Evening star., 1953-04-09
Republicans Reticent
On New Leader, but
Hall Is Seen in Lead
By Gould Lincoln

Republican State Chairman
James G. Schramm Of Iowa,
chairman Of a subcommittee Of
the G. o. p. National Commit
tee, said after a conference with
President Eisenhower that he
was not yet ready to announce
either the Presidents choice for
a new national chairman or the
attitude of the subcommittee.
"The subcommittee will make
it's reports and recommendation
Of a new national chairman at
a meeting Of the national COM
mittee at the Mayflower Hotel
tomorrow orning g." Mr..
Schramm said.
"Was any one other than
Judge Leonard w. Hall of New
York suggested for the chair
manship?" a reporter asked Mr..
Schramm.
mo comment" replied Mr..
Schramm.
Mr.. Schramm declined to say
whether the President had rec
commended any one for the chair
manship or whom he had rec
commended himself.
Will Meet Other Leaders.
1--WE conferred with the Presi-
dent to get his views" said Mr..
Schramm. "We will confer with
Republican leaders of the Sen
ate and House later today and
will make our report tomorrow
to the committee"
Judge Hall and j. Russell
Sprague, national committeeman
for New York, are arriving in
Washington later today. Mr..
Sprague said in New York he
will nominate Judge Hall for ma
tional chairman at the meeting
Of the national committee to-
morrow.
Gov. Dewey Of New York, who
is backing Judge Hall for the
Craftsmanship. is expected to see
President Eisenhower at the
White House tomorrow morning.
The New York governor is COM
ing here for the spring dinner
Of the Gridiron Club Saturday
night.
Has House Backing.
Judge Hall, who served seven
terms in the House and was
chairman of the Republican
Congressional Committee during
the 1852 campaign. is still con-
sidered far out in front of the
potential candidates for national
chairman. ,...
One member Of the subcom-
mittee headed by Mr.. Schramm
put it this way:
Judge Hall has the backing
Of the Republicans in the House.
They have a big stake in the
1854 congressional election. If
they want Judge Hall for chair
man I see no reason why he
should not be elected to that
Office"
The subcommittee was ap-
pointed yesterday by National
Chairman c. Wesley Roberts,
who has resigned.
Fred c. Scribner, jr., national
committeeman for Maine, said
Mr.. Hall was entirely satisfac-
tory to him for the national
Craftsmanship.
House Has Big Stake.
"He has the blessing of the
r epublican a n members of the
House, who have the big stake
In the coming congressional elec-
tions," said Mr.. Scribner. mo
other candidate has the strong
backing that Judge Hall has"
Axel j. Beck of South Dakota,
national committeeman, ex-
pressed much the same view. He
said that Mr.. Hall was a good
friend, and that he would make
an able and effective national
chairman. His background for
the job, Mr.. Beck added, was
excellent.
Members of the national COM
mittee, interviewed today, said
President Eisenhower is still
greatly popular among the
people.
Mr.. Scribner said: 1.-THE Presi-
dent is just as popular as he was
when he was elected last Novem-
Der. The people have great faith
in him. I should say he is
stronger than the Republican
Party. which is being criticized
in some quarters today because
it has not been able to reduce
taxes and make other needed re-
forms in the 80 days since the
new Congress met here in
washington {"