Evening star., 1933-02-05
YOUNG TURKS ACT
TO REBUILD c. 0. P.
Hoover and Key Men Plan to
Give Roosevelt Wide Berth
for a Year.
BY THEODORE C. WALLEN.

party after March 4 has been taking
form on Capitol Hill in the last several
days. President Hoover and his cabinet
key men are planning to give the
Roosevelt administration a wide berth
for at least year. Republican lea. .ers
in Congress are preparing to tax, over
the leadership, but there is a difference
OF opinion as to method of procedure
While it has been taken for granted
that the House Republicans, being the
first to have to pass in review before
the people, would take the lead in re-
organizing, the junior Republicans in
the Senate, self-styled Young Turks, -
are. impatient to begin rebuilding the
party under a new national chairman.
The attitude of the Young Turks
was stated at an informal conference
OF Republican leaders following a din
ner Tuesday evening at the home of a
Republican Senator With the party
wiped out of control of the Federal
Democrats in 40 States and in IS per
throughout the Nation, and thereby at
its worst handicap in getting its case
before the public and holding its or
ganization lines, the feeling prevailed
at this informal conference that the
Republicans could i'll afford to wait un-
til Fall to begin the general uphill
fight.
Extra Session Awaited.
The idea of postponing general re-
organization has substantial support
within the National Committee and
proceeds from an assumption that the
Democratic record in the extraordinary
session of Congress soon to be called
may reverse the tide which swept the
Republicans out of control in Novem-
Der and make unnecessary great deal
of organization effort to that end.
President Hoovers aloofness to sug-
eestions for displacing Everett Sanders
a chairman of the National Committee,
although construed as without prejudice
to either side. has operated to the ad-
vantage of those who prefer to wait.
A feeling within the National Commit
tee that it would be unfair to try to
displace Mr.. Sanders now, since 1t
would imply official criticism Of his
part in the presidential campaign, is
another factor for delay. Mr.. Sanders
personal unwillingness to resign until
the party deficit has been cleaned up,
OF even to call the National Commit
tee together is another factor.
This situation was canvassed In the
informal discussion Of Tuesday night.
A prominent member of the cabinet
was among those present. On the basis
of word that the party deficit Of about
100000 could not be cleaned up by
March 4, as originally planned by the
original Hoover group. and indications
that the raising of the money might
be long job under present conditions,
it was objected that for the party to
wait for Mr.. Sanders to raise the money
might hold up reorganization until too
late to be of benefit in the mid-term
congressional elections of 1884.
Vandenberg Proposes Knox.
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg Of
Michigan, leader of the Senate's jun
ior Republicans, who have been hold
to have a stronger voice in the party
now that many party veterans have
been defeated, proposed that pressure
be brought to bear upon Col. Frank
Knox, publisher of the Chicago Daily
News, to take the craftsmanship of the
National Committee for the partys re-
construction effort
Although there have been doubts that
Col. Knox could be persuaded to as
sumo this political responsibility, and
a member of the administration raised
the same point in the conference, Sen
ator Vandenberg expressed confidence
that Col. Knox would accept if con-
vinced there was a party demand for
him and on condition he would not
have to make fight for the post.
The consensus of the conference was
that the chairmanship of the Repubi-
can National Committee should reflect
the views Of this center group.
Three-Ply Lineup Remains.
In general way the party organi-
Eation will follow the traditional three
headed plan, in any event, with the
National Committee, the Senate Re-
publican Campaign Committee and the
House Republican Campaign Committee
functioning as separate entities. Sena
tor Henry D. Hatfield Of West Virginia
remains chairman of the Senatorial
Committee Mr.. Sanders, of course, re-
mains chairman of the National Com
mittee and is likely to serve for as long
as he chooses Of the next three and
one-haf years. theoretically national
chairmen serve from one national con-
'vention to another.
The House Republican Campaign
Committee was badly gutted by the
party's campaign losses. Will R. Wood,
its chairman, was among those defeated.
Whole State delegations went under.
Since the committee is composed Of one
member from each Republican State
delegation and there are now only 20
States with at least one Republican
member and 16 States which have Re-
publicans in the present Congress which
will have none in the new Congress, a
broad reorganization Is contemplated on
the House side.
The initiative to this end rests with
Representative Bertrand H. Smell OF
New York, Republican floor leader. He
has planned to make no move toward
reorganization during the closing days
of the present Congress. To hold a
party meeting now would involve IN
viting In the lame duck" members.
At the party caucus preceding the new
session, however, the question will be
brought up and new House Repub-
Ican Campaign Committee projected.
Representative Robert L. Bacon of Mas
sau is among those mentioned to sue
ceed Chairman Wood.
Help the Democrats"
Mr.. Sanders said yesterday, on the
strength of conversations with many
party leaders, that "the Republican
slogan IS to help the Democrats win
the war against the depression" Most
OF the party leaders on Capitol Hill
voice the same view. In the absence
of a party meeting, it has not been
adopted officially, of course.
Republican leaders who have con-
ferred at length with President Hoover
have come away reporting inability
to detect in his attitude any presupposi-
ton that the party will return to him
with its presidential nomination four
years hence. On the other hand, he Is
burning no bridges behind him. Hls
primary desire upon leaving Office,
these leaders report, is that events will
vindicate the policies he championed
unsuccessfully in his campaign and the
policies he put into effect IN his ad-
ministration. -