Evening star., 1945-01-28

steps are taken. This goes particularly
for the members of the national COM
mittee, who gave Mr. Brownell full au-
thority to handle this reorganization.
They want to see, now, what he does
and how effective the enlarged organ
ization turns out to be. Unless results
are good there will be a flare up-and
committee members are talking about
another meeting of the committee five
or six months hence, to take stock.
1t remains to be seen whether the
national organization can be built up
devoid of entangling alliances with any
of the prospective Republican presi-
Dental candidates for 1948. This Is a
much desired end. The national organ
ization, obviously, should be impartial.
1t should not play the game of any par
ticular candidate for office-until after
he has been nominated.
Chairman Brownell had to make 1t
clear to the committee, before his pro-
gram was adopted, that he you'd not
take advantage of his position to boost
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New York for
ing been Mr.. Dewey's campaign man.
ager, and a close friend of the New
York Governor, it is difficult to disas-
sociate himself from Dewey in the minds
of other Republicans. The job might
have been more difficult were the year
1947. A gubernatorial election in New
York in 1916 will in large measure de-
termine whether Mr. Dewey is to be a
serious contender for the presidency
next time
Chary of Brownell.
Friends of other potential presidential
candidates in the national committee
and some members who so far are just
opposed to Dewey renomination-were
bit chary of making Mr.. Brownell
virtual dictator of the proposed en-
larged national organization and all its
duties. This reluctance was shown in
demands that "full-tme" chairman be
selected-since it was understood that
Mr.. Brownel1's law practice would not
permit him to give all his time to COM
mittee work. 1t was shown, too, in the
resolution offered by Clarence Budding
ton Kelland, national committeeman
from Arizona, which was intended to
give the Executive Committee a direct
ing voice in the reorganization, along
with Mr.. Brownel.
Take it by and large, however, the
| Indianapolis meeting of the Republ-
cans was harmonious. The committee
completed its work in one day, with two
| meetings held behind closed doors. This
archaic method of doing what is really
public business still sticks to the Re-
publicans. The doors we're closed this
| time in order to avoid as much public
| ity as possible, if row should develops
| in the committee. A row did develop
| But 1t turned out minor one, with
| Senator Arthur E. Nelson of Minnesota,
holding proxy for Roy E. Dunn, Min
nesota's member of the committee. Mr..
Nelson strongly urged the committee
to turn Mr.. Brownell out as chairman,
and pick full-time chairman from the
Midwest. His voice, however, was like
that of one bowling in the wilderness,
for all the result it had.
Mr.. Brownell remains chairman, with
with what amounts to vote of con-
fidence by the committee. His con-
duct of committee affairs, and of the
1914 national campaign was commented
upon favorably by many of the members
in the meeting.
Wanted Neutral Chairman.
Mr.. Nelson, who denied that he was
in anyway involved in the political am
bitions of former Gov. Harold E. Stas-
sen of Minnesota, now in the Navy and
frequently mentioned as contender for
the presidential nomination in 1948, said
his only interest was to get chairman
who was not connected with any can
not have potential nominee for the
presidency.
How long the Republican National
Committee will be able to keep the sub
| ject of presidential candidates out of
| the picture is question, no matter how
earnest they may be about this matter
of impartiality. The friends of Bricker
of Ohio, Stassen of Minnesota, Salton-
| stall of Massachusetts,, Vandenberg of
Michigan, Taft of Ohio, Dewey of New
| York and Warren of California. for ex-
ample, both in and out of the commit
tee will quite naturally become more
| and more active
Involved in the planned reorganiza-
tion of the Republican setup is what
| amounts to great propaganda ma
chine, headed by director of publicity
| Such machine can be effective, if II
| Is well used. The Democrats developed
| one under Charles Nicholson, which
was devastating for the COP a dozen
| years ago and more. The PAC has a
most active publicity organization, con.
stantly flooding the country with it,
| propaganda.
| Mr.. Brownell, speaking to the commit.
tee IN Indianapolis, gave his conception
OF what the Republican party stands for
and why it must be preserved anc
strengthened, If the two-party system
OF Government is to remain in thi,
country He referred to the party a.
"one Of the great unwritten institution.
OF Government in our country" H,
gave similar place to the Democrati,
party. when he said: Our political eyo
luton has been such that our two majo
political parties are today as much
part of Government. in an institutiona
sense, as are any of the Government In
stitutions which are spelled out in tn,
Constitution"
/ Three Main Principles.