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4. underlined THE WIFE OF THE BOOK EDITOR

  IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 1947.  The campaign was on to convince   Henry Wallace to run for President of the U.S.A. on a 3rd party ticket --and  to roll up a respectable vote for him if he decided to run.  (which, as you know, he did in 1948 as the Progressive Party candidate). 
   Writers and Artists for Wallace was formed to get writers and artists -- creative and performing -- on the bandwagon.   Mother ? and I were among the organizers.
   A public rally was held somewhere, near North or in the Loop.  (I don't remember where).   Conroy, who was then working for the Encyclopedia Brittanica, if I remember correctly, and Nelson Algren were among the speakers.  Musta been 300-500 in the audience.  Nothing spectacular, but a good rally.  The most memorable thing, for me, was Algren's answer to this question from the floor during the question-and-answer period:
   "Mr. Algren:  Why are you crossed out:  advocating support asking us to vote for a candidate who can't possibly win?  Isn't that throwing your vote away?"
   "I'd rather vote for somebody I want and not get him than vote for somebody I don't want and get him.  That's the only way I know not to throw my vote away."

It brought the house down.

    After the rally, a group of  us --10 as I remember it -- walked to the LaSalle Cafeteria on West Madison St at or near Clinton, across from the Northwestern train station