Evening star., 1934-06-04
MEET TO SELECT
c. D. P. CHAIRMAN
Committeeman Hear De-
nands for Western Leader
at Chicago Gathering.
CONTINUED From First Page.)


mentioned.
An active candidate for the chair
manship. who halls from State MID
way between the East and the Missis-
sippi River. is Jim Watson. former
Senator. Quite a campaign for wat
son has been staged by his friends,
and according to reports this veteran
Republican has amassed slzeaole
number OF votes and proxies, Frank
". however. the selection Of Watson Is
frowned upon by some OF the powers
that-be in the committee and out
of it. The former Senator has wide
personal popularity and the word
has been passed around that unless
there can be some unity Of thought on
the subject OF the chairmanship be-
fore the committee goes into action,
he might be put across, This is serl-
ously doubted by several OF the
leaders,
1t is a grief to Watson that the
meeting OF the Republican National
Committee has been called for the
same day on which the Republican
State Convention Of Indiana is to be
held. Watson is reported to be ready
to help some of his friends ditch
Senator Arthur Robinson, who Is
seeking denomination at the hands OF
the State convention. 1t Is Impossible
for him to be in Illinois and Indiana
at the same time and the situation
does not please him.
Usual Pressure Lacking.
For the first time, certainly in manv
wears. the National Committee has
been handed the Job Of selecting a
chairman free from domination by a
President or a presidential nominee.
ITsuallv the chairmen have been desig-
mated by the man in the White House
or by the psrty's candidate for Presi-
dent
Either in conferences today and
tonight the committee men and COM
mittee women, lo6 in number. Will get
together and decide on the next chair
man or the matter will be thrown
into a free-for- all meeting in the
Palmer House tomorrow morning. The
Republicans over a long course OF
years have been rather successful in
getting together when an important
decision was to be made, and 1t is
considered likely that majority OF
the committee may come to an un-
oerstanding in this instance prior TO
the actual meeting.
Hoover Absent.
The titular head OF the Republican
party. former President Hoover, is FAR
from the present scene Of action, This
does not mean that he is without
friends or influence at the coming
meeting. But it has been generally
stated by his supporters that ne Is
not seeking to force the selection OF
the new chairman. The Hoover people,
however, can be counted upon, on the
other hand TO act as a veto power
SO far as some of the possible canol'
dates are concerned.
After a couple of years in the
depths, the G. o. P. elephant Is oe-
ginning to feel his oats. There is
noticeably among the Repuolcahs
gathered here revived ngntlns
spirit. They are likely to tear into
the new deal with considerable vigor
before the meeting is over. There Is
a
down a party platform. That is
duty left to the national conventions
of the Republicans. But state
ment of principles NAV be enunclated
before the meeting closes.
Whether this will be done by the
retiring chairman or by the newly
elected chairman, or in 4 resolution
adopted by the committee. remains
to be seen. The campaign this year
is for the election of members OF Con-
gress and Of Governors and State
officers In each State there are
different issues, and the National
Committee is not anxious to attempt
to make all the Republican candidates
conform to a definite and specified
platform, feeling that such q platform
might be all right in one State and
not so acceptable in another.
Sanders Opposes Postponement.
While there has been talk of the
possibility of the National Commit
tees reaching decision not to elect
chairman at this time, but to
allow things to rock along until after
the November elections. with Chair
man Everett Sanders resignation no,
accepted, it is known that such q
course is not at ali in accord with
the views of Mr.. Sanders himself
Mr., Sanders believes that, the CON-
mittee having been summoned from
every section of the country for the
purpose of electing q successor to
himself the program must be car
ried out. To do otherwise would be
to give the country a laugh at the
ineffectiveneSs OF the Republican
party.
If there is to be an enunciation
of principles by the Republicans at
their meeting here, it is expected that
1t will embody declaration in
favor of republican government
against socialism" The new deal
is freely denounced by most of the
Republicans as nothing more than
socialism under new name.
Vacancies to Be Filled.
At the meeting tomorrow morning
there is certain amount of routine
business to be transacted. including
the election OF four or Ave new mem
DefS OF Jnc committee 10 MI VuCaHCiCt
which have occurred since the last
meeting. There will be a luncheon
party for the committee members, ane
later, they will gather at dinner. Al
this dinner. or perhaps later in
smaller conferences, the matter of tht
new chairman may be ironed out
That, at least, is the hope of many oi
the committeeman,
Representative Hamilton Fish oi
New York is among those who have
come to Chicago to take part in the
meeting. He holds proxy and will
sit in the committee sessions with a
vote. Among the prominent men,
bers of the committee, who are here,
are Walter Brown of Ohio and Mark
L. Requa of California.