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This file contains:
To Frank Avren, from H.R. Haldeman. Haldeman asking Avren for a copy of the Bliss Report. 1 page. [Letter], 2/19/1962
To Bob from Pat Hillings. Regarding asking for a copy of the Bliss Report. Attached to previous. 1 page. [Memo], n.d.
Copy of editorial from Wall Street Journal called "City Republicanism" discussing Robert Novak's analysis of the Bliss Report. Attached to previous. 1 page. [Newspaper], 2/15/1962
Archival Envelope with two copies of editorial from Wall Street Journal called "City Republicanism" enclosed. Attached to previous. Not scanned. 3 pieces. [Other Document], n.d.
Report of the Committee on Big City Politics. 113 pages. [Report], n.d
C Divider. Between folders 15 and 16. Not scanned. [Other Document], n.d.
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WHSF: Returned, 53-15
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WHSF: Returned, 53-15
description
This file contains:
To Frank Avren, from H.R. Haldeman. Haldeman asking Avren for a copy of the Bliss Report. 1 page. [Letter], 2/19/1962
To Bob from Pat Hillings. Regarding asking for a copy of the Bliss Report. Attached to previous. 1 page. [Memo], n.d.
Copy of editorial from Wall Street Journal called "City Republicanism" discussing Robert Novak's analysis of the Bliss Report. Attached to previous. 1 page. [Newspaper], 2/15/1962
Archival Envelope with two copies of editorial from Wall Street Journal called "City Republicanism" enclosed. Attached to previous. Not scanned. 3 pieces. [Other Document], n.d.
Report of the Committee on Big City Politics. 113 pages. [Report], n.d
C Divider. Between folders 15 and 16. Not scanned. [Other Document], n.d.
citationUrl
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
Returned White House Special Files
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
White House Special Files Collection
Folder List
Box Number Folder Number Document Date
Document Type
Document Description
53
15
02/19/1962
Letter
To Frank Avren, from H.R. Haldeman.
Haldeman asking Avren for a copy of the
Bliss Report. 1 page.
53
15
n.d.
Memo
To Bob from Pat Hillings. Regarding asking
for a copy of the Bliss Report. Attached to
previous. 1 page.
53
15
02/15/1962
Newspaper
Copy of editorial from Wall Street Journal
called "City Republicanism" discussing
Robert Novak's analysis of the Bliss Report.
Attached to previous. 1 page.
53
15
n.d.
Other Document
Archival Envelope with two copies of
editorial from Wall Street Journal called
"City Republicanism" enclosed. Attached to
previous. Not scanned. 3 pieces.
53
15
n.d
Report
Report of the Committee on Big City
Politics. 113 pages.
53
15
n.d.
Other Document
C Divider. Between folders 15 and 16. Not
scanned.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Page 1 of 1
February 19, 1962
x Chron. I
X A
File:
Mr. Frank Avren
Republican State Headquarters
17 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio
Dear Frank:
Bliss Report
For some time I have been
meaning to drop you a note -- to say
"hello" and ask a favor -- all in the same
breath.
Could you get me a copy of
the Bliss Report? I would like very much to
have it and am sure you're the right person
to ask.
How are things going ? We're
rolling along - with the hectic and enjoyable
days we all expected.
Many thanks, Frank, and
best regards.
Sincerely,
H. R. Haldeman
HILLINGS
:
Qck.
repat Dob you No
did & acopy
straw 12% 170m
Blue to to
Xow yes pes! yes
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 15, 1962
City Republicanism
Editor, The Wall Street Journal:
Robert Novak's analysis of the report of
the Bliss Committee on Republican weakness
in the big cities (Jan. 29) in some respects
contributed more to discussion of the prob-
lem and its possible solution than the report
itself.
However, there are several points touched
on by both Mr. Novak and Mr. Bliss which
bear special emphasis in analyzing the plight
of the GOP in metropolitan America. I re-
spectfully suggest the following, as a four-
term Republican Congressman and the
Party's 1980 Chairman in Los Angeles,
1. A. party organization does not have the
basic responsibility of establishing philosophy
or Issues. The organization's primary role
is to torn out all registered Republicans at
election time. If the GOP leadership had
concentrated its organizational energies in
meeting this responsibility, it could have
avoided many past defeats in the big city
areas.
For example, the Republican organization
in Los Angeles County in 1960 turned out
more than 95% of Its membership and helped
Nixon to carry California despite the fact
that the Democrats had a 1,300,000 major-
ity in registration. Obviously, the Democrat-
Ic organization did not turn out as high a
percentage of its membership. Meanwhile
in Philadelphia. the GOP organization was
able to vote only 70% of its membership and
Nixon lost Philadelphia by a wide margin
and the entire state of Pennsylvania as a
consequence.
2. Most GOP meetings in big cities are
cornball. They offer little intellectual stimu-
lation. The typical meeting is held in a
schoolhouse at night and is attended largely
by elderly ladies who don't know the differ-
once between Katanga and Kalamazoo. Party
leaders must determine methods of making
political meetings more exciting and stimu-
lating if the party is to attract middle class
America, which forms its basic member-
ship.
8. Shakespeare said, "The play's the
thing In politics, "The candidate's the
thing." Unfortunately, the Republican Party
has no candidate recruitment program. The
typical election year situation finds party
officials waiting for self-appointed candidates
to enter the arena but no one assumes basic
responsibility to encourage high caliber can-
didates in the metropolitan areas. The prob-
lem is accentuated by the fact that the man
on his way up in business or the professions
who has the background to be a good can-
didate usually can't take a year off to cam-
paign. If It is necessary to subsidize good
candidates 80 that they can afford to run,
then the Republican Party must be prepared
to resort to subsidization
There is no substitute for victory and the
whole purpose of a party organization is to
help the party win.
PATRICK J. HILLINGS
Los Angeles, Calif.
Report of the Committee on
BIG
CITY
POLITICS
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
WASHINGTON 6, D.C.
Committee on
BIG CITY POLITICS
CHAIRMAN
Ray C. Bliss, Chairman of the Republican State Central and Executive Committee of Ohio; member of
the Republican National Committee and Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Na-
tional Committee.
VICE CHAIRMAN
Mrs. C. Wayland Brooks, National Committeewoman for Illinois and Vice Chairman of the Executive
Committee of the National Committee.
MEMBERS
The Honorable Bruce Alger, Member of Congress
The Honorable Glenard P. Lipscomb, Member of
for the Fifth District of Texas.
Congress for the Twenty-fourth District of
California.
The Honorable Gordon Allott, United States Senator
from Colorado.
L. Judson Morhouse, Chairman, New York Repub-
lican State Committee and member of the
George I. Bloom, Chairman, Republican State Com-
Republican National Committee.
mittee of Pennsylvania and member of the
Republican National Committee.
The Honorable P. Kenneth Peterson, Former Mayor
of the City of Minneapolis and former Chair-
The Honorable Silvio O. Conte, Member of Congress
man of the Minnesota Republican State Cen-
for the First District of Massachusetts.
tral Committee.
Mrs. William C. Cruse, Jr., Vice Chairman, Kentucky
John Stender, Vice President, International Brother-
Republican State Committee.
hood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders,
Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (AFL-CIO).
The Honorable Edward J. Derwinski, Member of
Congress for the Fourth District of Illinois.
Charles Thone, Former Chairman, Nebraska Repub-
lican State Central Committee and former
Miss Shirley Field, Former member, House of Rep-
resentatives of the State of Oregon.
member of the Republican National Com-
mittee.
Mrs. Emery C. Johnson, National Committeewoman
for Arizona and member of the Executive
The Honorable John Volpe, Governor of Massachu-
Committee of the National Committee.
setts.
Republican National Committee Staff Members
William S. Fleishell, Art Director
Louis R. Lautier, Special Assistant to the
Chairman
Robert J. Gormley, Director, Labor Division
John B. McDonald, Public Relations
Albert B. Hermann, Director of Political
Dr. Earl A. Nehring, Director, Arts and
Organization
Sciences Division
Dr. William B. Prendergast, Director of Research
January 2, 1962
The Honorable William E. Miller, Chairman
Republican Nati onal Committee
1625 Eye Street, N. W.
Washington, D.C.
Dear Chairman Miller:
Last year Senator Thruston Morton, then Chairman of the Repub-
lican National Committee, proposed, and the National Committee approved,
a program recommending the appointment of several committees to study
ways to eliminate some of the problems encountered by the Party in the 1960
Presidential election. One of these problems was the "Big City Gap" and
the inability of the Republican Party to maintain in our largest cities the
voting strength it demonstrated elsewhere.
A special Committee on Big City Politics was appointed "to study
the practicalities of big city politics" and recommend steps to improve our
Party's performance in these vital centers of political, economic and social
activity. Committee members included party leaders from various sections
of the United States.
Committee members worked as four separate Subcommittees, each
devoting its attention to a particular aspect of the problem. Several meetings
of the full committee were utilized to reach general agreement on the Sub-
committee reports and recommendations.
Rather than prepare a single, formal summary report for the full
committee, we have decided to present each individual Subcommittee report
as it was approved by the full committee. In this way those matters given
concentrated attention by each Subcommittee are emphasized, and specific
conclusions and recommendations are placed in better perspective.
I submit these reports to you in behalf of all members of the Com-
mittee. Our reports contain no miracle remedies. We believe they contain
the essential ingredients for strengthening the Republican Party in big city
areas. To this end, we urge that all party leaders concerned give these
reports serious study and work for their fulfillment.
Sincerely yours,
Rey
('
Blue
Ray C. Bliss, Chairman
Committee on Big City Politics
January 5, 1962
Mr. Ray C. Bliss, Chairman
Committee on Big City Politics
1625 Eye Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C.
Dear Ray:
On behalf of the Republican National Committee, I thank you
and the other members of the Committee on Big City Politics for your
superior performance of a very difficult task. You are to be congratu-
lated for the diligence and thoroughness reflected throughout your report
and for the soundness and realism of your recommendations.
Your study, originated by my predecessor, Senator Thruston
Morton, has always had my strong support. I have repeatedly urged the
necessity of attacking our problems in the big cities. Your committee
has pinpointed the difficulties and produced an excellent blueprint for
action. It is now up to the rest of us to build the victories which will
come if we will display a similar diligence and realism in our efforts.
