Evening star., 1946-12-16
Firing Of G. 0. P
Women S Head
Laid 10 Feud
Some Toft Buckers
Reported in Group
Out for Her Scalp
By Gould Lincoln

The ouSting of Miss Marion
Martin as head of the women's
division of the Republican Ma
tional Committee and assistant
chairman of the COMMITTEES
threatens to stir up a hornets
nest in the COP organization.
Miss Martin, it was learned today
did not resign but was told to qui
with notice that she would receive
a months pay, her post in the com
mittee being a salaried one. Further
1t had been made clear, to Chairman
Carroll Reece that Miss Martir
would be glad to remain in the po'
sition, which she has held since
1887. Later, Miss Martin did writs
q letter of resignation.
Underneath, it was reported. is 6
story of opposition to Miss Martin
on the part of other long standing
women members of the Nationa
Committees small but Influential
group whose members have been out
for Miss Martins scalp. Apparently
the pressure became so strong that
Chairman Reece finally yielded tc
it. Mr.. Reece was out of the city
today.
Some Opponents Favor Taft.
1t was not clear, however, that
presidential politics had anything
to do with Miss Martins being re-
tired, as has been reported in some
quarters. 1t is true, it was said,
that some of the women opposed
to Miss Martin have favored Sen
ator Taft of Ohio for the 1948 pres
idential nomination; However, Miss
Martins record has been one OF
keeping entirely clear of any indi-
vidual candidacy for the presidential
nomination.
Nor could it be said that the
elimination of Miss Martin was in
line with purge" of key persons
brought into the organization by
former Chairman Herbert Brownell,
jr., who was chairman during the
Dewey 1914 campaign and for year
thereafter. ...
Not Brownell Appointee.
Miss Martin was not an ap-
pointee of Mr.. Brownell, but OF
John Hamilton, who was chairman
during the Landon campaign OF
S36, and was continued on in that
Office for several years. She was
made an assistant to the chairman
in charge of the women's division
by Mr.. Hamilton in 1887. She has
been retained in that Office by
successive chairmen of the COM
mittee and has made wide repu-
tation as an organizer Of Repub-
lican women.
She served under the following
former chairmen: Mr.. Hamilton,
Representative Martin of Massa-
chusstts, prospective Speaker OF the
House; Harrison E. Spangler OF
Iowa, Mr.. Brownell and during the
last few months under the present
chairman, Mr.. Reece.
Since publication of the report
that Miss Martin was going out OF
office protests have been received by
her from many women friends in
the organization. She has been a
constant driving force in the or
ganization to obtain wider recog-
milton for women Republican work.
erS.
Miss Martin remains the National
Committee woman from Maine, in
spite of her departure from the paid
Office of head of the woman's divi-
sion and assistant chairman. There
is no way, it was said, that the COM
mittee could remove her unless it
could be proved that Miss Martin
bad supported a Democratic can
didate in the last election. And 1t
was added, that no such charge
could or would be made.
Assistant to Take Over.
For the present, it was said at
national headquarters, Chairman
Reece would not fill the vacancy
which will occur when Miss Mar
tins resignation takes effect January
1. In fact, no selection of new
permanent head of the women's
division may be made for some time.
In the interim, Mrs. Jane Hamilton
Macauley, who has been Miss Mar
tins assistant, will take over the
work as acting head of the division.
Whether she will receive the $4,000
year salary which has been paid
Miss Martin has not been an
nounced.
Miss Martin, in her capacity as
head of the women's division of the
National Committee, has Travelled
all over the country and is widely
known to Republican woman work.
ers in the national and State or
ganizations. Before she became
head of the women's division she
served in the Maine Legislature for
seven years, first as a member Of
the House and as member of the
Cfofe Cey,ofa