The Sidney herald., 1955-04-14

-SA llon. But relying on sources Whic.
n appear to reflect his attitude,
IN believe it can be predicted tina
u he will not resign as chairman
at and that he will carry the issu,
to the state central committee
which elected him - and to thu
ok party generally.
te In various capacities Mrs
Hitchcock has been associated
with Republican state headouar-
n tiers eight years.
a Senator Mackay was elected
5e state chairman at the party's con
n vention last summer following the
primary. AS much as a year ago,
pressure was being applied 10
d this young Carbon county ranch
er to accept the Craftsmanship. AS
state representative and then as
senator he had made an impress
|, sIVe legislative record. Among the
: arguments of his supporters for
|, the state Craftsmanship was that
the party leadership needed thew
blood" Moreover, Bill Mackav
was a pre-Chicago Eisenhower
|. man. Further, he had Young Re-
publican backing.
In the heat of the present con-
troverSy it is being charged that
Chairman Mackay is following the
eisenhower line of allegedly try
ing to push out the old-timers.
and that he is in cahoots with
Young Republicans trying to do
the same thing for their own di-
rect advantage.
Chairman Mackay had dinner
with President Eisenhower in
Washington March is this wear
But so far as the Hitchcock dis
pute Is concerned, it had become
acute long before Bill Mackay re-
ce1ved his invitation to break
bread with the president and 9TH
er party leaders,.
Regardless of who NAV be RIGHT
or wrong in this controversy. the
Republican party in Montana can
III afford organizationaI disrup-
ton on the eve of the 1856 cam
palgn. Republican disunity could
easily mean loss of the governor ]
ship and of the eastern district !
congressional seat now held bv
Republicans. And it could mean :
democratic control of both houses I
OF the legislature. Also it might !
cost President Eisenhower Mon !
tana,s electoral votes. 7
+ T
Appointment of Wesley Castles
as Governor Aronson's executive 6
secretary to succeed Fred J. Mar 3
TIN, resigned, was hardly a sur- +
prise to anyone familiar with the
workings of the small inner cir a
Gle OF the Aronson administra- v
ion. y
Castles, who is stepping out as d
director of the state unemnlov-
nent compensation commission is o.
he governors legal adviser and s,
I would now appear, has been D
ne person the governor has most v
listened to in making policy deci-
ions and in issuing policy state m
nentS. Although Mr.. Martin in W
LeVoted loyalty to Governor Aron- cs
on, has not, so far as I know
yer admitted it, there is a feel he
ag that his desire to return to be
ctlve publication of his Park =
'ounty News at Livingston was
the only reason for his resig-
atlon. His leaving the governors
iflce was, I am sure, entirely on
own violation.
politically, Governor Aronson
entering the most critical period
MS administration. ASSUMING
LAT ne will seek reelection in
100, he is now, in a practical
nse' already in the campaign.
the AronSon campaign mana
r IN 1852, Fred Martin did an
.'ceptlonaly able job showing
nong other things, great skill as
organizer.
presumably the responsibilities
the governors campaign man
Will now fall on Wesley Cas-
IS. ~ the very nature of poll
s. this will be a tougher cam
Ign than the first. when Cow
nor Bonner's unpopularity with
considerable segment of Demo-
was to Senator Aronson's
vantage. But now Governor
onson has a record Of his own
defend. That makes a big diff
ence.
resignation of Albert Erickson
state advertising director in the
nWay department has removed
situation which had irked Re-
oncan state leaders from the
inning of the Aronson admin
atlon. The Republican COM
mt was that Erickson was not
= a Democrat - a key appoint
Oh Governor Bonner but
conspicuously active political
IN support of Bonner for re-
ton in 1852.
do not dispute that Erickson
done a good job as advertis-
director. But, unlike most 9TH
employees of the state high
department, he was in the
teal front line, and so. when
candidate lost, he should have
ected to be out. It is said that
kson did expect to be out but.
rdleSs of what its inception
ut have been, the highway
mission ~Daren v;aI5oI