre for a night rally.
His appearance tonight is expected to be a prelude to the No. 1 Republican rally of the campaign next month when local and state leaders hope to bring Governor Thomas E. Dewey, presidential candidate, here for an address at Forbes Field.
Mr. Dewey visited Pittsburgh in July, but delivered no speech, confining his activities to a series of conferences with regional business, political, labor and agricultural leaders.
Truman may speak here
Governor Bricker’s Democratic rival for the Vice Presidency is also expected to speak here later in the campaign, although no dates have been set. But President Roosevelt’s running mate, Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri, is a favorite with local Democratic leaders who played an important part in bringing about his nomination at the Chicago convention.
He was scheduled to deliver the Jefferson Day speech at the annual Democratic banquet last May, but at the last minute, U.S. Senator Joseph F. Guffey, a champion of Vice President Henry A. Wallace’s nomination, arranged to bring Senator Samuel D. Jackson (D-IN) instead.
The Democrats have no inkling of President Roosevelt’s campaign plans, other than two scheduled radio speeches from Washington and do not expect him to visit Pittsburgh before Election Day, although he has been here in each of his three previous campaigns. If he comes into Pennsylvania at all, he will appear in Philadelphia.