Evening star., 1961-04-02
The Urban Approach
ToG.O.P. Victory
By DAVID BRODER
Star Staff Writer

known TO moSG OF MS mlll1OnS OF
fellow Republicans, Raymond
Charles Bliss Of Akron, Ohio, is
carrying an awfully big share of
the G. o. P.'s future hopes.
To him has been entrusted the
task of finding a way to cut the
Democrats majorities in the big
cities-an achievement most Re-
publican leaders consider abso-
lutely essential to future party
victories IN Presidential, guberna-
torial and senatorial elections.
Post-mortems on last Novem-
ber's race showed Enthusiastically
that President Kennedy won by
carrying 26 of the 40 largest
American cities. He received al
most so per cent of the total vote
in those cities, piled up lead of
2,74l ,569 votes and tipped into his
column all the electoral votes of
such key States as New York,
Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland,
Missouri. Massachusetts,, Mime
sofa and New Jersey.
When Republican National
Chairman Thruston B. Morton
digested this information, he
called for creation of a big city
task force" to chart the path for
a Republican comeback in the
metropoliSes.
To head the committee he
picked Ray Bliss, the Ohio Repub-
lican chairman. To most Republi-
cans, Mr.. Bliss name probably
meant little. But to those who
knew the man and his record, his
selection was a sure sign that Sen
ator Morton was in earnest.
Ray Bliss is an increasingly
rare phenomenon-a man who at
tainS great political influence
simply by his mastery of organ
national techniques. A decep-
lively bland, round-faced bachelor
OF SO, who peers at the world
through old-fashioned rimless
glasses, Mr.. Bliss is totally devoid
OF the oratorical and personality
projection talents that dominate
this television age of politicians.
But in the testing arena of Ohio
politics, he has proved-not once,
but twice-that he can put to-
gether winning campaigns from
the rubble of defeat. This is a
talent for which there Is obviously
a demand among Republicans
just now.
Helped Senator Toft
Elected as a Republican pre-
cinct committeeman in Akron
while he was college freshman,
Mr.. Bliss was summoned to the
State Craftsmanship after the
1948 election in which Repub-
licans lost all State wide races
and gave over control of the
Legislature to the Democrats. BY
1850, his organization was in
shape to regain the Legislature
and help the late Senator Robert
A. Taft to his huge reelection
victory over the massed opposition
of organized labor.
In the next six years, Repub-
licanS won all Statewide offices
except those for which Senator
Lausche. the Democrat whose ap-
peal defies all party lines, was
competing. But in 1858, there
was another debacle.
Over the vigorous objection of
Mr.. Bliss, whose polls had shown
its fatal potential, Ohio business
groups insisted on placing right
to-work referendum on the ballot.
1t was resoundingly defeated and
down with it went the Repuh-
lican Governor, three G. o. P.
congressman and the Republican
majoritieS in the State Legisla-
ture.
Once again, Mr.. Bliss faced a
monumental comeback challenge
and once again he succeeded.
Despite widespread predictions
that Mr.. Kennedy would sweep
Ohio in 1860, former Vice Presi-
dent Nixon carried the State by
almost 275,000 votes-his only VIC
tory in a major Northeast in
dustrial State. Republicans also
picked up two House seats and
recaptured control of the State
Legislature.
Republican Chances
With this record Of whirlwind
comebacks behind him, Mr.. Bliss
is at pains to disclaim the role
OF miracle man. In Washington
last week end for the first meet
ing of his "big city task force"
he warned: "You can give every
waking moment to your job and
get the breaks, and it will still
take two or three elections to
rebuild the strength of a weak
organization. There are no short
cuts"
Despite this caution, the Ohio
chairman is confident that Re-
publicans can improve their show
ing in the big cities enough to
make the effort worthwhile. "If
I didn't believe that" he said, 81
wouldn't have taken the job. ]
have plenty to keep me busy in
Ohio"
Last December Congressional
Quarterly. the Washington news
research organization, published q
detailed report on the Bliss opera
ton in Ohio. 1t shows, not SO
much radical innovation as highly
developed application of the rec
ognized fundamentals of political
organization, and 1t offers a good
state, of Indian-American rela-
tions as recently as six months
ago, there has been a sensational
improvement.
Behind much that has happened
lies the shadow of Communist