Milford chronicle., 1938-05-13
JOHN D. M. HAMILTON'S JOB

"uS all dDOut. lneTe was no uul-
fled activity. little thought of the
future and only rare attempt to col
lect party funds for coming emer-
gency. Perhaps the need was less
then than it is now.
A Very Necessary Cog
Things today are entirely different.
The committee is operating like a
irst-class business institution, with
the nervous energy Of an infant in
dustry and the zeal of Fuller brush
man. Its scope has been widened
out Of all recognition to the extent
that ii has become as necessary as
"0g in the Republican machine as
,he candidates themselves. II is es-
,ablished now in ultra-respectable
quarters on Jackson place, opposite
'he White House. There is a full
lime stan OF AZ.
While dissatisfied critics have set
IDLY by. the chairman has taken on
new and enlarged duties. Here are
some of his accomplishments:
In the year following the record
Republican defeat. he raised more
money for the party than had ever
been raised in a year following a
victory.
In 1897 he took in 10 times as
many individual contributions as had
any party in a nOn-electiOn year.
Nor can he dispose of cranks with
a gesture. like an ordinary business
man. He must listen endlessly 70
the wOrdy mOnOlOgues of those who
were once powers in the Republican
party and cherish the illusion that
they still are. Once il was necessary
to sell party policy for party cOntri-
buttons and harmony. hut a serious
error demonstrated the folly Of this
practice, and it has been placed per-
manently in the discard.
One method for providing an out
let to those who are Obsessetl with
the superiority of their own ideas
has been the Republican committee
on policy. Although this group ORR
ginally was intended seriously to
consider planks for the next two or
three years. it has virtually aban-
dnned its original purpo seand has
filled a gap elsewhere in the party
organization. Any worthwhile ideas
that come from the policy committee
will be in the form more of extra
dividends than working capital.
Party POllelG.
The chairman must, however. con-
centrate on the development of party
policies. IL is not enough to oppose
the farm bill. the wages and hours
bill, and the court reorganization
plan-there must be alternatives,
and they must be better than the
proposals of the administration. On
this score. Hamilton has not distin-
guished himself. He has encouraged
the investigation of the IVA, the
formation of q committee to recon-
mend improvements in the social Sc
curity act, and the repeal OF unsOnDd
monetary reforms. but he has not
worked out a new, constructive Of
program. Perhaps it is
not yet time-the collapse of The
policy committee was partial proof
Of that.
His job is to elect Republican can-
and he predicts that is pre-
risely what he is going TO do in No
The committee has some
money. il has a unified organization.
md il has n cause. There is genu- |
ne rebirth of Republican enthusl-
ISM, and test elections and polls |
AVE indicated that Hamilton's work !
s not entirely in va.n.
He has not gone from door to
lOOr to collect funds himself, nor
las he made speeches on the floor Of
But he has given a dor
nant party n healthy nudge-the
Ugh sign that it is time TO wake up
md become a factor of importance
nd respect in the nation.