Evening star., 1942-03-08
Martin 10 Call State
Republican Chairmen
To Conference in May
Session Probably to
Be Held at St. Louis;
Chuirmun Confident
BY GOULD LINCOLN.

Chairman Joseph w. Martin of
the Republican National Committee
will call a meeting of Republican
State chairmen. probably in st.
Louis, about May 10. to discuss plans
for the coming political campaign.
Cincinnati as well as st. Louis is
asking for the meeting and a final
decision has not been made.
The meeting of State chairmen,
which originally was to have been
held here February II but was
postponed because Of the war, has
two purposes. First. it is to bring
the State organizations into as
close working cooperation as pos
sible with the national Republican
organization. Second, it is to give
the individual States a chance to
present their own particular prob
lens for consideration.
Arrangements are being COM
pleted by Chairman Martin for the
meeting Of the National Committee
which he has called fof April 20 in
Chicago. That will be the kickoff
for the campaign. 1t is expected
that the Republicans will declare
100 per cent support for the coun-
try's war effort. That has been the
attitude of Chairman Martin and
Republicans generally, since the war
began.
War to Affect Issues.
Some of the issues, it is expected.
will be defined as far as possible at
this meeting. Party leaders under
stand that what happens in the war
during the next six months is likely
TO have great effect on the cleo
tions. They understand, too. that
war, with its restrictions and heavy
taxes, has upset political parties in
the past and that it may do so
again.
They have been much interested in
the speeches which have been made
by various important figures in
the administration, in which the
speakers have declared that it is
essential only that those who sympa-
thize with New Deal policies. do
mestic as we'll as foreign, be elected
or appointed to important office.
Several such speeches have been
made at dinners here within the
last week or two The Republicans
say that il the idea is spread abroad
that this is TO be a New Deal war
the reaction among the people will
not be good.
The Republicans in Congress are
intent on hanging up a record for
economy in all Government ex-
penditures not directly connected
with the war. They are convinced
that the voters generally are in
sympathy with such a program, par
ticularly in view Of the public re-
sponse to the recent attack made
on the frills and furbelows for which
a great deal Of money was being ex-
pended through the Volunteer Par
ticipation Division of the Office of
Civilian Defense.
Will Name Director.
Chairman Martin within day or
two will announce the appointment
Of director of Republican activi-
ties in the West, under the national
committee. The new director will
travel extensively through the West
ern States and keep the national
headquarters here in close touch
with the situation in that part of
the country.
Clarence Budington Kelland.
national committeeman for Ari-
zona, who was appointed some time
ago by Mr.. Martin to be executive
assistant and director of publicity
for the national committee. is ex-
pected to come to headquarters here
within the next week or 10 days.
Mr. Kelland already has been &C
tive. 1t is not the plan to keep
him tied to desk in Washington
but to use him as a travelling rep
resentative of the committee, too.
Mr. Martin. who recently has
been in the West making a number
of speeches at Republican meetings,
said yesterday he was convinced
that there was great interest in the
Republican party among the voters.
He expressed confidence that the
G. o. P. would make material gains
in the congressional elections next
November.
AS for Massachusetts, his own
State, he said he expected the dele
CATION in the House, after the
coming election, would be split with
10 Republicans and 4 Democrats.
At present the Republicans have
nine of the Massachusetts, House
seats and the Democrats. six. Un-
der the new apportionment follow
ing the 1910 census, Massachusetts
loses one seat in the House. This
eliminates the district and seat now
held by Representative Eliot, New
Deal Democrat. The redistricting
in the State has turned the dis
trict represented by Representative
Healy. a Democrat, from an Or
dinary Democratic majority to a
Republican majority.