Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-07-10
Martin Sees WiI|kie
AsSerious Threatto
Democrats in South
New G. 0. P. Chuirmun
To Meet With Advisory
Group Here Tomorrow
BY ]. A. OIEARY.

Wendell L. Willkie will prove
serious threat to the Democrats in
some of the Southern and border
States, in the opinion of House
Minority Leader Martin of Massa-
chusetts, who entered today upon
his new duties as chairman Of the
Republican National Committee.
Mr.. Willkie will run strong in
North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee,
Missouri, Kentucky and Maryland"
Mr.. Martin said, when reporters
asked him if the Republicans ex-
pected to make bid for Democratic
Southern States. Il do not say he
will carry them, but he will be a
dangerous candidate for the Demo-
Gratis in those areas"
Representative Martin also as
serted that if the election were be-
ing held today the Republicans
would carry New England.
LAS of today. it wouldn't be any
use for the Democrats to make a
campaign in New England it is SO
Overwhelmingly Republican"
Sees Roosevelt Nomination.
There is no mystery about what
will happen at the Democratic con-
vention in Chicago next week, so far
as the new Republican chairman is
concerned.
Il look for Mr.. Roosevelt to be
nominated, of course" he said. Il
think he will be a candidate after
Chicago. even though he may go
through some motions of being
drafted"
will your ticket beat the President
if he is renominated?" Mr.. Martin
was asked, and he replied:
Il am sure it will" ,.....-z-
The first step toward setting the
Republican campaign in motion will
be taken here tomorrow, when the
Advisory Committee named by Mr..
Willkie to work with the national
Committee gathers at the Willard
Hotel for a luncheon, meeting with
Mr.. Martin.
Gov. Harold E. Stassen OF Mime
sofa, chairman of the advisory group,
and one of Mr.. WILKES right-hand
men, is due in the Capital tonight.
Before leaving for a Colorado vaca-
ton yesterday Mr.. Willkie confided
to newspapermen that Gov. Stassen
and Mr.. Martin appealed to him
from the moment he was nominated
as outstanding advisers for his cam
paign.
A Headquarters Office Here.
In view of the fact that Repre-
sentative Martin will continue in
his important post as Republican
floor leader of the House, his selec-
ton to direct the Republican cam
paign will mean the establishment
Of headquarters in Washington, as
we'll as in New York and Chicago
this year, Mr.. Martin revealed.
Joking with newspapermen about
serving as national chairman with
out pay, Mr.. Martin said he is not
even "dollar-a-year" man.
Pressed for a statement as to
whether the Republicans will try to
break the Democratic solid South,
Mr.. Martin said the amount of cam
paigning in that region will depend
on what is learned from surveys.
Asked if an effort will be made to
organize anti-New Deal Democrats
to support the Willkie- McNary
ticket. Mr.. Martin replied:
1--WE will make efforts to organize
everybody who wants to help elect
Mr.. Willkie"
A moment later he expressed the
belief it will not be necessary to Or
ganize anti-New Dealers, because
they will organize themselves In
laying out the campaign plan yester-
day, however, Mr.. Willkie left room
for cultivating votes in that field by
designating Oren Root, jr, young
New York lawyer, to take charge of
independent groups favoring the
Willkie candidacy.
H.