Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-07
The Huston Controversy.


around the corner, the Republicans find
their national organization at skies and
! seVens, due to controversy over its
chairman. Claudius H. Huston. The
case of Mr.. Huston, If it may be so
| called, brings the interests of the indi-
i vidual seemingly in conflict with the
interests of the party. At least, this is
the judgment of many of the leaders of
the party, some of whom have urged
Mr. Huston to take himself out of the
picture by resigning. To deal fairly
with Mr.. Huston and also with the
party is the problem. Mr. Illusions tes-
timony before the Senate Lobby Com
mittee, plus the testimony of other
witnesses, has been the cause of all the
trouble. 1t appeared from this testi-
mony that Mr.. Huston while president
of the Tennessee River Improvement
Association obtained from the officials
of the Union Carbide Co. a contribu-
ton of approximately $4,000 to be used
for the river improvement association,
greatly interested, it seemed, in the de-
velopment Of Muscle Shoals. This
money was deposited in a brokerage
account of Mr.. Huston. Subsequently
the entire sum was turned over to the
executive officer of the river improve
ment association for the use of that
association.
Because of the wide publicity given
the whole matter, it has been declared
by some of the Republican leaders that
Mr.. Huston's availability and value as
national chairman of the G. o. P. have
been diminished. They do not undertake
to say whether this is fair to Mr.. Hus-
ton or not, personally. They say that
he made mistake in Judgment, and they
add that for that reason he must step
out Of the party leadership. Mr.. Hus-
ton, insisting that he has done nothing
wrong, has up to the present time de-
clined to take the view of the matter
advanced by the men who wish to see
him eliminated.
President Hoover, titular head of the
Republican party no matter who may
be national chairman, has been urged
by those who desire Mr.. HuSton's resig-
nation to take steps in the matter. It
must necessarily be an embarrassing stu
alton for the President. Mr.. Huston's
election as chairman of the national
committee followed the selection of Mr..
Huston by the President himself, after
various possibilities" for the national
Craftsmanship had been canvassed by
Mr.. Hoover and his advisers. Further
more, Mr.. Huston was active in the
national campaign which elected Mr..
Hoover in 1928.
When the Huston controversy first
developed months ago it was urged that
Mr.. Huston naturally would not resign
his Craftsmanship under fire" and
while the Senate Lobby Committee was
still investigating him and before 1t sub
mitted report to the Senate. Weeks
have passed now since the report of the
committee was filed. That report set
forth the testimony given before the
committee, but did not make an attack
on the chairman. Party chieftains now
49, SSAAAPANAAAAAS bCSduSC MI.
does not resign.
The fact of the matter is that the
Republican national organization has
ceased to function actively. 1t is true
that no presidential election impends
this year, but it has become the custom
for the national organization to work
IN harmony with the Senate and
House campaign committees in the BIZ
ennial congressional elections. This is
no year, the Republicans say, for the
party organization to break down. They
face a strenuous campaign, with the
Democrats claiming many gains in both
the Senate and the House. The Re-
publican administration quite naturally
is vitality interested in the outcome of
the elections. Should the Democrats
make enough gains in either House to
control that body it would be impossible
to put through the legislative program
of the administration. 1t would be
hamstrung for the next two years, with
a national election coming at the end
Of that period.