March 10, 1945
Right Honourable W.L.Mackenzie King
Ottawa, Canada:-
Dear Mr. King :-
Permit me to hand you a clipping from the Kitchener Daily Record. This report has created quite a stir among Liberals in this city who are not favorable to the return of Breithaupt to Parliament; but believe that a real Liberal, not a Tory parading in Liberal raiment, should be chosen to represent this riding. It is no secret that the convention which placed him in the field in the first instance was packed for the purpose; and as one man said to me today, “If he now requires the prestige of a cabinet position to get it again there is something wrong.”
Neither is it any secret that L. O. is afraid of defeat at the pending convention, as well as in the riding if he should be nominated. For some time past there has been an effort to build him up with the Liberals. Within the last few weeks three members, (Claxton, Tom Ross and Hugh Cleaver) have been brought here to address the Liberals; and each in almost the same words urged the return of Breithaupt. I though Claxton, an outsider, went the limit in urging the return of any specified man with a nominating convention pending; but I put it down to a “slip of the tongue.” However, when Ross and Cleaver did the same thing I began to see “method in madness.”
Breithaupt’s whole outlook if Tory, as was that of his father before him, and there is no hope of him ever being other than a Tory. If you ever really needed L. O. ‘s vote to carry a progressive measure you would find him voting against you. I share the view of a great many other Liberals that the time has come to clean out a few Tories rather than adding to the number now in the Cabinet.
Perhaps this report has disturbed me less than it has some others, for the reason that, knowing what I do, I cannot conceive of such a move for any reason at this time, much less for the reason indicated in the report.
Very sincerely your friend,
