Evening star., 1937-09-21
Borah and Fish Had Been
After C0mmitteeman'S
Scalp Many Years.
RESIGNATION DEPLETES
RANKS OF OLD GUARD
Hamilton Calls Meeting of Chair
men to Map Effort to Re-
capture Votes.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The resignation of Charles Dewey
Hilles of New York from the Repub-
lican National Committee stirred po-
litically minded Washington today.
For years Hilles, representing the
State with the largest electoral vote,
has been a dominant figure in Re-
publican councils More recently he
has been a constant target of those
Republicans who have insisted on a
general reorganization of the party's
national organization. Senator Borah
Of Idaho, Representative Fish of New
York and other leaders have been after
his political scalp for a long time,
insisting that he and other Old Guard
members of the committee should be
ousted.
Hilles now has removed himself,
urging the New York State Committee
to select his successor at meeting
tomorrow in Syracuse.
Coupled with Hilles in the minds of
those who demanded a revamping of
the National Committee was the late
j. Henry Roraback of Connecticut, who
for years was the Republican boss of
his State. Connecticut Republicans
have not yet selected his successor.
With both Roraback and Hilles out
of the National Committee, the picture
changes materially. In the past, the
two worked frequently together at
party councils and until recently usu-
ally were able to dominate.
Chairman 1912 to 1916.
Hilles was chairman of the National
Committee from 1912 to 1916-run-
ming the Inflated campaign for the re-
election of the late President William
Howard Taft, who afterward became
Chief Justice. For number of years
he has been vice chairman of the
National Committee. He now is
member of the Executive Committee
Of the National Committee, which Is
to hold meeting here Thursday. He
is not expected to attend, but in all
probability will be present at the meet
ing OF the National Committee in Chi
cago in November or December. when
his resignation will formally take ef-
feet and his successor be placed on the
committee.
Comment on the resignation Of
Hilles was withheld at Republican
National Headquarters today, where
Chairman John Hamilton was holding
meeting with party leaders from
cities with population of 100000 or
more-except those from New York.
The New Workers were engaged in a
conference Of their own in Syracuse
and are expected to come to Wash
ington later to discuss the situation
with Chairman Hamilton.
Those at Session.
The list of those at Republican head
quarters here today was as follows.
Leo E. Anderson, chairman of the Los
Angeles County Republican Commit
tee; I. M. Peckham. chairman San
Francisco County Republican Com
mittee; Judge August F. Mueller,
chairman Baltimore Republican City
Committee; Carroll L. Mems, presi-
dent Republican City Committee of
Boston; John Breining, secretary
Wayne County CDetroit) Republican
Committee; Fred w. Pape. chairman
st. Louis Republican City Commit
tee; Rees H. Davis. chairman Cuya-
hoga (Cleveland) County Republican
Committee, and Jay Cooke, president
Philadelphia Republican City Com
mittee.
The meeting today is one of series
of conferences which Chairman Ham,
ilton began in August as the first move
in the Republican campaign for the
1888 congressional elections. 1t is the
first meeting of its kind ever called by
q chairman of the National Committee