Swallowing Hard

Just as they were buckling down to make do with Ohio's lackluster Governor C. (for Nothing) William O'Neill as their candidate for re-election in November--having rejected such a stalwart as onetime (1954-57) U.S. Senator George H. Bender --Ohio Republicans last week got a jolt. Doctors announced that Bill O'Neill, 41, had suffered a mild coronary thrombosis while dedicating a Dayton psychiatric hospital fortnight ago.

From his hospital bed in the governor's mansion, O'Neill sent word that he would be up and around in three weeks, would soon be ready to campaign. Said he: "I shall campaign actively for reelection; I expect to be re-elected." Added his doctor: "We expect 100% recovery." Despite these reassurances, Ohio Republicans swallowed hard; if O'Neill had to abandon the campaign after this week's filing deadline, Republicans would be stuck with his only declared primary opponent--sometime salesman, day laborer, night watchman and Marrow County Justice of the Peace Alvin Spriggs, 57. To avoid that possibility, Cincinnati's former Mayor Charles P. Taft came forward as a "volunteer stand-in," announced he would file for governor but would run only if O'Neill did not.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.