Sincerely yours,
William E. miller
William E. Miller, Chairman
Republican National Committee
SUMMARY
of
MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Republican Party activities in every big city should be placed on
a year around basis.
2. Emphasis should be put on precinct organization and activity, to
get precincts manned with dependable workers, to assure concentration on
registration activities, and to establish personal contacts with voters.
3. There should be full-time, paid, professional staffs in city com-
mittee headquarters.
a. A minimum staff would include an executive director, an
organization director, a public relations specialist, an office
secretary, plus necessary clerical staff.
b. There should be field coordinators, operating out of city
headquarters, to assist party workers in the precincts and to
help coordinate activities of the intermediate levels of party
organization in big cities.
4. City chairmen should organize working committees, concerned with
major party activities and composed of party supporters both in and out of
the official party organization, to help develop and execute plans and programs.
5. An effective fund-raising program should be in operation at all times.
6. Regular training programs should be conducted for all party workers
and leaders.
7. Candidate recruitment should be conducted on a continuing basis
through programs which encourage the development of future candidate pos-
sibilities.
8. Big city organizations should develop systems for preparing "local
platforms" where there are no Republican holders of local office to set forth
Republican positions on local affairs.
a. Methods also should be devised for handling the impact of state
and national issues on the local party.
9. Full-scale programs should be undertaken by party organizations to
identify Republican-oriented people in the labor, business and professional
fields, recruit them into active party work, and develop from their ranks
candidates for party leadership positions and for public office.
10. Realistic, continuing communication with labor, business and
professional groups must be maintained and a responsible, relationship es-
tablished with the active leaders in these fields.
11. Cooperation with nonpartisan, independent community groups
should be undertaken in every possible way, and programs and activities
should be developed which make it possible to present Republican philos-
ophy and achievements to these groups.
12. The Republican National Committee should organize a Special
Activities Division to develop and implement a permanent program for
building party support among language-culture groups.
13. A Special Activities Council, composed of leaders from various
language-culture groups, should be created to work with the Special Activ-
ities Division in preparing and carrying out its programs.
14. City, metropolitan or regional committees should be formed, in
states having large ethnic groups, to implement special activities programs
in their areas.
15. The Republican National Committee should enlarge and broaden
the scope of existing programs directed at building support among Negro
voters, and increase its field forces for work with big city organizations.
16. Intensive use should be made of public opinion surveys to help
establish effective communication with voters and to assist in the deter-
mination and execution of party programs and campaign activities.
17. Extensive use should be made of all media of mass communica-
tion in big cities, through development of a carefully-designed, complete
and continuing program of public relations and publicity.
18. Political education programs should be designed for use within
the party organization, in schools and colleges, and for use by community
groups. Advisory committees of Republican scholars should be utilized
in the preparation of these programs.
19. Research should be recognized as a fundamental tool of politics,
basic to almost every party activity, and research activities should be
made an important part of big city party operations.
Committee on
BIG CITY POLITICS
REPORT
of the
Subcommittee on Party Organization
and
Candidate Recruitment
THE HONORABLE GLENARD P. LIPSCOMB, Chairman
Member of Congress (24th District, California)
GEORGE I. BLOOM
Chairman, Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania and member
of the Republican National Committee
MRS. WILLIAM C. CRUSE, JR.
Vice Chairman, Kentucky Republican State Committee
MRS. EMERY C. JOHNSON
National Committeewoman for Arizona and member of the Executive
Committee of the Republican National Committee
Preface
The purpose of this report is to aid in improving the Republican
Party's vote-getting performance in the large cities of this nation. The
problem we face is implicit in this purpose -- the Republican Party is
enjoying too few victories in these cities. As an ever larger percentage
of citizens cluster into and around these urban centers, national and
state-wide election victories stem more and more from them. The im-
plications for the Republican Party in these population and voting trends
are obvious.
In 1960 a major factor in the defeat of the Nixon-Lodge ticket was
the poor party showing in many of our larger cities, which negated sub-
stantial Republican majorities in other parts of these states. Of the 41
cities (excluding Washington, D.C.) with over 300, 000 population, only 14
produced Republican majorities. Republicans led in 5 of 9 cities located
in the deep South; we carried 9 of the remaining 32 cities.
These 41 cities cast about 22% of the nation's vote in 1960. They
contain 20% of the nation's population. The counties in which these 41
cities are located contain 28% of our population, a figure including many
suburban areas, where relative Republican strength declined in 1960.
These cities and counties can, and often do, determine the outcome of
state-wide elections in one-half the states.
There are 123 Congressmen elected from districts lying wholely or
partially within the boundaries of these 41 cities. Republicans won 40
(32.5%) of these seats in 1960, and ten of these were in California dis-
tricts. Note also that Republicans in 1961 hold only 5 Governorships in
the 26 states in which our 41 largest cities are located. These are the
measures of our problem.
There are many reasons for its existence: precinct and headquar-
ters organizations unmanned or inadequately manned, volunteers lacking
or not used, patronage sources non-existent, finances inadequate, weak
candidates or no candidates at all, bad publicity or poor public relations,
wrong issues or wrong positions on issues, and too much apathy. But
all these explanations and excuses only demonstrate that our problem is
one that faces all levels of Republican Party organization -- national,
state and local. It touches elections at every level and failure in one
affects the outcome in another.
1
As a concrete illustration of one aspect of the problem faced by the
Republican Party in securing a maximum number of votes in the nation's
largest cities, look at Philadelphia. There the Republican city headquarters
has four full-time persons on its staff. They work in small quarters --
several rooms in an office building -- and have very little office equipment.
There is an excellent clippings library, but few other political records are
kept. Before this year, for example, no statistics on division (precinct)
voting patterns were maintained.
Contrast this with the Democratic headquarters in Philadelphia. The
Democratic staff has about thirty full-time people. In addition to a large
group of clerk-stenographers, the Democrats enjoy the full-time services
of such specialists as a director of surveys and research, a registration
director, and several publicity men. The staff is located in well-equipped
quarters in a building owned by the party (purchased this year for cash,
according to reports quoting the Democratic city chairman). In addition
to this staff and equipment, the Democratic headquarters contracts to have
a private firm handle its mailings and rents IBM record-keeping services.
It maintains data not only on Philadelphia but on other counties in the state.
In the same building the Democratic city finance chairman has his own staff
of ten persons.
If we hope to improve our performance in big cities, we shall have to
face up to such contrasts as this and reduce such organizational disadvantages.
Especially can we see to it that future elections will find the Republican
Party with the organization and candidates which will produce maximum Republi-
can votes in the big cities. To achieve this, we need the strongest possible
organization, the best candidates, and year around activity, everywhere. It
is with these aspects of the problem that this Subcommittee has been concerned.
Our report is submitted in the form of a manual on basic matters of
organization and activity. This has been done to give some order to the many
details involved, to present our recommendations in better perspective, and
to permit proper emphasis on such important activities as candidate recruit-
ment.
The basic purpose of our report is to set forth principles, techniques,
suggestions and ideas on organization and candidate recruitment which will
help achieve our goals. We hope it will serve as a target and a measuring
stick for improving our party's effectiveness in getting Republicans registered
and voted and in recruiting new members to the ranks in the big cities of the
United States.
2
MANUAL
for
BIG CITY CHAIRMEN
Introduction
Page 4
1.
The City (County) Organization
Page 5
a. City-county ties. Legal requirements.
b. Goals. Services for party and public.
C. Roles of state and national organizations.
2.
You Must
Page 7
a. General principles that should be followed everywhere
3. A Model Precinct Organization
Page 8
a. Organization chart and explanation
4. A Model Central Headquarters Organization
Page 14
a. Organization chart and explanation
b. Intermediate levels of organization--wards, state
legislative districts, Congressional districts
5. A Model for Problems of Candidates and Issues
Page 25
a. On candidate recruitment--criteria and guide points
b. On public issues--State and national party policy stands.
Local issues.
Appendix
Page 30
3
INTRODUCTION
This manual has been prepared, primarily for the use of big city
chairmen, as a ready reference to basic principles and techniques of
city organization and activity, culled from past successes and failures.
The lack of organization staff and of effective activity in most of our big
cities is obvious in recent election results. It seems crucial that some
fundamentals of party politics be re-emphasized. This manual seeks to
do so. Its contents are the product of the advice and assistance of
party leaders from all parts of the United States and of specific inquiries
and studies of the big cities with which we are concerned. The manual
includes many ideas and suggestions which experience indicates have
value as practical alternatives and variations for meeting special situa-
tions or circumstances.
Common sense tells us that no two cities are exactly alike and
that it is impossible to present a plan of organization and activity which
will serve all equally well. The problems of a city of 2,000,000 cannot
be resolved in the same way as those in a city of 300,000. Still there
are many common problems which can be approached in similar ways.
And without some reference point it is difficult to judge where one is or
to know where one is going. What this manual tries to do is to furnish
this point of reference. It outlines what may be called a model plan for
organization in a large city. If this plan were fully implemented -- and
the activities involved carried out completely and effectively -- in one
of our large cities, the Republican Party ought to obtain every vote avail-
able to it in that city. In this sense it is an "ideal" plan.
There is discussion also of other general factors related to effective
party performance. These include comments on party goals and the roles
of the state and national party organizations in big city politics. Of ma-
jor concern are the ever-present problems of recruiting party candidates
for public office and of handling local party involvement in public issues --
matters which lend themselves less readily than organization to ideal solu-
tions. Candidates and issues nevertheless are of vital importance to the
success of the party. Without effective approaches to these matters even
an ideally structured organization will have trouble attaining its goals.
Not every city organization will be able to follow this manual to
the letter. Our hope is that every city's party leaders will use it as a
basis for studying existing organization and activity, and for making
changes designed to improve our party's effectiveness in performing its
key missions of getting every Republican registered and voted and of so
conducting its affairs as to attract ever larger numbers of citizens to
Republican ranks.
4
1. THE CITY (COUNTY) ORGANIZATION
Almost without exception, the Republican party organization serv-
ing larger cities is a county committee. This means there is no spe-
cial city committee in addition to the county organization; the county
organization performs this role, even though, as is usually the case,
there are county areas outside city limits. Since these non-city areas
are closely-tied suburbs of the central city, such a single central or-
ganization makes sense. It does cause a difficulty in terminology, since
our concern in this manual is with city political affairs, while our or-
ganizational attention must be on the county committee. To maintain
our emphasis throughout the manual, references will be made only to
"city" organization. Substitute the word county wherever appropriate
in your locality.
