Quick, Watson, the Needle!

Loudest Republican group demanding that the G.O.P. adopt a forward-looking world-minded attitude toward foreign policy is the Republican Postwar Policy Association, headed by Deneen A. Watson of Chicago. Curly-haired, self-assured Deneen Watson, 39, a brash newcomer to national politics, is a successful tax attorney whose dabbling in Illinois politics included the managing of Governor Dwight H. Green's downstate campaign in 1940.

Six months ago Lawyer Watson decided that if the G.O.P. was to clear its skirts of isolationism, quick action had to be taken. He organized his association, promptly got financial help ($40,000) from lean, cadaverous, Denison B. Hull, wealthy Chicago manufacturer of hearing devices. Lawyer Watson's tactics were to go to the people, conduct an educational, door-to-door campaign to wake up the G.O.P. He denied that his group was a stalking-horse for Wendell Willkie, but old-line GOPoliticos did not believe him.

The organization grew, held regional meetings. Fortnight ago, in Manhattan, Watson's R.P.P.A. warned the G.O.P. that isolationism means defeat in 1944. Said Member Mayo A. Shattuck, president of the Massachusetts Bar Association: it would be a calamity if the election of a Republican ticket should mean "another gang of inward-turning, narrow-minded stuffed shirts. . . ."

The Watson group had reserved an elephant-sized needle for cautious, compromising Harrison E. Spangler, G.O.P. national chairman. Last week Watsonites journeyed to Washington, gave Harrison Spangler the full hypodermic. He did not react. The meeting was distinctly cool. To a hint from Harrison Spangler that Watson is trying to split the G.O.P., Watson replied that he only wanted to help the G.O.P. win an election. With a huff & puff, Mr. Spangler informed the R.P.P.A. that he would be glad to submit their proposals to the Republican Postwar Advisory Council (formed by Mr. Spangler last May), which meets next month at Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) Island, Mich.

The Watsonites went on their way. But they are determined that the Mackinac session shall not adopt any flannelmouthed, weasel-worded program as the Republican set of foreign-policy principles. If that happens, reasons Watson, a lot of new Republican converts are going to relapse to Franklin Roosevelt.

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