New Chairman

Tennessee's B. (for Brazilla) Carroll Reece, 56, is something of a rarity in politics: a popular and successful Republican below the Mason and Dixon Line. In his 24 years as a Representative from Tennessee's almost solidly Republican northeast corner, he has authored little legislation, rarely starred in debate.

This week wealthy, conservative Carroll Reece, a World War I hero, also became something of a rarity in GOPolitics. He was willing to quit Congress and serve without pay as chairman of the Republican National Committee, succeeding Herbert Brown ell. Abler, more popular men --notably Indiana's Charles Halleck and Ohio's Clarence Brown--had declined the honor. But Congressman Reece had a big asset: he had no Dewey, Bricker or Stassen label attached to him.

It took some doing. Three ballots were taken before he had the necessary majority over Connecticut's ex-Senator John Danaher, who had the support of the eastern Old Guard, and John Wesley Hanes, a maverick Democrat liked by western liberals. What put Reece over was support from the so-called "Ohio forces" and other conservatives.

Reece's election meant little in '48 terms, but it was a setback for aggressive Harold Stassen. Last week the tall Minnesotan moved into Washington, grabbed the spotlight momentarily by putting forth another Stassen Plan: to organize Republican "Open Forums" all over the country. The G.O.P. bosses remained unshaken, officially ignored the obvious move to build a Stassen organization.

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