Other than fairly common requirements on election of committee
members and officers, there are few statutory provisions regulating
party organization or activity in large cities. Those that do exist are
concerned principally with financial reports of receipts and expenditures.
The committee selection provisions are important, for they limit or-
ganization freedom to control its membership. Still the absence of
strict legal controls permits considerable leeway in committee activity.
On the whole it must be said that legal requirements are not a serious
obstacle to effective party performance in big cities, except for the
difficulties caused in manning the organization. These can be overcome
if party leaders are willing to face up to the task.
The key missions of Republican Party organizations have been
mentioned already -- getting every Republican registered and voted and
constantly enlarging party ranks. These are the basic goals of the city
organization. Many party leaders would add to this list the procuring
of good candidates and the support of state and national organizations
and candidates.
A political party has public responsibilities as well as its internal
welfare to consider, and city organizations must share in handling these
responsibilities. Many are met in the process of performing party activ-
ities. Parties present to the public programs and candidates and ask
for the privilege and responsibility of administering governmental affairs.
In so doing they must present the best possible candidates, offer sound,
constructive policy programs, and make their plea for support honestly
and sincerely. These are the party's commitments to the general public.
They are ignored at our peril.
5
City organizations do not operate in a vacuum. They are affected by
state and national party actions, and needless to say, city party affairs
can have considerable impact at state and national levels. Some degree of
cooperative effort is essential in the interests of all. The degree of
control and supervision that is desirable or possible poses quite another
situation.
If a local organization is doing the best possible job of achieving
its goal then it is performing its role in the party system. But what
role should the state party organization play with regard to these big
city activities? Since this role may vary from state to state -- depending
on the laws, traditions, and personalities involved -- it is possible here
to do no more than note some general opinions about this role.
Most local leaders are inclined to view the state party headquarters
as a center for dissemination of literature, information and technical
assistance and a clearing house for ideas. They consider it the state
organization's task to keep city organizations informed on state issues,
state-wide plans and activities, and to exercise general leadership and
encouragement. Only a few consider close supervision or control ap-
propriate.
City leaders respond in the same vein when asked about the role of
the national party organization in city party affairs. Informational, re-
portorial and assistance activities are emphasized, along with a need to
provide the local arena with a regular supply of major party speakers.
Also mentioned is the need for working with and through regular organiza-
tion channels if maximum coordination is to be achieved.
In sum, the backbone of the party and its ultimate source of suc-
cess or failure is the local organization -- according to local leaders.
Few state and national leaders will argue with that stand. It still leaves
a valuable role to be played by them. But state and national leaders
are likely to feel a greater need for giving positive leadership than is
suggested by informational and assistance roles alone. They feel a re-
sponsibility to observe closely work of local party units and to recom-
mend such actions as seem appropriate. If the local organization is the
party's backbone, its state of health is bound to be of concern to the
entire party. Thus the state and national organizations believe they must
prod when circumstances require. To ignore local weaknesses is to
shirk their duty to the party and to the nation. And so it is that this
manual, drawing on state and local experiences, has been prepared. It
is intended as information and assistance -- and as a prod to action.
6
2. YOU MUST
1. maintain a full-time, paid, professional staff to have effective year
around programs.
2. seek volunteers everywhere and use them effectively.
3. have precinct organizations working throughout the year.
4. have party officials justify their positions only by producing results
beneficial to the party.
5. have Registration Chairmen active in every major level of the or-
ganization.
6. have headquarters staff members personally visit precinct organiza-
tions regularly to check the effectiveness of their activities and de-
velop a spirit of cooperation and common interest.
7. clearly define lines of authority and responsibility to allow flexibility
in meeting changing conditions.
8. hold regular training programs for workers at all levels of the or-
ganization.
9. have every GOP affiliate organization represented on any central
advisory council.
10. seek positions in all legitimate areas to reward party workers and
to guarantee year around workers.
11. have in operation a year around fund-raising program.
12. base candidate selection on qualifications and ability to win.
13. recognize that honest defeats make victory easier another year --
strong candidates and vigorous campaigns have a cumulative effect.
14. see that every polling place is manned on election day with dependable
workers.
15. develop timetables and reporting deadlines to assure that the work
is being done.
16. build a Republican leadership which is representative of all major
groups in the community.
17. have direct lines of communication with the leaders of all groups
in the community.
18. develop the follow through which is essential to success in any ef-
fort.
7
3. A MODEL PRECINCT ORGANIZATION
The precinct is the heart of our party system. The precinct
organization's basic responsibilities are to insure maximum Repub-
lican registration and the maximum turnout of Republicans on elec-
tion day.
To succeed, the organization must function during the intervals
between elections as well as in peak campaign periods. For in a
real sense, especially in the larger cities, the Republican Party must
engage in a continuous campaign to hold its supporters, to convert
independent-minded voters into supporters, and to make workers out
of supporters.
The precinct organization is the party's personal contact with
the individual voter. It must be sensitive to his needs and success-
ful in winning his allegiance.
The chart which follows suggests a precinct organization frame-
work which should help in achieving these goals and responsibilities.
Following the chart are brief descriptions and explanations of the
various positions shown, which together encompass the party's work
in the precinct.
8
PRECINCT LEADER
Assistant Leader
SECRETARY
REGISTRATION AND
FINANCE
SOCIAL
VOTING CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN
Poll
Baby
Watchers
Sitters
9
Telephone
Drivers
Squads
Absentee
Division Leaders
Voter
Services
BLOCK CAPTAINS
Block Workers
Precinct Leader
This individual is chiefly responsible for the effectiveness of the
Republican organization at the basic level. He (or she) must select,
supervise and stimulate key people in key positions to assist in per-
forming the work to be done. He assigns specific duties and sees that
they are carried out. A time-honored maxim applies here: You can
delegate the authority but not the final responsibility. He is the liai-
son between the precinct and central headquarters, and should be fa-
miliar with the services the city organization can provide. He should
know local election laws. He schedules regular meetings of committees,
block captains and other key workers, to keep abreast of affairs and
to develop esprit de corps in the organization.
In performing his duties, the precinct leader will find it neces-
sary to use timetables and reporting deadlines, developed in cooperation
with central headquarters, to assure that his organization is carrying
out the best-possible performance. (A detailed example of a timetable
and reporting deadline schedule is included in the Appendix.)
These responsibilities need not overwhelm even comparative new-
comers to precinct politics. Enthusiasm and interest, combined with
proper guidance from headquarters, has proved successful time after
time. But the job is all-important and any prospective leader should
be urged to consider carefully his availability and his qualifications.
Assistant Precinct Leader
The assistant leader should be the eyes and ears and voice of the
precinct leader, sharing with him leadership responsibilities and helping
him perform his tasks. The assistant leader may be assigned specific
responsibilities or simply assist generally. Very often this is a posi-
tion held by women who concentrate on developing women's volunteer
services for the party. The assistant leader can perform valuable mon-
itoring functions, such as ensuring that working groups are fully manned
and active.
Division Leaders
In cities where precincts contain a sizable population or some other
complicating factor is present, it may be advisable to subdivide the pre-
cinct into easily handled divisions, to assure more effective supervision
of party activities. Division leaders should be appointed by the precinct
10
leader to serve as his deputies in specific areas, each supervising the
block captains in his division. A particular responsibility of division
leaders would be to develop a full crew of effective block captains. He
should locate and recommend good people for appointment and when ap-
pointed give them his full support and assistance.
Block Captains
The block captain is the good neighbor working for the party who
furnishes that continuity of personal contact and concernwhich pays off
at the polls. He is the party's personal link with the voter. He is the
man who gets the leg work done in canvassing, registering, and voter
turnout on election day. The captain should keep a card file of perti-
nent political information on people in his area. He distributes literature,
reports changes in residence affecting voter eligibility, helps newcomers
get settled, takes complaints to the precinct leader. He should be aware
of particular problems and sensitive to special needs.
Persons having the necessary time and continuous associations with
the area, such as housewives, retired people and aspiring young politi-
cians, are good prospects for this job. The chief need is for interest
and willingness to work. Block workers are selected by the captain as
he deems necessary, for canvassing and other assignments in the precinct.
The organization outlined above comprises the direct line of work
responsibility in a typical city precinct. Thus it constitutes the minimum
organization need in the precinct. These people could themselves perform
all the essential tasks. As in business, however, some activities are
especially important to the organization's success. While the work in-
volved may be assigned in different ways, continuing attention by someone
with designated responsibility offers the best results in the long run. The
following positions focus attention on some key precinct activities.
Registration and Voting Chairman
This is really the first priority position in the precinct organiza-
tion, for it covers the precinct's principal task. The precinct leader
may assume this task himself or designate someone else. In either case
this is the focal point of all precinct work. The registration chairman
11
has a year around registration program. Up-to-date fingertip informa-
tion is the essence of effectiveness here.
He must be familiar with registration and voting laws and he should
schedule his precinct work accordingly. His goal should be a registra-
tion program which on any particular day allows him to assert truthfully
that every Republican in the precinct potentially eligible to vote is eligible
so far as registration laws permit him to be.
Responsibilities expand during election years. The registration
chairman then also helps prepare for the special election day activities
of poll watchers, telephone squads, drivers and other workers. He in-
structs them and coordinates their efforts, under supervision of the pre-
cinct leader. He also must carry out activities to help get absentee
voters registered and voted.
Finance Chairman
This position carries two basic responsibilities -- records and
fund-raising. In the very public business of politics, where many people
are interested shareholders in the organization, it is essential to main-
tain a strict accounting of receipts and expenditures. Thus this person
should serve as treasurer of the organization, responsible to the pre-
cinct leader.
Any fund solicitations made by the precinct organization, for itself
or in support of outside solicitation committees, should be the respon-
sibility of the finance chairman. It is essential that the citizen be fully
informed as to who is approaching him for funds and for what purposes,
for lack of understanding of this can cause much dissatisfaction and
criticism. Thus the precinct finance chairman should function as a
coordinator of solicitations in his area.
Social Chairman
This can be a vital position at the precinct level. Someone familiar
with the precinct's sociological makeup can do much to solidify contacts,
assist newcomers, and make converts, in the relaxed atmosphere of a
"coffee klatch" or other informal social function. At the precinct level
informal appeals are likely to be most effective.
