Evening star., 1942-02-22
Ke|Iand Appointment
Divides Martin and
Party Financiers
But 6. O. P. Chuirmon
Is Still Optimistic on
Coming Elections
BY GOULD LINCOLN.

Va 'cOAA4C vi O41C S2ooP Va gA6 SSyo
who in the past have been the
heavy financiers of the q. o. p,
with a corresponding important
voice in party affairs, IL was said
on Capitol Hill yesterday.
His appointment of Clarence
Buddington Kelland to be execu-
tive officer of the national commit
tee and director Of publicity is
part of the complaint against Mr..
Martin. For Mr. KeIand, Repub-
lican national committeeman from
Arizona and widely read author,
did not see eye to eye with Wendell
L. Willkie on this country's foreign
policy. Mr.. Kelland made strong
4nti-war, isolationist speeches, be-
fore Pearl Harbor.
/ Also it was reported that some of
fhis same group of heavy financial
contributors to the party had ex-
Hected that Wheeler McMillen, edi-
tor-in-chief of the Farm. Journal,
published in Philadelphia, would be
3elected for this job which was
given to Mr. Kelland.
Kelland's Services Free.
Mr.. Martin, who Is Republican
leader of the House as well as ma
tional chairman, was able to get
3Mr. Keuand's services free. In Mr..
Martins opinion. this was entirely
advisable and good policy, both be-
cause Mr.. Keliand has ability and
because the Republican National
Committee, while it has no big
deficit like the 100000 deficit of
the Democratic National Commit
tee, has no funds to scatter about.
Mr.. Martin is Of the opinion that
the Republicans have good chance
Of winning many seats now held by
Democrats in the coming congress
Sional elections. He believes there
is a swing on against the party in
power for a number of reasons, and
that If this swing persists the Re
pubncans will win whether they
spend a lot of money or not, and
that If the swing falls of, the ex-
penditure of money would not bring
victory. In this idea he Is joined
by many other Republican members
Of Congress.
II there Is any intention on the
part Of the big financial contribut-
ing group to squeeze Chairman
Martin into a different attitude by
withholding contributions. it will not
get far. according to those who are
backing the chairman.
Mr.. Martin has called q meeting
Of the Republican National Com
mittee for April 20 in Chicago
there to plan the campaign and to
act on such committee affairs as
may be necessary. He has no in
tention of submitting his resignation
as chairman, and If there is any
purpose anywhere to get rid of Mr..
like the extension Of the military
service under the draft, and the
1ease-lend bill, and others. Their
contention is that this past record
of the Republicans IN Congresswi1l
weaken them when the election rolls
round, Notwithstanding the fact
that the Republicans in Congress
have voted solidly for every ap-
preparation for the war since Pearl
Harbor. -
How far the presidential aspira-
tions of potential candidates and
their friends are to influence the
Republican setup and the strategy
pf the party in thescampaign this
year remains to be seen. There Is
reason to believe, however, that con-
siderable maneuvering is underway.
! Before Pearl Harbor, the moneyed
group was not willing to make con-
tributionS to the national committee
because 1t was dissatisfied with the
Martin leadership and the way the
g. o. P. in Congress had performed.
Since Pearl Harbor, however, there
has been some easing of the situa-
ton and funds have come in more
readily.
The Republicans in the House and
Senate have been somewhat leary of
attacking the administration and
Its conduct of the war up to date.
They realized that it would be
charged they were playing partisan
politics. In the opinion of party lead
ers, the thing to do is to concen-
trate fire on particular targets, where
Martin it will bring about a real
fight in the committee meeting So
far there has been no declaration of
such a purpose.
Martin Under Attack.
It is no secret, however, that Mr..
Martins leadership, certainly before
Pearl Harbor, has been under attack
in Republican circles which belong
to the Willkie camp on foreign
policy. They did not like his votes
on many of the defense measures,
there is real need of criticism. Such
q target, for example, as the burn
ing and capsizing of the 80,000-ton
Normandie, at its dock in New York
harbor.
Reported Unanimously.
Senator Vandenberg. Republican,
OF Michigan, offered a resolution for
an investigation of the incident by
the Senate Naval Affairs Committee.
It was unanimously and favorably
reported by the committee and by
the Committee on Expenses of the
Senate, and adopted by the Senate
without a dissenting vote.
Senator Vandenberg has not made
1t practice of attacking the Roose-
welt administration indiscriminate-
~. This gave him an advantage
when he put in his resolution to in
quire into the Normandie case. The
Democrats did not wish to be put
in the position of denying an in
vestigation, and their hand was
forced by a Republican,, bringing
about the first congressional investi-
CATION of the actual conduct of the
war.
Other committees have been in
quiring into the money spending
and contracts let for the prosecu-
ton Of the war. Here, however, is
a case where it was administration
by the Navy, with disaster follow
ing.
A rifle must be used, and not q
blunderbuss, if the Republicans are
to make real progress in the coming
campaign. That is the strategy ad-
vocated by their leaders. And the