Evening star., 1937-09-23
SpangIer Claims 94 Per Cent
of Voters in Poll Back
Plan.
"REAl GRASS ROOTS"
MOVEMENT REPORTED
Executive Committee Asked to
Call Conference Soon as Sug.
gested by Hoover.
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

John D. M. Hamilton, chairman
Of the Republican National Commit
tee, threw his support today to the
proposal for a general party con-
ference" in 1888 as the suggestion
was brought before the Executive
Committee in session here by Harri-
son E. Spangler. national committee
man from Iowa.
Pointing out that he had advo-
Gated such meeting of Republican
leaders throughout the country as
long ago as last March, Hamilton said
he would favor holding such meet
ings annually.
Plenty Of political developments oc-
cur every IL months to make an an
nual Summer party conference worth
WHILE" the chairman said. II am in
favor of any such meeting that would
bring a fair representation of all
thoughts and all groups within the
party with opportunity for full dis
cussion of all issues"
Action Is Delayed.
Occupied with routine business all
morning, the Executive Committee de-
ferred until this afternoon discussion
of the proposal. Several members, in
cluding Representative Martin of
Massachusetts,, have declared them
selves opposed to the idea for 1898 on
the ground it might interfere with
congressional campaigns
The conference suggestion, made
tif11a hrr
Hoover, would be for the purpose of
drafting declaration of fundamental
party policy, Spangler explained, and
uniting the efforts of the party behind
it.
Realizing the existence of some op-
position within the Executive Com
mittee to the project, Spangler was
counting on the results of a quietly
circulated poll and the modified plan
by which the meeting would be more
Of conference than a convention to
swing support to his side.
SpangIer Claims Support
In taking the poll questionnaires
were sent to 11,047 officers of Repub-
lican clubs and well-known Repub-
licans outside the actual party organi-
zation. To date, replies have been re-
ceived from 5,692. Broken down on a
percentage basis, Spangler said, the
results showed 9424 per cent IN favor
of the conference, 3.14 per cent opposed
and 2.62 per cent non-committal
Republicans circulated in the Dis
trict of Columbia favored the confer
ence idea by ratio of SO to IL.
In addition to Chairman John Ham,
ilton, those attending today's committee
meeting were Spangler. representing
Iowa; Mrs. John E. Hillman, Colo
rado; Mrs. Marjorie Scranton, PENN
sylvania; c. B. Goodspeed. Illinois:
Henry P. Fletcher. Rhode Island;
Robert P. Burroughs, New Hampshire:
Mrs. Paul FitzSimons. Rhode Island;
Daniel E. Pomeroy. New Jersey: j.
Will Taylor, Tennessee: Mrs. Horace
H. Sayre. Oklahoma; R. B. Creager.
Texas; Ezra R. Whitla. Idaho; Earl
Warren, California, and Representa-
| tive Martin.
Commenting briefly before entering
the session. Representative Martin
predicted the President gould avoid a
special session of Congress rather
than face possible embarrassment on
the alleged Ku Klux Klan membership
| of Justice Black.
Spangler, one Of the prime movers
in the Grass Roots Convention of Mid
die West Republicans, declared prior
10 today's meeting that he felt the
oh-year conference idea had met
with an extraordinary response"
The demand for such conference
comes not only from many party lead
ers, but from the rank and file over
the whole country" he added. 1T is a
real grass roots movement and springs
from general and sincere concern of
the people over the attempts being
made by the present administration to
destroy our American form of govern
ment based upon liberty"
Hopes for Committee Meeting.
Spangler intended, he said, to place
a broad program before todays COM
mittee meeting with the hope that the
Executive Committee would authorize
the calling of full session Of the
National Committee in which is
vested the power to direct any ma
| tional conference.
The Iowan said he believed plan
ming committee of so or 100 party
members ''of all shades of thought"
should be named as soon as possible
to prepare tentative declaration of
party policy for submission to the
proposed national conference. On
such committee, he said, he would
suggest the presence of such leaders
as former President Hoover, Alf M.
(See REPUBLICANS, Page A-3)