12
The social chairman should develop plans and activities in the
social sphere which are designed to build support for the Republican
Party and to make the party a real and meaningful part of residents'
lives.
Secretary
A precinct leader may perform his own secretarial and record-
keeping duties, but wherever possible it is probably wiser to have a
designated person serving as precinct secretary to handle correspondence,
keep files and records, and obtain supplies for the whole organization.
More efficiency and less confusion is likely to result. In election years,
of course, clerical workers may have to be drafted to handle the addi-
tional workload.
13
4. A MODEL CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS ORGANIZATION
If the precinct is the working core of party organization and the
ultimate source of success or failure, the city central committee bears
the responsibility for giving the leadership, guidance and assistance
which must be available if the precinct is to do its job. The central
committee must have an organization and headquarters staff designed
to provide these necessities. It cannot be done on a part-time basis in
large cities. There must be a permanent, full-time, paid professional
staff at city headquarters, if there is to be any real continuity and day-
to-day supervision of party activities.
This permanent staff performs its work under the direction of the
city chairman, acting for the whole committee. In carrying out his
tasks, the chairman also needs the assistance and advice of other party
and community leaders. This can be obtained most effectively through
the creation of a number of committees, each dealing with an important
aspect of party affairs, and with the chairmen of these committees ser-
ving as an advisory council for the chairman. Such an arrangement
will assure continuing attention to all important party matters, will per-
mit drawing many people into active party roles, and will permit effec-
tive utilization of the party's top leaders and supporters regardless of
official party positions. Committee members should be chosen from
the city committee, from affiliated Republican groups, and from all im-
portant segments of community life.
The chart following sets forth a city headquarters organization and
staff which should enable a chairman to fulfill his responsibilities in
large cities. It is followed by brief descriptions of the duties and activ-
ities which would be allocated to the various positions and committees.
14
CITY (COUNTY) COMMITTEE
Chairman
Ass't. Chairman
Registration Chairman.
Finance Chairman
Campaign
Candidate
Training,
Public
Special
Affiliated
Social
Legal
Committee
Recruitment
Education
Relations
Activities
Republicans
Com-
Counsel
Committee
and Research
Committee
Committee
Committee
mittee
Committee
Victory
Squads
Executive Director
15
Public Relations Director
Organization Director
Area Coordinators
Secretarial Staff
Intermediate Organiza-
tion Levels
Precinct
Organization
Chairman
The chairman has the duty and responsibility of building, main-
taining and directing the party's city organization to the end that the party
fulfills its purposes and achieves its goal of maximum support for local,
state and national Republican candidates. It is a full-time job. Since
political tradition is such that most chairmen are selected on bases other
than their freedom to spend full-time at their task, one can only express
admiration and gratitude for those who manage to do so anyway, and recom-
mend the urgent need of a full-time staff for all.
The chairman's workload, of course, is proportional to the qual-
ifications and conscientiousness of the committees appointed and the staff
retained. An effective use of the party executive committee (if one exists)
and of the advisory council idea will help materially to lessen the load
while assuring fulfillment of responsibilities, Chairmen also will find that
insisting on the use of, and compliance with, timetables and reporting dead-
lines does much to develop a working organization that produces results.
(A detailed example of a precinct timetable and reporting deadline schedule
is included in the Appendix.)
Assistant Chairman
Whether elected or appointed by the chairman, the assistant chair-
man's job is to help the chairman perform his. The assistant chairman
may be given specific assignments, as is often the case when women serving
as assistant chairmen handle all women's activities, or the assistant chair-
man may have a general assignment to be the eyes and ears of the chairman
on all matters. The choice must be one which both the chairman and the
assistant chairman find satisfactory.
Finance Chairman
The finance chairman's position is set apart on the organization chart
to emphasize its vital importance in party affairs. Adequate funds are essen-
tial to effective party performance.
The finance chairman probably will serve as the treasurer and ac-
countant for the city organization. Along with his finance committee he has
the basic responsibility for planning and executing fund-raising activities
16
for the party. If the committee functions as an independent fund-raising
organization, the chairman and his staff also would serve as a liaison be-
tween the regular party organization and the separate fund-raising group.
(Detailed examples of the organization and activities involved in fund-
raising campaigns are included in the Appendix.)
Registration Chairman
This position also is set apart on the organization chart to indicate
its fundamental significance. It should have first priority in organization.
The registration chairman ought to be responsible for nothing else but
seeing to it that a year around registration program is functioning with
maximum effect. This includes absentee voting arrangements in election
years. He should report directly to the chairman. He must work in
close coordination with the executive director, but he should be free to
deal directly with precinct registration chairmen, to make spot checks in
the field, to do work with all parts of the organization as necessary.
Every party activity is reduced in significance and effectiveness to the
degree that the registration program fails to achieve 100% Republican
registration.
The committee structure described below is based on the idea that
a city chairman needs the help of central committee members and other
leading party supporters in moving the Republican Party along the road
to success and that, in so doing, he needs the best continuing assistance,
advice and advance planning he can get.
These committees should fulfill these functions if their membership
is well-chosen and their roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.
A city chairman should find it valuable to have the chairmen of these com-
mittees meet with him regularly as an advisory council to coordinate gen-
eral plans and activities and in other ways provide the local party a
cohesive effort.
Any such committee arrangement will have to be tailored to the
needs of a particular city or chairman. The committees described herein,
however, encompass the major areas of activity which require constant
attention if the party is to achieve maximum success. Hence they should
provide a useful guide.
17
Campaign Committee
This group should assume responsibility for preparing overall, de-
tailed, coordinated campaigns within the city for local, state and national
elections. This would be primarily a "plan for the future" operation,
but the committee might actively direct campaigns as well. One obvious
committee task would be careful planning of the proper build-up of cam-
paign activity, scheduling for maximum impact and continuing enthusiasm.
Another responsibility should be plans for the formation of Victory
Squads to provide special campaign task forces. Victory Squads are
campaign groups organized to supplement where necessary the efforts of
regular precinct organizations. Their principal function is to handle elec-
tion day activities on special assignments. A squad is made up of what-
ever trouble-shooting workers are needed, running the gamut of election
day requirements from poll watchers to baby sitters. The Victory Squad
approach may be used as well for assisting in meeting registration dead-
lines and other party activities requiring temporary manpower concentra-
tions.
Candidate Recruitment Committee
The responsibility of this committee is to develop and carry out
a continuing program for finding, screening, developing and encouraging
the best prospects to run as Republican candidates for public office.
The value of continued recruiting efforts, even in non-election years,
must be recognized if our party wants to interest and prepare top candi-
dates for every campaign.
Members of this committee must be selected with special care. The
committee should reflect all elements of the party, and include both men
and women. It should be capable of judging objectively the merits and
voter appeal of potential candidates. It must avoid any hint of bias or
favoritism at the same time it actively engages in recruiting and encour-
aging prospective nominees.
The task of a recruitment committee is delicate but vital. Many
of the best candidate possibilities are reluctant to seek public office. This
committee must work to create a system and an environment which elimi-
nates such reluctance. Its goals must be to assure the Republican Party
of excellent candidates for every office in every election.
18
Training, Education and Research Committee
This committee should undertake the task of developing and con-
ducting regular work training programs for precinct leaders, election
judges, poll watchers -- in fact, for all party workers. It should
prepare general education programs on party principles and policies
for party workers and all interested citizens. It also should develop
incentive and reward programs for party workers. It should plan
continuing research activities to provide the organization with useful
political information.
This commitee might initiate a program of study and discussion
of important public issues -- local, state and national -- as part of
its educational program. Such a program could serve as a means for
determining sound party positions on local issues and for promoting
understanding of the positions taken by state and national party leaders
on issues at those levels.
A major function of the committee should be the development
of a program of continuing research activities to provide the organi-
zation with election and vote analysis data, depth studies of public
issues and policies, public opinion surveys and similar inquiries.
In developing these training, education and research projects,
this committee should utilize in every possible way the talents and
facilities available at local educational institutions.
Public Relations Committee
This committee ought to be responsible for those activities in-
volving preparation and distribution of party information, campaign
literature, and party bulletins and newspapers. It should maintain a
Speakers Bureau for coordinating public appearances of party leaders
and assuring that Republican speakers are available as needed. The
committee needs to supervise radio and TV programming for the party.
It should serve as the information outlet to newspapers and periodicals
in the city. When the city organization has a full-time Public Relations
Director this committee will have less importance, but it might still
serve usefully as an advisory group and auxiliary public relations
staff.
19
Special Activities Committee
The purpose of this committee is to assume responsibility for
developing such special programs and appeals as are deemed necessary
for building party strength in particular nationality, racial, religious,
economic, professional, and social groups. This committee would
devote attention to matters involving such groups as business organiza-
tions, labor unions, minority ethnic groups, nonpartisan citizen assoc-
iations, medical associations, and church organizations.
This committee must have members who are interested in and
belong to the groups in question, able to interpret the party to them
and to keep them interpreted to the party, for this committee should
serve as the principal avenue for building party strength among these
groups and bringing their members into active party roles.
Affiliated Republicans Committee
The purpose of this committee would be to establish effective ties
between the official organization and party auxiliaries such as Young
Republican organizations, Senior Citizens groups, and Republican Women's
Clubs. The committee should be composed of representatives of the
party organization and of all affiliates to encourage coordinated activities
among these groups. Such a committee would keep affiliate leaders in
direct, close contact with the regular party organization at all times,
and should play a key role in defining and detailing duties and responsi-
bilities so that all energies pull in one direction. To give affiliated
groups maximum participation in the chairman's advisory council, this
committee could be co-chaired by representatives of all auxiliaries,
or the chairmanship could be rotated periodically.
Social Committee
In the broadest sense, this committee would be responsible for
devising ways and means to stimulate party support through the medium
of social activity. This would include formal and informal efforts,
through parties and get-togethers, to stimulate party loyalties, strengthen
party ties, and generally help make the party a more significant part
of people's lives. The extent of such efforts by the committee, or even
the need for a special committee to deal with these matters, will vary
considerably from city to city. Much will depend on the functioning of
other committees discussed herein and on the strength of any existing
party clubs.
20
Legal Counsel
A political party bears heavy public responsibilities and participates
in many public and governmental activities. It is subject to various
statutory regulations, particularly in the area of party finances. For
these reasons, and because a political party can not risk the consequences
of commiting legal errors, however unintentional, every city chairman
should have a legal counsel on his staff. The chairman has such an
obligation both to himself and to his party.
