POLITICAL NOTE: Feathery Peaceman

Last week Radiopriest Charles E. Coughlin was addressing a state rally of his National Union for Social Justice at Detroit’s Fair Grounds. One listener not a member of the National Union was Frank (“Woody”) Hockaday, onetime Wichita, Kans. automobile accessories dealer, now chiefly interested in promoting peace by means of sudden dramatic appearances with a bag of feathers. This punchinello of the 1936 political campaign first received public notice and fell into the hands of the police in June when, attired in red shorts and an Indian war bonnet, he strewed his feathers all over Philadelphia’s Broad Street to impress convening Democrats with his slogan: “Feathers Instead of Bullets.” Half-naked Mr. Hockaday next burst into the Washington office of Acting Secretary of War Woodring, where he dumped 40 Ib. of feathers to discourage warfare. When this lively eccentric tried the same thing at the Maryland State American Legion Convention at Baltimore last August, the Legionaries gave him an unmerciful beating. Since then peace-loving Woody Hockaday had been recuperating in a mental asylum.

Last week, resplendent in a costume consisting of a red coat, white pants and a white cap, this amazingly ubiquitous character climbed unnoticed onto the speakers’ platform at Detroit. As Radiorator Coughlin was loudly explaining the difference between Communism and Christianity, nimble Woody Hockaday showered him with feathers, deftly sidestepped a punch the priest aimed at him, shouted into the microphone: “You can’t mix religion and politics!” While Peaceman Hockaday was being hauled off to a cell, Father Coughlin regained his composure, continued his address, feathers fluttering with every gesture.