Evening star., 1939-12-03
Party Publicity Experts Here
Keep Political Pots Boiling
Issues Are Clarified
Repeatedly Until
Conventions Are Held
By the Associated Press.


BY the Associated Press.
Two typewriters in the Capital
keep the political battle going day
in and day out. When the "ins"
are busy governing and the "outs"
are busy running their private af-
fairs, these two machines turn out
the words that help to clarity issues.
Behind the typewriters sit Charles
Nicholson and Franklyn Waltman.
Mr.. Nicholson is publicity man for
the Democratic National Committee.
Mr.. Waltman is ditto for the Re-
publicans.
For the next six months these
two will carry the ball in a game
where the quarterbacks are sitting
on the bench. Until the national
conventions pick their candidates
for President next summer, neither
will know who his teams hero is.
Waiting for the candidate to take
the field, they will keep plugging
for party principles and whacking
VIC oPpoolViolA az CNCiy oPPoi ouAAAoS =
Vital Cogs in the Machine.
Their year-in-year-ou job of
pointing -with-pride and viewing
Withdrawn - what Mr.. Nicholson
calls "the dull routine of political
propaganda go on. gathering
steam as the 1910 campaign rolls
closer.
Politically, the two men are rated
variously as mysterious master
minds with some sixth sense about
how to influence people-and as
merely useful tools who know how
to make words behave on paper.
But each is a vital cog in the
machine which keeps his party be-
fore the Nation between elections
and stores up ammunition for hectic
campaign days.
They work with the policy makers,
researchers and money-collectors
who head up the national party.
They have nothing to do with pick
ing the candidates: their job is to
keep the party in running order
between elections.
Every one around here under
stands" explained Mr.. Waltman,
"that if he develops strong feel
ing for any candidate, his resigna-
ton will be in order"
Free Advice to All.
Mr.. Waltman gives aid and advice
to all the Republican hopefuls, men
like Thomas E. Dewey and Senators
Vandenberg, Taft and Bridges. Mr..
Nicholson stands aloof alike from
third-term- for Roosevelt clubs and
from clubs promoting Vice Presi-
dent Garner, Senator Clark, Paul
V. McNutt and others for the presl-
dency.
The more of these clubs there
are. the better We like it," Mr..
Nicholson says They build up in
terest in the party"
For the present, tweedy, tousle-
haired Charlie Nicholson perhaps
has the easier job. Whoever it's
candidate is, party that has ruled
the country for eight years neces-
sarily must defend its record in the
coming election.
AS he sees the clash of interests:
THE Republicans on their part
will continue to warn against their
crowning peril of Roosevelt getting
us into war and will continue to
bemoan what they call extrava-
gance and inefflciency.
Il will continue to eXpound my
bewilderment at the inability of the
Republicans to make up their minds
on anything and at their knack for
leaving all problems unsettled"
Basis for Policy Seen.
The job of stout, black-mustached
Frank Waltman is weaving together
the strands of Republican opinion
on what the country needs. In this,
he has watched the votes of Repub-
lican members of Congress for guild
ance. And Mr. Waltman believes a
constructive policy for the country
can be found in those votes.
He contends, for instance, that
social security reforms long advo-
Gated by Senator Vandenberg and
other Republican leaders finally
were accepted by the administra-
ton.
1--WE have two objectives,' he de-
clares: First, to point out all the
shortcomings of the New Deal-all
its faults. all it's fallacies; and sec
ond to build up the constructive
program of the Republican party"
Mr. Waltman complains that New
Deal propagandists have built up
the idea that the mechanics of civ
ilization commenced to move in this
country on March 4, 1888" He says
his data proves this untrue.
Mr.. Nicholson blandly declares
he'll fight it out ION the record of
the Roosevelt administration"
These two seldom miss bet for
selling a good party idea to the
country. Their unending campaigns
are almost identical.
Articles for Periodicals.
Their mimeograph machines turn
out statements to the Washington
correspondents on public affairs.
When the opposition pops off, the
publicist gets one of the men on his
side to answer Immediately.
They help sta tesmen write
speeches, and see that all the papers
get copies. They arrange radio time.
They put out clip sheets" for the
rural press.
Both furnish articles for party
organs like the Young Republican
Il .Nf Observation-Disclosures a fnl Iaril Harl &lfi AVA
AA