****
The following positions constitute a recommended framework for a
full-time, paid, professional staff. Financial resources necessarily must
be the determining factor here, since every large city can make good
use of such a professional staff. The staff described here is one that
many city chairmen seem interested in securing as soon as possible. It
is small but it gives promise of a solid professional working nucleus in
headquarters. It can be enlarged readily without upsetting established
procedures. Where money factors do not permit even this staff, one
position at a time can be added without need for major organizational re-
vamping. Every large city organization, however, should consider the
following positions as its minimum staff requirements.
Executive Director
This is the must position -- the absolute minimum that any large
city should have as full-time staff. The executive director should be the
day-to-day administrator of party affairs, acting for the city chairman.
He should direct the headquarters staff, deal with the various committees,
supervise precinct activities and, in general, be the know-all and do-all
of the local party organization. As well as an effective administrator,
he needs to be a competent political organizer and public relations spe-
cialist, at least until such time as full-time specialists are employed to
perform these duties.
He should assume responsibility for handling or arranging for the
handling of the personal services for voters that are involved in taking
care of special complaints and other matters reported by precinct lead-
ers. He should be responsible for developing a satisfactory plan for
the use of volunteer services on a year around basis.
21
Organization Director
This member of the staff should be responsible for the execution
of all plans regarding organizational matters and the implementation
of specific activities at the intermediate and precinct levels of party
organization in the city. The organization director also should be the
trouble shooter who watches for problems, prods the slow movers to
action, checks on performance generally and in other ways serves to
keep the organization functioning smoothly and effectively.
Area coordinators serve as the organization director's assistants.
They are field men whose responsibility is to see that instructions are
carried out and to serve as on the spot trouble shooters. They should
be assigned specific intermediate and precinct organizations to cover.
Public Relations Director
This staff member is to be responsible for preparation and dis-
semination of party information, campaign literature, party bulletins
and newspapers, and for maintaining a Speakers Bureau. He should
handle radio and TV programming for the party, and work with news-
papers and periodicals in the city. He has the same tasks as earlier
noted with regard to the Public Relations Committee. Generally speak-
ing, his responsibilities are to develop and execute a well-rounded
public relations program.
Secretarial Staff
There should be at least one full-time paid person serving as
office secretary in city headquarters, to handle secretarial and clerical
duties, keep files and records, order supplies and otherwise handle
housekeeping functions and to serve as headquarters receptionist. The
size of the clerical staff needed to assist the office secretary depends
on many factors and no specific recommendations can be made here.
Both full-time and part-time assistants, paid or volunteer, are likely
to be necessary if the city headquarters is to maintain adequate records
and keep on top of the local political scene.
22
Intermediate levels of organization
In most large cities there are a number of party organizations oper-
ating on levels between the precinct and the city headquarters. Ward
organizations are among those most commonly found at these intermediate
levels. In many cities there also will be organizations based on state
legislative districts and Congressional districts. All of these are related
to geographic divisions of the city, and more specifically to the public
offices based upon these divisions.
Futhermore, there may be additional levels of party administrative
organization between the precinct and the central headquarters. In one
of our largest cities, for example, the following organizational levels
exist: the County Central Committee, Congressional District Central Com-
mittees, state legislative district central committees, section chairmen
from central headquarters (each supervising several areas), area chairmen
(each supervising several divisions), division chairmen (each supervising
a number of precincts), and the precinct.
These intermediate organizations pose a real problem. They result
in varying activities and numbers of headquarters in different parts of
the city and frequently confuse the general organizational lines and respon-
sibilities. The more there are the more difficult it is to maintain good
communications among all elements of the party.
It is not feasible to prescribe an intermediate level organizational
arrangement which would serve all cities reasonably well. What the
model organizational chart herein does is call attention to the need for a
line of communication through several administrative and geographic levels
from the city chairman to the precinct. Each city organization will have
to construct the intermediate level system best suited to its particular
situation.
Below are listed some points which merit consideration when dealing
with the problems involved in establishing levels of organization.
The central headquarters organization chart includes area coordi-
nators. By whatever name, these individuals, operating out of city head-
quarters, are likely to be a chairman's best bet to keep on top of the
situation created by numerous intermediate levels of organization and activ-
ity.
Keep in mind that the fewer levels of organization there are, the
better chance there is for city headquarters to be heard in the precinct.
23
The key goal in creating intermediate levels of administrative
organization is to establish supervisory units to see that precinct work
gets done. If a proposed level does not clearly contribute to this goal,
it probably is unnecessary.
--- Any intermediate organization levels created should be related
to such statutory election areas as state legislative districts, Congres-
sional districts, judicial districts, and councilmanic or ward districts.
In organizing intermediate levels, avoid as much as possible
duplicating work at each level. Consider the possibility of assigning a
special project responsibility to each level, in addition to general
supervisory responsibilities deemed necessary.
24
5. A MODEL FOR PROBLEMS OF CANDIDATES AND ISSUES
Candidates and issues are the reasons for building and operating
party organizations, but they do not lend themselves to model descrip-
tions. For while it can be argued that all organizations should engage
in similar political activities, it is difficult to maintain that "typical"
candidates and issue treatments will serve all large cities well.
Nevertheless, the essential purpose of this manual is to assist in
winning elections. Candidates and issues are parts of the picture, and
even though no common prescription can be given for them, something
can be said about the common problems and organizational approaches
involved in finding candidates and handling issues. What follows is a
consideration of some of these common problems and suggestions for
resolving them which should have general application in large cities.
On Candidate Recruitment
Without candidates a party organization is nothing. This is recog-
nized in the fact that most organizations feel it is their responsibility
to go out and find candidates if no satisfactory possibilities come forward
voluntarily. When this is done, the organization must become concerned
about two things -- recruitment practices and selection criteria.
the recruiters
A permanent candidate recruitment committee is recommended as
part of the central party organization. The merit in this approach lies
in its making possible a continuing effort to maintain a list of high cali-
ber potential candidates available for the party. It permits more careful
scrutiny of the qualifications of likely prospects. One group assuming
responsibility also should minimize confusion and working at cross pur-
poses when a large slate of candidates must be found.
Candidate recruitment committees have two services to perform.
One is the screening function -- to check over the possibilities and decide
which persons the organization can support. This also includes the task
of seeing that the party has a candidate for every office to be filled.
25
Where laws or tradition forbid party organization endorsement of candi-
dates in a primary election, then a formal screening process cannot
function. But the organizat ion can still work to get candidates for every
office on the ballot, and nothing prevents a study of all candidates' qual-
ifications as a way of preparing for post-primary support of the winning
candidate.
The second service of a recruitment committee is really the more
important in the long run. This is the committee's work in developing
a plan which will help produce and maintain a solid roster of good candi-
date possibilities. This consitutes a kind of long range screening pro-
cess, for it entails a responsibility for finding prospects now who may
become the objects of screening for specific candidacies at some future
date.
Members of recruitment committees should be chosen with care,
for theirs is a delicate assignment. They must have understanding of
the city's special socio-economic complexion. They must be able to
judge people in terms of their political potential a sensitive mixture
of human nature and local politics. Political perceptiveness and ex-
perience are important requisites for committee members. They also
will find it useful to have a considerable facility for persuasion.
the candidates
In seeking potential standard-bearers for the party, recruiters
necessarily must develop a set of criteria for evaluating prospects.
Personal qualification criteria such as integrity, community standing
and party loyalty are always included. But other factors must be con-
sidered as well. Each city organization will have its own special needs
with regard to finding its best possible candidates, but here are a few
additional points to bear in mind regardless of local peculiarities:
Candidates need ability to persuade and to reach people
through ideas.
Candidates need ability to work with others on the ticket.
Candidates must have broad appeal for voters -- including
those who are party workers. It is dedicated workers who
get candidates elected, and the necessary dedication comes
with close identification with the candidate.
26
*
Candidates should understand and accept the personal
demands of a full-scale campaign.
*
The best candidates are able, articulate and attractive.
* Check prospective candidates to be sure they meet such
legal requirements as age and residence.
When searching for prospective candidates, no possibilities should
be overlooked. The ranks of businessmen and lawyers should be only
the beginning. Highly capable and politically astute persons are to be
found in almost every professional activity, in labor ranks, among retired
persons, housewives and others. Leaders of various community and minority
groups should be considered. And do not overlook the possibilities among
those Republicans holding nonpartisan public office.
A word of caution about approaching potential candidates: Be
honest with them. Appeal to them on the basis of duty and need, point
out the pluses of a political campaign, but don't fail to note the negatives
as well. A really disillusioned candidate -- win or lose -- may be lost
to the party.
In developing an effective, continuing recruitment program, con-
sider the value of a training operation, with gradual progression from
lesser to higher office. Don't deliberately overmatch promising new
candidates. By the same token, don't let a candidate knowingly commit
himself to promises he cannot keep.
On Public Issues
Public issues cannot be ignored by local party organizations for
the simple reason that it is impossible to do SO. The organization's basic
tasks must be carried on at all times, but issues and current events
quite obviously affect the performance of these tasks. Therefore local
organization leaders are likely to find themselves at various times coping
with situations brought about by problem issues. When this occurs it is
usually wise to undertake steps to deal with them.
The American party system does not provide for the laying down by
one party body of official stands on all public issues which must then be
followed by all other party organizations. What our party does have is a
27
set of principles and positions on broad general issues which guide party
leaders, including the party's holders of public office, in making specific
policy decisions. These decisions then tend to become labeled as the
party's position on these issues. In our heterogeneous nation, this system
means that no party stand (so-called) on a major issue is likely to be
satisfactory to every party supporter in every city. Yet the party needs
to maximize its appeal everywhere.
Given this need, party organization leaders in our cities may find
it useful at times to interpret "party stands" on state and national issues
in the light of their community's special circumstances. This may in-
volve no more than preparation of a statement by a recognized party
leader, or answering inquiries. Some city chairmen also will find it
helpful to assign someone the specific task of analyzing the impact of
particular policy stands on the community. This should help local leaders
get maximum advantage from every important state or national party
action.
Whatever approach is used, it is wise to avoid unnecessary confu-
sion on issue matters. Close and regular contact between organization
leaders and officeholders -- or candidates during campaigns -- should
help minimize the problems that arise. Both candidates and officeholders
undoubtedly would find it very helpful to be kept fully informed by local
party leaders of such things as the type and source of public policy
problems and questions being raised.
