After the Moratorium

When the self-declared 30-day Republican moratorium on presidential politicking ended last week, G.O.P. contenders could publicly start working again. They had, of course, already done a lot in private.

New York's Governor Rockefeller, still the only announced major G.O.P. candidate, finally put together the nucleus of a national organization. He corralled more than a dozen regional coordinators--including Washington State's Mort Frayn, onetime aide to Richard Nixon, and Maine Congressman Stanley Tupper. Charles Moore Jr., retired Ford Motor Co. vice-president for public relations, moved into New York to supervise Rockefeller press and communications operations. A high-powered California public relations firm (Spencer-Roberts & Associates) was try- ing to enhance Rocky's image on the West Coast.

The Governor and his wife were set to plunge almost full time into the New Hampshire primary wars this week. But Rocky still lagged badly behind other G.O.P. contenders in most polls, and this was discouraging. Said a Republican close to Rocky's organization: "They've got almost everything: money, men, all the resources. They've got everything but spirit."

"Assurances." There was still some talk that Barry Goldwater might drop out of the running altogether. His poll ratings had slumped; in 13 Southern states where he had consistently led President Kennedy by a big margin, the Gallup poll now found him trailing Lyndon Johnson 78% to 19%. But Goldwater's backers remained loyal. Insisted Peter O'Donnell Jr., chairman of the National Draft Goldwater Committee, quite accurately: "Senator Goldwater has more announced delegate strength than any other Republican." And J. Drake Edens Jr., South Carolina's G.O.P. state chairman, let it be known that Barry had met early in December with top Republicans in Washington and that "assurances have been given to key people where it was necessary for them to know" that Goldwater would definitely announce his candidacy in January.

Coming up fast on the outside was Pennsylvania's Governor William Scranton. In the next two months, Scranton, who rarely has appeared outside his own state, has political speeches scheduled in New York, Detroit, Kansas City, Indianapolis and New Haven. Already, Scranton had become the pundits' and editorialists' winter-book favorite (see THE PRESS). The New York Herald Tribune, owned by Millionaire John Hay ("Jock") Whitney, all but endorsed Scranton last week in a 1,000-word editorial that said: "Neither the most liberal nor the most conservative of Republicans, he appears to be a common-sense man, one who could mobilize the best in all branches of the party, one with whom both 'liberals' and 'conservatives' could find common cause." Scranton said he was still reluctant, but newly "flexible" about trying for the nomination after listening to Dwight Eisenhower's urging that he make himself available (TIME, Dec. 27).

Eisenhower's name was being used--possibly in vain--by contenders other than Scranton. Harold Stassen, now a Philadelphia lawyer with a record of elective losses in Pennsylvania elections, announced that he would definitely try to be nominated. He had, said Stassen, visited Ike at Gettysburg several times and was encouraged to run after he got a letter from Eisenhower last month saying "you may be sure that there will be no lack of effort on my part to elect the ticket you should be heading"--if by some quirk Stassen should wind up heading a ticket somewhere.

"Hi There." Another said to have Ike's blessing and encouragement was Ambassador to South Viet Nam Henry Cabot Lodge, and a public movement to nominate him started last week. New York commuters and Christmas shoppers riding the New Haven Railroad found on each train seat a copy of a 2,000-word article full of "The man who" statements about Lodge--who "stands head and shoulders above the field. He is not only qualified to be President, he looks like a President." Lodge-for-President headquarters were scheduled to be opened in Boston this month by a group of confessed "amateurs in the game of politics."

As for other Republican prospects, Richard Nixon was mum about politics last week, but got some press notices with the announcement that the 94-year-old New York law firm of Mudge, Stern, Baldwin & Todd will henceforth be known as Nixon, Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander. Michigan's Governor George Romney, whose chances for the nomination dimmed after he failed to get his state tax reform program through the legislature, went handshaking in Detroit, greeted downtown shoppers by saying "Hi there. This state had a deficit when we took office, but now it has a surplus. Merry Christmas." And in Illinois, a group of Republicans announced that they would enter the name of Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith in their state's presidential primary in April.

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