Evening star., 1937-02-04

|
fore.
The G. o. P. is beginning to bestir it
self; to build up an organization to carry
on and to lay plans for making itself felt
again as a major political party. Chair
man John Hamilton of the Republican
National Committee has just announced
the appointment of two full-time assist
ants. One is William r. Castle, Under
Secretary of State during the Hoover ad-
ministration, and the other Is William
Hard, radio commentator and writer. Mr..
Castles work will have to do particularly
with congressional contacts and admin
istrative matters in the committee head
| quarters here. Mr.. Hard's job, on the
other hand, may be expected to be along
the line of publicity, although there will
be no displacement of Leo Casey, who
some time ago was appointed to head the
publicity department of the committee.
With Mr.. Castle and Mr.. Hard on the job
here in Washington, Chairman Hamilton
will himself be more free to visit all sec
tions of the country in an effort to help
strengthen the organization in the var
ious States. He has just returned from
such trip to Kansas and Nebraska.
| II
At the same time, Republican members
of the Senate and House are intent upon
building up a new technique as the mi
nority party in Congress. The first ap-
| proach was the introduction jointly by
two Republican Senators and two Repre-
sentatives of resolution calling upon
the Social Security Board to submit to
Congress important amendments to the
social security act. The Republicans, in
statement accompanying the reSolu-
ton, declared their entire sympathy with
social security legislation. They pointed
out, however, what they considered ma
| jor defects in the present law. Mainly,
they protested against the full reserve
| plan now in operation, which eventually
is expected to lead to reserve fund Of
| SAT, ,000,0 900. Such a reserve they de-
clared utterly unnecessary In an inSur-
ance plan operated by the Government.
! The Republicans feel that this is con-
structive manner for the minority to act.
| They believe that the Social Security
| Board will give heed to the request for
amendments to the law, and they are
| prepared to support such amendments
when they are submitted. 1t is their
| purpose to tackle other legislative prob
| lens in similar way. Senator Vanden-
berg of Michigan, one of the sponsors OF
| the social security resolution, has been
| prime mover in directing Republican
| efforts in Congress along constructive
| rather than merely anti-administration
| lines.
The Republicans in the House have as
| chairman of their new Congressional
| Committee Joseph w. Martin. jr., of Mas
sachusetts. He is now the active directing
| head Of the entire machinery for building
up Republican representation in the
House. The special political organization
he manages reaches into every county of
the United States. The Congressional
Committee is expected to work in Coop
Grafton with the Republican National
Committee, and vice versa. A permanent
staff already is at work in the States and
counties on Martins plan for a vigorous
'grass-roots" campaign in the 1888 con-
gressional elections.
Our job" said Martin, discussing his
new responsibilities, lis out among the
people of the country. Martin not only
is chairman of the Congressional Com
mittee but he is also assistant floor leader
of the minority in the House and ranking
Republican member of the important
Committee on Rules He is brought in
close contact with the Republican Ma
tional Committee itself by reason Of his
membership in that committee, as one OF
Massachusetts, two members. During the
last campaign he was first the floor leader
for Alf M. Landon at the Republican
National Convention in Cleveland and
later director of the Eastern division in
90 ION, n ntIo rf
In New York.
Martin entered politics and public life
from the newspaper world. When he was
% years old he bought the North Attle-
boro Evening Chronicle. Today. at So,
he is still the publisher of that news
| paper. His first election to public ONCE
was in 1912, when he became q member
of the Massachusetts House of Repre-
sentatives. Two years later he was elected
to the State Senate. In 1916 he was
chosen delegate to the Republican Ma
tional Convention, and in 1924 he was
elected a member of the House, men,
ber of the Sixty-ninth Congress. He has
been reelected to each succeeding Con-
gress. Commenting recently upon the
Democratic declarations that the G. o. p.
the Democrats already have called for
slO000,0O0 campaign fund. That Is the
largest campaign fund ever called for by
a political party. That's what the Demo-
Gratis really think about the vitality and
strength of the Republican party today"
Whether he is now merely whistling to
keep up his courage. as some of the Dem
ocrats insist. Martin firmly believes in
the future Of the Republican party A
hard worker always. he Is planning to
keep at the task of rebuilding.
When Senator William E. Borah de-
livered a Nationwide address over the
radio Monday night in defense Of the
Supreme Court he started something.
From all over the country have come
messages to the Idaho Senator praising
him for the stand he took and praising
his address. There has been a growing
resentment among members of Congress
of both parties at the attacks which have
been made from New Deal sources on the
court and its powers. Senator Borahs
contention was, boiled down, that If the
administration desires to have the Fed.
eral Government take over the manage.
ment of the peoples affairs to greater
degree than ever before in history, 1t seek
a constitutional amendment giving the
necessary authority. He has no quarrel
with any purpose to offer constitutional
amendment. He merely wants the people
to decide themselves, in the way pre-.