The important thing to recognize is that dealing with state and
national issues cannot be avoided by local organization leaders. Failure
to take action when the need arises will only complicate other tasks.
If the Republican Party is to have any "stands" on strictly local
community-oriented issues in cities where Republicans do not hold public
office, they will have to come from local party leaders. The Republican
Party can hardly avoid local issues and then hope for state-wide and
national successes, yet in many cities Republicans do not hold policy-
making offices. This is particularly a problem in our large cities, for
they are sources of so many local issues and problems which have
reached the state and national governments for resolution. Local party
leaders, therefore, must consider carefully and positively possible ap-
proaches to developing local party "platforms" which give bread-and-
butter emphasis to local party affairs at the same time they effectively
relate the local party to state and nation.
28
Another problem faced by party leaders in many large cities (in
over one-half of those over 300,000), is the existence of some form of
nonpartisan local government. This means that the Republican Party
as such can not put forward candidates for local office, and it fre-
quently means in addition that local custom forbids the party from taking
official stands on local issues. Where these practices occur there is
little the party can do about it, even though it eliminates an area of
activity in which the party has a legitimate and great interest and com-
plicates the task of maintaining an effective party organization. In
certain instances, of course, nonpartisanship has come to mean only
that party activity is conducted through some unofficial non-party or-
ganization.
In handling nonpartisan situations, local party leaders must be
guided by local circumstances, They should be alert to the possibilities
present and watchful of the tactics of other partisan groups, to be sure
the interests of the Republican Party are protected. One simple way
for earning some Republican advantage from nonpartisan government is
to encourage leading Republican party supporters to par ticipate actively
in local government affairs and so build good will and recognition for
our party and its leadership.
29
APPENDIX
The following section contains various ideas and suggestions,
largely drawn from experiences in many areas, which may be helpful
in working out details of party organization and activities.
They have been compiled under the following headings, which
generally correspond to the headquarters structure and activities dis-
cussed in this manual.
Page
Staff and Organization
31
General
Timetables and Reporting Deadlines
Incentives and Rewards
Canvassing
35
Campaign Activities and Techniques
36
Candidate Recruitment
37
Training, Education and Research
38
Public Relations - Public Issues
39
Special Activities
40
Affiliated Republicans
41
Social Activities
42
Finances
42
30
Staff and Organization
General:
Recruit young people for organization duties. College students and
recent graduates are usually enthusiastic workers.
Have an "adopted precin it" program for trouble areas, wherein outside
aid is utilized on a systematic basis.
A key problem always is keeping the organization usefully active and
enthusiastic between election campaigns. To do this personal
contacts among party workers must be maintained and the best
general approach is to develop a positive, active, and useful
program of activities for every part of the organization and
insist on its execution.
Try to develop a chain of command which is understandable but which
allows maximum personal supervision and contact between a
supervisor and the units or people being supervised.
Stress in every way possible the importance of the precinct organi-
zation and its work, and seek the best people for precinct
service.
Conduct leadership workshops for all members of the organization.
Try to establish clear lines of responsibility for fulfilling programs
so there can be no buck-passing over failures.
Develop a locally-oriented program designed to get every precinct
fully manned with capable people. In so doing, don't overlook
the aid of news media in promoting acceptance of workers in
unfriendly areas.
Have a working plan for quick filling of vacancies in precinct organi-
zations.
Develop a system of reports or charts that give a constant record of
organization performance.
31
Don't call people to work in the organization unless you actually have
something for them to do.
Remember that the headquarters receptionist may create more lasting
impressions of the party than anyone else.
Remember that women provide most of the party's task forces. Use
them well.
Plan ahead on use of volunteers and try to schedule their services at
times they'll find convenient.
Keep a record of the special abilities of volunteers -- not just on
clerical and secretarial prowess, but for purposes of
training and education programs, absentee ballot programs,
public speaking, research work, etc.
Training sessions also can be used to ensure that temporary help is
qualified.
Have a well-advertised and accessible reference center so that volunteers
know where to get answers to their questions.
If possible a full-time employee should supervise volunteer work for
more effective control of records and assignments.
It may prove useful to maintain a special "ready list' of volunteers who
have agreed to respond to emergency calls for help.
Hold regularly scheduled meetings of the city committee to help build
a solid organization.
Remember the party organization exists to work for the whole party.
Organization members should not neglect party duties because
they have accepted special commitments to work in one par-
ticular candidate's personal organization.
Consider the possibility of forming a standing committee of persons
interested in providing campaign management services in
future elections, as a means for assuring potential candidates
they can get campaign assistance.
32
Timetables and reporting deadlines are of key importance in building an
effective organization. Success is built on doing a task when it should be
done, properly timed and coordinated with other efforts. To be certain
that tasks are performed on time and in time you must set up timetables
which cover doing the work and reporting deadlines which assure keeping
the proper leaders informed. It's the best way to know what is going on
and what needs to be done. Following is an example of a timetable and
reporting deadline schedule (the activities, times and dates must naturally
be set in accordance with local election laws and campaign needs):
Sample Precinct Timetable and Reporting Deadlines
March 6
-- County chairman begins holding District meetings with
Precinct Leaders.
April 6
-- Deadline for Precinct Leaders to send names of block
workers to County headquarters. Precinct Leader meets
with block workers and distributes work materials.
May 6
--
Precinct Leader appoints Telephone, Transportation and
Babysitter Committee. Deadline for block workers to turn
in completed canvass cards to Precinct Leader. Precinct
Leader processes cards immediately.
May 23
--
Deadline for information from block workers on voters
needing babysitters, transportation, etc.
June 6
--
Primary Election day. Precinct Leader and his staff
follow up on all election day activities.
Sept. 28 --
Precinct Leader sends to County headquarters additions and
changes in list of block workers. Precinct Leader meets
with block workers and distributes additional work materials.
Deadline for selecting poll watchers.
Oct. 7
--
Block workers begin making final calls on voters in their
area.
Oct. 24 --
Deadline for information from block workers on voters
needing babysitters, absentee ballots, etc. Brief poll watchers.
Nov. 4 --
Precinct Leader makes final check on election day prepara-
tions. Telephone Committee starts calling Republican voters
urging them to vote and checking transportation needs.
Nov. 7
--
General Election day. Precinct Leader and his staff follow
up on all election day activities to get out the entire Repub-
lican vote.
33
Incentives and Rewards:
Develop motivation for the fundamental jobs of canvassing and re-
cruiting with a coordinated appeal via training, education and
public relations activities.
Ideas for reward programs to spur workers:
Washington, D. C. trips
State Capital trips
Free tickets to $100 dinners
Plaques or trophies for contest winners
Cash prizes, TV sets, etc., for contest winners
Special badges, emblems, identification for workers
Special honors for exceptional service
Certificates for training programs
Consider contests for:
Highest percentage of registered Republicans voting
Highest percentage or highest number of new registrations
Highest percentage or highest number of ticket sales
Highest percentage or highest number of financial pledges obtained
Highest percentage or highest number of new club memberships
Warnings:
Reward programs can be troublesome if not carefully planned
and executed, or if overdone.
Be sure any program planned does not violate any statutes.
Be sure any contest judging system is understood.
Be sure any contest planned creates a fair opportunity for all
participants.
See to it that every worker receives an appropriate expression
of appreciation for his efforts.
34
Canvassing
Door-to-door personal canvassing is the fundamental party activity,
and developing its effectiveness should always be a top priority
effort.
Have some calling cards for door-to-door canvassers to leave if no
one is at home.
When Republicans move from the city to the suburbs, see that the
appropriate party organization is alerted to keep in touch
with them.
Door-to-door canvassing for registration should be conducted by
trained personnel. Have adequate training programs for
canvassers.
Be sure the registration canvass focuses on the unregistered Republican
voter.
Door-to-door canvassing in teams of two frequently proves more
effective than a single canvasser or a squad.
Have canvassers distribute appropriate literature while making their
rounds.
Encourage canvassers to develop their own approaches, but to be
natural, alert and sympathetic to special problems.
Special canvassing techniques may need to be used in large apartment
buildings.
Women's clubs frequently are willing as a unit to undertake telephone
canvassing of an area.
Be sure canvassers see canvassing as a serious business as well as
a social contact.
Organize post-canvass sessions to allow canvassers to review and
exchange experiences.
35
Campaign Activities and Techniques
Consider using a good "mailing service" during campaigns for big
mailings.
Know your opposition.
Have campaign goals, schedule completion times for each, and insist
on compliance.
Try to disorganize and demoralize your opposition, so they fight among
themselves instead of against you.
Many small meetings of 10-12 voters accomplish more than one
"extravaganza. 11
Pace yourself and the campaign -- a balanced performance brings
the best results.
Integrate the ticket see that local candidates appear on the platform
when state and national candidates appear in your city.
Poll watching is an activity which lends itself to being called a public
duty. Consider using this appeal to seek the services of in-
dependents and professional people.
Keep candidates free of organizational and mechanical problems.
Remember pretty girls are usually excellent literature distributors.
Junior executives do an excellent job of manning the polls.
Where election day polling activities put a premium on poll watchers,
develop a training program to assure having watchers who know
their business and their rights.
Where poll watchers do not have to be residents of their polling districts,
develop a trained cadre of poll watchers to be spotted around the
city as needed.
Where poll watchers must be residents of their polling districts, insist
on their selectors giving evidence of the watchers ability and
devotion to duty.
A mailing which contains the party slate for all offices -- local, state
and national and is sent to every registered voter will avoid
the necessity of individual candidates each having a separate mailing.
Inquire into the feasibility of using some kind of automatic data processing
system for preparing work kit materials and record keeping.
36
Candidate Recruitment
In complex local situations, consider "fusion ticket" candidates with local
political groups.
Secure training opportunities for potential candidates, such as memberships
in Toastmasters Clubs.
Develop programs for publicizing potential candidates.
Get employers to give candidates leaves of absences to run for public office.
Conduct a good school for candidates on issues and policies.
Select candidates early.
Offer a full slate of candidates for partisan offices.
Develop an attractive, effective plan of action for organization support of
candidates who win nomination, as an inducement to seek the
nomination.
Solicit candidate suggestions from various community groups.
Solicit candidate suggestions from party workers.
