Evening star., 1923-10-16
REPUBLICANS PLAN
GREAT CLUB HERE
Party May Take Over Frank
lin Square Hotel for
Headquarters.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Plans are maturing for the estab-
lishment of a national republican
club in Washington on a monumental
scale. Prime movers in the enterprise
are Harry NJ. Daugherty, Attorney
General; w. F. Colladay, republican
national committeeman for the Dis
trict of Columbia, and former United
States Senator Dick of Ohio. The
project materialized while President
Harding was still alive. 1t has mean
time won the approval of President
Coolidge. The promoters are anxious
to organize the club and have 1t In
full working order In time for the
1924 presidential campaign. It's pur-
pose is frankly to enhance the glory
and power of the G. o. p. in every
nook and Granny of the land.
Two sites. including commodious
buildings suitable for the clubs pur-
poses, are already under considera-
tion. One of them is the Franklin
Square Hotel property. at the corner
of 14th and X streets, which Is own
ed by Mr.. Dick, and a couple of ad-
jacent buildings in K street. If
these premises are not selected an
other large hotel property in the
same neighborhood would be taken.
An investment running into several
million dollars will be necessitated.
The proposition would be financed
mainly by the placing of SIS nom
resident memberships among hundreds
of thousands of republicans through
out the country. For that modest
subscription per annum they would
he n vii
class modern clubhouse on the oc-
casions of visits to Washington.
Would Establish Headquarters.
The basic idea Of the promoters is
to make the National Republican Club
the physical headquarters Of all off,
cial party organizations. Within it's
walls would be housed the republi-
can national committee. the republi-
can senatorial campaign committee
and the House campaign committee
The District of Columbia republican
organization also would be conducted
from the club. Quite particularly 1t
is proposed to enlist the interest of
republican woman voters in the club
house scheme. There will be an en-
tire division of the building devoted
to the political and social activities
A large restaurant. a gymnasium,
banqueting hail and convention
chamber would be additional fea-
lures. Hotel room now available for
transcient guests would be converted
into residential apartments for re-
publican senators. representatives
or government officials who might
prefer such quarters and such a stall
wart atmosphere to "diggings" else
where in Washington.
Leaders Favor Plan.
Chairman John T. Adams. Treas
urer Fred w. Upham and other re-
publican national committeeman have
been acquainted with the clubhouse
project and are said to have given
it their blessing. Definite activities
looking to development of the
scheme will be in progress early in
November.
Every prominent republican ap-
preached on the subject expresses en-
the idea wasn't thought of and car
ried out long ago. Most authorities
think it the longest constructive step
planned in years for Solidifying and
keeping militant the rank-and-file re-
publicans of both sexes.
Men who were prominent in the
organization of the new Congress
probably will be intrusted with the
details of organizing the National
Republican Club. If their calcula- :
tions turn out to be sound the new
G. o. P. citadel in the nations Capt.
tai will be q, going concern before
1924 is many months old.
Copyright, 1921