Evening star., 1927-04-03
TO OPEN
CAMPAIGN SOON
Swing Around Country Will
Be for No One Candi-
date, He Says.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


When Chairman William NJ. Butler
of the Republican National commit
tees starts his swing around the
country this month 'for organization
purposes, the Republican campaign
for the election of a national ticket
next year will be underway.
Chairman Butler made IT clear yes
terday that he is going in the inter
ests of the party and not of any par
ticular candidates. In some quarters
doubtless his trip into the West, which
may carry him as far as the Pacific
Coast, will be characterized as an eff
fort to line up delegates for the re-
nomination of President Coolidge. But
Mr. Butler insists he has no such pur-
pose in mind. AS chairman Of the
national committee he is intent upon
having the machinery in excellent
condition for the test it must meet
in 1923.
Preparedness Held Needed.
After the nominations for President
and Vice President have been made
at the Republican National Conven-
ton next year, either Mr.. Butler or
another will be in charge of the cam
paign. The chairman considers that
ii is of great importance that the or
ganization, in skeleton form at least,
should be prepared to assume the bur
den Of the campaign.
Ever since Mr.. Butler took charge
of the party national organization az
chairman of the national committee,
he has sought to operate it efficiently
and without waste. His plan has been
to put more business-like methods
into the management of campaigns.
With the Presidents approval, Mr..
Butler put his foot down on deficits.
The 'pay-as-you-go" policy was estab-
lished and continued throughout the
campaign of 1924, and SO far as the
national committee entered into the
congressional campaign in 1926, the
same plan was followed. The 1924
campaign wound up with a sizeable
balance in the Republican treasury.
Organization Was Continued.
When the 1924 campaign was over
Chairman Butler announced that the
national Republican organization would
keep right on functioning, In skeleton
form, and with headuarters here in
Washington. In Mr.. Buffers opinion
it would be folly to call a sudden halt
to all activities of the national com
mittee at the close of a national cam
paign and then four years later start
all over again.
In a measure, therefore, Mr. But
ier's trip into the West and other
parts of the country this Spring is a
continuation of the policy then estab-
lished. But, with the national cam
paign only a year away, 1t takes on
added significance.
Up to date. 1t looks as though the
Republican party next year had only
two issues to face. the farm problem
as represented by the split over the
McNary -Haugen farm relief bill, and
the wet and dry question. The tariff
and foreign relations are in the offing,
with the Democrats seeking to bring
them to the fore. But If the country
continues prosperous, it does not
appear that any of these issues will
seriously embarrass the party now in
power-although the wet and dry
issue may cause trouble in some sec
tions. Much depends upon whether
the Democrats nominate for President
a wet or dry. If the latter, then the
liquor issue fades out of the picture
very largely.
VIII See Key Men.
Chairman Butler, after his swing
around the country, which may be
made in more than one trip, should
be In a position to know how and
what the people are thinking political
ly. He will be in conference with the
key men In the party in the States he
visits, and some will come to see him
in Chicago and other central points.
If there are signs of a serious re-
volt in some of the agricultural States
of the Middle West and West, the
chairman should know 1t and he in
position to take steps to remedy as
far as possible the conditions that
might affect the political situation
from the Republican point of view.
During his travels It Is expected
Mr.. Butler will give consideration to
the claims of the many cities which
have formally or informally invited
the Republican hosts to hold their
next national convention within their
confines. The list includes Chicago.
Cleveland. st. Louis. Kansas City. Des
Moines, New York, San Francisco,
Seattle and Omaha. Many OF these
places the chairman will visit person
ally and win look into the facilities
for the convention itself and the hous-
ing facilities for the delegates ana the
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