Do not make candidacy support solely a reward for faithful party service.
There are other ways to reward the faithful when they are not the
best candidate material.
Help prospective candidates develop and qualify through active participation
in organization programs.
Develop a realistic set of criteria for judging candidate qualifications.
Emphasize the importance of top quality candidates for local office as well
as higher levels.
Do not promise potential candidates support and assistance you cannot
deliver.
37
Training, Education and Research
Prepare or secure a leadership training film for the use of party officials.
Use training and education programs to foster better communications in
the organization.
Prepare work kits for precinct workers.
Prepare a "Handbook for Workers. 11
Develop a training program for election day poll watchers, including actual
case histories of experiences in Chicago and elsewhere.
Develop training programs for election board judges and clerks if the local
government does not do this adequately.
Develop training programs for ward and precinct commiteeemen.
Schedule regular training sessions throughout the year.
Consider an ideas study school for education of party workers.
Contact local schools and colleges for assistance in developing training,
research and education programs for the party. Locate Republican
teachers and enlist their services.
Have a well-advertised and accessible "reference center" where volunteers
and interested citizens can get answers to their questions.
Organize a volunteer research group among local educators and professional
people to help collect and analyze data for use in party publications.
Know the research facilities and data available from state and national party
headquarters, and develop your research activities to supplement
rather than repeat them.
38
Public Relations
--
Public Issues
If balloting irregularities are a problem, consider supporting or undertaking
a drive for use of voting machines.
Develop a program for coordinating speaker appearances before service
clubs and other organizations.
Send greeting cards and literature to new citizens. Contact them personally.
Send letters to new residents telling them what they would want to know about
living in your city.
Welcome Wagons are effective contacts with new citizens. Have Republican
information and literature included.
Organize newcomers clubs to welcome new women into party activities.
Acquaint people with their precinct.
Use big name speakers whenever possible. Make maximum use of national
speakers whenever they visit your city.
One area in which many opportunities arise for developing good public
relations involves urban renewal projects. Contact Republican business-
men, architects, attorneys concerned with these projects and help
tradesmen and residents affected by them.
One good approach to public issues: organize a Republican Forum to disucss
issues, conduct surveys, study politics, advise on public opinions through-
out the year.
Some cities might find it sueful to draft a "party flatform" on local issues.
Publicize the role and importance of precinct work at every opportunity.
Promote and assist teenage and college activities which can earn credit for
the Republican Party.
Consider organizing a team of speakers -- each expert on one topic or issue --
to give effective coverage of issues and to provide ready-made dis-
cussion forums.
Good public relations call for imagination as well as writing talent.
Investigate using a professional advertising or public relations agency for the
mechanical aspects of your campaign promotion. It often costs no more
than doing it within the organization and frees your staff for other duties.
39
Special Activities
Develop films designed to recruit support among language-culture and
racial groups and have important speakers to accompany film
presentations.
Locate key members of labor, professional, language-culture, racial groups
who are sympathetic to the Republican Party and draw them into party
activities.
Have Republican Clubs make a concerted effort to draw membership from
all groups in the community.
Ask leaders of special groups in the community to speak to Republican
meetings.
Give the major community socio-economic groups an opportunity to express
themselves on possible party candidates.
Try a regular "dutch treat" luncheon or other periodic gathering of party
leaders with leaders of local groups.
Use special group representatives on advisory committees.
Do not ignore an important group just because it is considered unfriendly or
Democratic. It is almost impossible for the membership of any group
to be 100% against you -- if you are not against them.
Encourage representatives of special population groups to seek election to
party committees.
Take an active role in naturalization activities -- have party representation
on any pertinent council and send letters and literature to newly
naturalized citizens.
Be sure candidates meet with as many special groups as possible.
Develop activity programs which will have special appeals for members
of professions and encourage them to participate: for example,
attorneys and educators might find appealing a program designed to
insure honest election day balloting. Another idea -- a Republican
Forum to discuss issues, make surveys, advise on policy and public
opinion, etc., which draws on professional talents.
Develop a roster of special professional talents availab le for use by party
committees.
Organize fund-raising clubs in professional groups.
40
Consider neighborhood party club organizations as a means of making
special group appeals.
Get a directory of or ganizations in your city and develop a long-range
project with the goal of establishing a direct and useful contact
with every one.
Work as closely as possible with nonpartisan voter organizations and
encourage active Republicans to join such groups. They are the
source of some important and useful studies of issues and policies
and carry considerable influence among so-called "independent"
voters.
Where local elections are nonpartisan, encourage active Republicans to
participate as private citizens in local nonpartisan election or-
ganizations. If they don't, they lose their main chance to have
influence on local affairs.
Develop a program of activities which can be made the basis for a
year around appeal to the undeclared and independent voter.
Affiliated Republicans
When and where possible, maintain joint, or adjoining, headquarters
facilities with affiliated Republican groups. It should help
in coordinating efforts, in promoting feeling of common purpose,
and in providing an easily remembered place for the public to find
and deal with Republicans.
Consider the possibility of having each affiliated group assume responsibility
for complete handling of a specific activity or program for the
regular organization.
Encourage the development of social clubs under Republican auspices.
Absentee voter programs are good assignments for one of the affiliated
organizations.
Promote and assist teenage and college associations of Young Republicans.
Collegiate Young Republicans can be of tremendous help -- give
them guidance, speakers, financial aid, and assignments.
41
Organize a GOP Senior Citizens group. The population age group over
65 years old is becoming larger and more important all the time,
and constitutes a group with the time, interest and ability to
contribute much to party activities.
Analyze the membership and organization of party auxiliary groups and
develop projects which will use the available resources most
effectively.
Social Activities
Use "coffee Klatches" as devices to open "locked apartment doors."
Work with recreation groups for children.
Participate in newcomers clubs welcoming new residents. Welcome new
wives into women's party activities.
Don't forget the old stand-bys: picnics, neighborhood cook-outs and
barbecues, box suppers, group attendance at sporting events,
baseball games, boat cruises, etc.
Develop social activities that produce profits for the party treasury.
Develop social affairs appealing to teenagers and college students.
Get Senior Citizen groups to work on social programs.
Organize trips and tours to government agencies, the legislature, the
courts, etc., and combine recreation with political education.
Use small social gatherings to get frank opinions on candidates and issues.
Finances
With good plans you can get money. Set up specific plans and programs
to show what the money buys.
It is the finance committee's responsibility to work out plans which will
provide sufficient money to do the job.
Neighbor-to Neighbor finance plans have proved effective money raisers
in many areas.
42
Consider a regular series of $10 and up dinners to broaden the basis
of financial support beyond the limited reach of $100 affairs.
Don't overlook the financial possibilities of various social activities.
In some cases services of a professional fund-raising organization may
be worthwhile.
If separate finance committees raise your funds, be sure that citizens
reached understand the relationship of the committee to the
regular party organization.
When different groups are involved in fund-raising, see to it that their
activities are coordinated and that repeated appeals are not made
to the same people.
Consider the use of a regular dues-paying membership program for
fund-raising as well as for developing strong party ties.
Consider including a subscription to a party publication as part of a
plan for collecting membership dues.
Have a special program for training workers in asking for financial
contributions.
Develop specially-tailored financial appeals for various segments of the labor,
business and professional communities.
Try to raise election year special financial contributions before the
beginning of the campaign so effective planning can be done.
The budget spells out your program. Prepare it well in advance even
though the money required is not in hand.
Get sound legal advice on all finance matters before acting. The statutes
on financial operations are the most stringent.
Mail solicitations must be exceptionally well-prepared to compete with
the great volume of mail promotions received by citizens.
Acknowledge every contribution, regardless of size.
Expenditures should be made only on authorization of one or two designated
persons, to control disbursements and to assure proper records for
accounting purposes.
43
Do not overburden the willing fund collector -- keep him willing for another
year.
See that fund collectors have sufficient knowledge of candidates, platforms
and party philosophy to answer basic questions while soliciting.
Give the public an understandable accounting of party finance.
The following excerpts from a publication of the Republican National
Finance Committee contain suggestions helpful in conducting fund-
raising campaigns:
The object of the campaign is to organize a large enough team
of volunteer salesmen so that each potential contributor may be personally
asked to give by that person best qualified to obtain a maximum contribution.
The basic mechanics leading to a successful campaign are simple but
important:
(1) Ledger cards or lists or both showing the name, address and contri-
butions of all previous contributors.
(2) Names and addresses of potential new contributors who ought to give
to the Party even if they have not done so in the past.
(3) Pledge cards, prepared in advance for all contributors and potential
contributors.
(4) A clear statement of the need for funds.
(5) A budget including amounts for local, state and national use.
(6) A plan for the campaign, including (a) the divisions of the campaign
organization (see sample organization chart), (b) the division quotas. (c) the
time schedule (see sample timetable).
The Necessary Organization
The size and socio-economic complexity of counties vary greatly,
therefore one fund-raising campaign plan would not be appropriate for
all counties. The organization chart on the following page would be appro-
priate for most counties containing a large city
Suggested Timetable
1st Week -- Finance Chairman enlists Division Chairmen and meets with them
to outline plans and discuss responsibilities.
2nd Week Division Chairmen enlist Captains, Town and Ward Chairmen.
44
ORGANIZATION OF A TYPICAL UNITED REPUBLICAN FINANCE CAMPAIGN
COUNTY FINANCE COMMITTEE
COUNTY FINANCE CHAIRMAN
STEERING COMMITTEE
Business Division Chairman
MATERIALS
County Division Chairman
and
General Division Chairman
PUBLICITY
Labor Division Chairman
Materials and Publicity Chairman
Republicon Women's Federation
Special Gifts Division Chairman
Young Republican Club
ADVANCE DIVISIONS
NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBOR DIVISIONS
Special Gifts Chairman
Labor
County Chairman
General Chairman
45
PROSPECTS: All previous
Commerce & Industry
substantial contributors and
all others who have the
Town
Town
Town
Town
The size and organization of this
means and interest to make
PROSPECTS: Officers and
Chair-
Chair-
Chair-
Chair-
division are based on the number of
substantial contributions.
Include members of profes-
Executives of every organiza-
registered Republicans in each area.
man
man
man
man
sions.
tion in the county.
