Evening star., 1951-10-02
Eastern and Southern
Republicans Plan on
Precinct Level Attack
By ]. A. O'Leor

Republicans from the East and
South headed home today, from a
regional meeting here at which
they made plans to build up the
party organization at the precinct
level now to work for whoever
wins the G. o. P. nomination next
summer.
In an all-day series of group
meetings at the Mayf1ower Hotel
yesterday, the keynote was the
need for harmony in the ranks. It
began in the morning with the
unanimous vote of confidence in
Republican National Chairman
Guy G. Gabrielson in reply to
critics Of his connection with an
RFC loan to company of which
he is president.
1t continued into the closing
banquet last night, at which more
than 900 guests heard Republican
Senators Saltonstall of Massachu-
sets and Dirksen of Illinois pre-
Sont their blueprints for a G. o. P.
victory next year.
The regional gathering threw
little or no light on who will carry
the Republican banner into the
1852 campaign. IT was not called
Tor that purpose. 1t is safe to
assume, however, that the friends
of such leading prospects as SEN
ator Taft of Ohio and Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower took ad-
vantage of the opportunity to find
out quietly and informally all
they could about the outlook for
their favorites.
Precinct Level Strategy.
The strategy of starting now to
build party strength at the pre-
cinct level. without waiting to find
out who the candidate will be, was
revealed by A. B. Hermann. exec
utive director of the national
committee, after he had met with
State chairmen from Is States.
I'VE moved away from the idea
of waiting until the candidate Isl
selected before going into high
gear" said Mr.. Hermann.
In addition to the State chair
men. group strategy meetings also
were held by the National Fed
Grafton of Women's Republican
Clubs and the Young Republican
National Federation.
They took home with them to-
day plenty of advice on how to
win next year from Senators and
other party leaders who ad-
dressed them.
Senator SaItonstall's Advice.
Here are some of the thoughts
left with them by Senator Salton-
stall at the banquet last night:
I'VE We got to forget those
standuat attitudes that sometimes
marked us in earlier days.
I believe :. we have had too
many executives and not enough
Of these hard workers who ring
door bells, get mud on their shoes,
make friends and win the conf
dence of everyday people.
1T is our job to convince the
voters that the COP. of the
1920's is dead and buried deep
that a revitalized Republican
Party understands their prob
'It is up to us to welcome young
people into the party. E. We
must give them important places
on our committees and on the
ballot IN every precinct. :"
Average Voters. Questions.
Senator Saltonstall made this
reference to the type of candidate
the Republicans should nominate:
I'm this regard, we must face
the fact that, at election time, the
average voter first asks. Is he my
kind Of fclla?' and that the ques-
ton. Is he an administrative
genius?' comes second"
Senator Dirksen called on the
Republicans to select leaders who
will boldly assert the Republican
viewpoint and not be deferred by
any prospect of defeat"
He called also for a platform
free from the weakening taint
of Me- Too ism" He said the party
must give the voters a "clear-cut
and unequivocal choice, and
graciously abide the result"
In an obvious reference to 1948,
Senator DirkSen said that, in some
other years, there were too many
who thought that victory was in
the bag and that the fruit of vic
tory would fall to us without so
much as a gentle shaking of the
tree"