New-York tribune., 1918-02-26
New Republican Committee
Chairman Declares for
Policy of Unity
Saws Party Must Win
Senate and House
Will Consult Leaders to
Profit by Their
knowledge

VIII II. Hays, the new chairman of
the Republican National Committee, is
at the Union League Club in this city
for overnight having brief hand
shake with national politicians.
With Mr. Hays is James y. Reynolds.
secretary of the National Committee,
and u, w. Henley, secretary of the In
diana State Republican Committee.
"The business of this country just
row and for some time to come is to
win the war. That's our real business
everything else is chores" said
Chairman Hays.
Chairman Hays is thirty-eight years
old, very slim. weighing about l30
pounds. boyish. sunny and approach
able lie says he believes in the "opcn
house" sort of politics-the policy of
assimilation rather than elimination.
Last night at the Union League Club
Mr.. Hays gave an informal dinner for
five former chairmen Of the national
committee, William r. Wilcox, Charles
j. Hlles, Frank II. Hitchcock, Victor
Rosewater and George B. Cortelyou.
Senator Harry S. New. OF Indiana, a
former chairman, was absent in Wash
ington..
Wants knowledge
I'm giving them dinner because
| want to know what they know that
Will be of use to me in my new job
he said. "To-morrow morning the first
thing | am going to see Colonel Roose-
Welt at the hospital, If they will let
ne see him. and I'm going to see Judge
Charles +. Hughes. If ex-President
Taft is III the city, | shall call on him,
TOO. but ii not I'm going to New
Haven on Friday next on my return
from Washington, to call on him. To-
r'orrow night in Washington the Re-
pablican Senator's and Congressman
ale to honor me with 4 dinner, and on
Wednesday night the newspaper COR
respondents are going 70 give a small
dinner IN my honor
II expect 10 see Frank P Woods. Of
Iowa. chairman Of the Congressional
Campaign Committee, TO talk over the
plans fer the Congres ssional campaign
am going to place the National Com
mittee at his service. Ii is the duty of
the Republican party to elect all the
congressman and Senators possible this
year. Abraham Lincoln was not too
big or too busy TO be an intense Re
publican. | nave no use for man who
is too busy TO take an interest in poll
tics. believe in two dominant parties
IN Indiana for some years we have
rad the open-door policy in The Repub-
hcan party, and it has worked first rate
Ne need the open door. There should
be no twilight zone in politics. The
right OF individuals to participate in
party affairs should be equally sacred
and sacredly equal.
1t makes no difference to q real
Republican how q man voted in 1912
IN 1914. or 1916. There is work to be
cone Tor he good OF the country. and
the Republlcan party is ready to do it
We need all patriotic elements in the
Republican party, whether thev have
been against US or not
we got every one in in 1914. all
the factions. sent out thousands of
letters to Progressives, calling them
Dear Friend,' and got roasted for If,
But ] meant it, " got our Progres-
slve friends back into the ranks and
trusted them. and they trusted Us.
Province of Political Committee
at is the province of political com
mittee TO WIN for the candidates and
not 30 name the candidates. 1t is :.
prostitution OF the powers of a com
m1ttee 10 allow 1T TO dictate nomina-
uons NO, we assimilated the Progress
slvcs IN Indiana, and it did us GOOD
and dld them good, too. | believe that
ihls method, or policy, can be expanded
by the Republican National Committed
with similar results. This thing of
tghtlng about who sits in front is
played out. Political parties are not
for the turtherance of personal ambi-
tlons. They are, or should be. for the
ccompllshment of great benefits for
the nation.
What about criticism of the gov
Il believe most heartily in congtruc-
tive critcIsm," was the reply. 81 am
going to assume that thev want con.
slructlTe criticism in WASHINGTON. II
the Presidents policies are efficient
believe i'm supporting them. To win
the war Is the real business Of this
nation. Everything else is chores
Are you in favor of protective
tariff"
Yes" said Chairman HAYS "Thc Re-
publican party always has stood for
that, but | wish to add this: The Re
publican party has got to stand for
something constructive it must be an
instrument for progress and better.
ment, or IT Will be of no particular use
Are you going to see ex-senator
Murray Crane, of Massachusetts 90
Yes replied Mr.. Hays, without
hesitation, "l'm going TO see MURRAY
Crane, and ex-President Roosevelt
and George W Perkins, and Senate,
Reed Smoot and Senator Hiram John.
son. Those men know more about poll