Helping Hand

No sooner had the Senate labor racketeering probe recessed one afternoon last week than workmen rushed to load the same chandeliered, red-carpeted room with palms, potato chips and potables for a more friendly gathering. Following behind the food and drink came 200 G.O.P. Congressmen for a reception tendered retiring National Chairman Leonard Hall. They presented burly (6 ft. 2 in., 234 Ibs.), beaming Len Hall with a gold-plated desk set and a huge helping of kind words. But the kindest word of all that afternoon came from a noncongressional Republican who had driven over from the White House to help heap on the honors. Praising Hall for showing a political newcomer how to avoid mistakes. President Eisenhower said: "If Leonard Hall runs for governor of New York, he is going to have one booster here in Washington. He has never even told me whether he wants to do it. But I just want to show he has got one supporter."

Unprepared for such ex-cathedra approval, New York Republicans gasped. Then they made frantic noises about other desirables, e.g., State Assembly Speaker Oswald Heck, Senate Majority Leader Walter Mahoney, and said it certainly would be nice if there could be an open nominating convention.

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