Captain
Captain
Captain
Salesmen
Captain
Captain
Captain
Ward
Ward
Ward
Ward
Captain
Captain
Captain
Captain
prec inct chai rmen
Salesmen
Salesmen
Salesmen
Community leaders who are
Key man in each organiza-
capable of giving in this
tion to enlist enough helpers
Young Republicans
category.
to solicit salaried personnel.
Republican Women
Service Club Members
3rd Week -- Each Division Chairman meets with his Captains, Town or Ward
Chairmen to discuss plans. Begin enlistment of salesmen.
4th Week Deadline for enlistment of team members or salesmen for
Advance Divisions. Information letter to all prospects.
5th Week -- Instruction of team members and prospect selection meeting for
Advance Divisions. Solicitation be gins. (Neighbor-to-Neighbor Divi-
sions will continue to enlist personnel.)
6th Week -- Begin report meetings, twice weekly, preferably Tuesdays and
Fridays (Advance Divisions).
7th Week -- Report meetings continue (Advance Divisions). Instruction and
training of Neighbor-to-Neighbor Division personnel.
8th Week -- Final report meetings for Advance Divisions. Neighbor-to-
Neighbor Divisions begin solicitation.
9th and 10th Weeks -- Neighbor-to Neighbor Divisions complete solicitation.
Report meetings as scheduled.
Some Tips on Solicitation
Select the best people available to serve as Division Chairmen.
Good meetings both inspire and instruct.
Assign prospect cards with care. It is very important and desirable that
each prospect be solicited by the person best qualified to secure
his contribution.
A pre-solicitation letter may be well wor thwhile and will increase the pro-
ductivity of the personal call made a few days later by the solicitor.
Always follow up a letter with a personal call.
Acknowledge every contribution promptly.
Go all out on publicity.
Basic Outline of Procedures for Fund-Raising Dinners
A. The Finance Chairman appoints a Dinner Chairman.
B. The Dinner Chairman appoints an Executive Committee. Each
member of the Executive Committee is assigned a specific job by the Dinner
Chairman, and most of the members are asked to serve as Vice Chairmen,
heading up specific divisions in the sale and promotion of tickets.
C. The following Vice Chairmen are usually designated. They are
listed here in the normal sequence of program planning.
(1) Program Chairman -- must make all arrangements and contacts
necessary to obtain a speaker or speakers. It is absolutely necessary that
a firm commitment be received from the main speaker before final plans of
the committee are made.
46
(c) Arrangements Chairman -- will contact hotels or other establish-
ments that can provide dinner facilities; must have commitments from es-
tablishments as to price and maximum capacities; presents figures to the
Executive Committee which will choose location; after location has been
chosen, submit contracts to committee attorneys for legal counsel.
(3) Publicity Chairman - will handle all publicity releases, printed
literature, invitations, program, etc. (In large cities it may be wise to
engage the services of a professional publicity man.)
(4) Ticket Sales Chairman -- must coordinate all ticket sales being
handled by the following vice chairmen:
Commerce and Industry Chairman -- will enlist a ticket sales force
who will promote ticket sales throughout all the major industries in the county.
Special Gifts Chairman -- will provide a sales force of prominent per-
sons in the community who, through business or social contacts, can approach
those people whose names appear in the records of the Finance Committee.
Hostess Chairman a prominent woman is appointed to conduct a
series of weekly luncheons for women who are able themselves or through
their contacts to sponsor a table. A Host and Hostess approach is used
in the sale of tables of ten. They buy two tickets and guarantee to sell the
other eight, thus filling the table. The Hostess Chairman also appoints
Hostesses for each table. This group ushers guests to their tables at the
dinner. Each Hostess buys a ticket in order to serve on the Committee.
Geographic Chairman -- a general geographic solicitation is a popular
ticket plan whereby a large number of people are contacted and their small
individual gifts are pooled toward the purchase of one ticket. Anyone who
desires to attend the dinner but cannot afford the ticket price himself can
raise the money by soliciting several smaller contributions. The general
geographic group also works through such political organizations as Women's
Clubs and Young Republicans, who give the dinner wide publicity in their
bulletins and may sponsor special events to raise money to purchase a
ticket and send a representative of their group to the dinner.
(5) Reservations Chairman -- will obtain a floor plan from the
hotel or restaurant where the dinner is to be held and will set up a definite
program of assigning tables and tickets.
47
Committee on
BIG CITY POLITICS
REPORT
of the
Subcommittee on Labor, Business,
Professional and Independent Groups
THE HONORABLE GORDON ALLOTT, Chairman
United States Senator from Colorado
THE HONORABLE SILVIO O. CONTE
Member of Congress (1st District, Massachusetts)
MISS SHIRLEY FIELD
Former member, House of Representatives of the State of Oregon
JOHN STENDER
Vice President, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship
Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (AFL-CIO)
CHARLES THONE
Former Chairman, Nebraska Republican State Central Committee and
former member of the Republican National Committee
The Subcommittee on Labor, Business, Professional and Indepen-
dent Groups has undertaken a series of studies, interviews and discussions
in reaching its conclusions. We find that too many leaders in the Repub-
lican Party have taken for granted that Labor is in the other camp. At
the same time our Party leaders have taken for granted that Business as
such generally not only is Republican but works at it.
Neither of these views is correct, and much potential Republican
strength in both areas has been lost by neglect and default.
Securing the working participation and the vote of both the labor
and the business communities should be among the major objectives of
the Republican Party. Trite as it may sound, the only formula for suc-
cess is alert, knowledgeable hard work. This is particularly true in the
complex metropolitan areas where a majority of our citizens live.
Subcommittee findings indicate that spokesmen for labor and busi-
ness, as well as specialists on political activity in these areas, believe
that the problems and the solutions in both fields are quite similar. There
has been a minimum of organized Republican activity in both areas. Large
blocks of potential votes remain relatively untapped. So are manpower
and financial resources.
Republican policy makers at all levels must recognize these facts.
They must agree on the need for specific programs. They must back
those programs long enough to let them have a real impact.
The community of interest between working people and the Repub-
lican Party must be constantly and clearly identified. The same is true
of both corporate management and the independent businessman.
Five general recommendations are made:
1. Develop realistic, regular communication with the action
leaders of both groups.
2. On this foundation, build a responsible relationship with
labor and business.
3. Provide immediate, meaningful assignments within the party
and its affiliates for volunteers from these groups.
4. Give recognition and express appreciation for support and
interest.
1
5. Give strong party leadership, and follow through
with programming, staff and budget.
The problems and needs go far beyond this, of course, but here
are their roots. There has been insufficient guidance, instruction and
encouragement from the national and state levels in these fundamental
activities, even though it is true each must ultimately be performed at
the precinct, city or county level by both candidates and party officials.
Individual reports and recommendations for each area of the
Subcommittee's inquiry follow:
LABOR
Problems
The national work force is 68 million, of which 25 million are
women. Only 16 million are organized. Many of these regularly receive
union literature on political issues, mostly anti-Republican. This sets
the general tone in factory, office and neighborhood discussion. Workers
who are Republican-inclined are supplied with few, if any, answers by
the Republican Party.
Democrats in the 1930's attracted a majority of the labor vote.
That majority has stayed in their column largely by Republican default.
The Republican Party has made only intermittent, irregular efforts to
recapture it.
Such efforts generally have been intensive only at campaign time.
Any interested citizen wants to feel he is a factor 365 days a year. Fur-
ther, a union leader who is given public recognition by the party only at
campaign time is likely to be suspect to his fellow workers and lose his
value to the party.
The problems center in Republican organization. In the field of
labor, the organization too often has had poor liaison work, poor discipline,
poor follow-up. At times, city organizations appear hesitant to broaden
the base of the party, because they take for granted that labor's ranks are
dominated by their leaders in the Democratic Party.
2
Recommendations
I. Identification
A. Careful surveys and canvasses to determine union members
and other industrial and office workers who are GOP workers
(committeemen, poll watchers, local officials, etc.). Use
these as a nucleus to locate others who are GOP-oriented.
1. Include husbands, sons, daughters of GOP women workers.
B. Methods and Sources.
1. Through plants, contractors, companies, railroads, etc.,
as sources for names.
2. Through union Republicans.
3. Use of businessmen in politics programs to help identify
Republicans in blue collar and white collar jobs.
4. Utilization of nucleus group to identify and locate working
people who are Republican-inclined through:
a. Labor union political action groups.
b. Union legislative representatives.
C. Local employer associations.
d. Trade associations.
e. Chambers of Commerce.
f. City directories, voting lists.
g. Neighborhood clubs.
h. Door-to-door canvasses.
i. Workers in previous campaigns.
II. Recruitment
A. Regular Party organization is responsible.
1. Establish staff and/or special program to utilize committee-
man, YR's, women's groups, businessmen in politics groups,
etc., to bring labor people into active party work. Have
specific tasks for them to do when you enlist them.
2. Utilize local party officials; sponsors; prominent individ-
uals; outside help from State, National or Congressional
and Senate Campaign Committees; friendly unorganized
working leaders. Assign special organizers at appropriate
levels for party activity.
3
3. Support the program with:
a. Finances.
b. Literature.
C. Recognition.
d. Training.
e. Continuity.
f. Communication.
B. Training school for volunteers with special worker orientation.
1. Special precinct projects to identify and recruit.
2. Discussions of political records.
3. In-plant and in-office activities.
4. In-union activity.
5. Selection of potential leaders.
C. Assign specific tasks, provide specific interests and informa-
tion, detail special organizers and coordinators at appropriate
levels of party activity.
1. Define role of county and city committees as it relates
to national and state committees. Establish and require
responsibility.
2. Utilize advisory committees.
3. Professional management and direction of the total project.
III. A Labor Program
A. To utilize persons recruited through formulation of an organ-
ized program and specific assignments for labor groups.
1. Three functions:
a. Organizations.
b. Information and Research.
C. Public Relations.
2. Coordinated at state, county, city levels, and all active
persons consolidated within the party.
4
IV.
Communications
A. A continuing program of research, recording and dissemina-
tion of information of specific interest to the working man and
woman is essential. It must be constant and utilize all forms
of communication. Most important are aggressive personal
contacts, not only by Republican-oriented working people, but
by Republicans at all levels of party and office with labor
spokesmen at all levels whose advice and cooperation should
be sought actively and constantly. This must seek to relate
the Republican Party to the working man and the working man
to the Republican Party.
B. Develop a consolidated record of all personal assistance and
cooperation to labor representatives by Republican officials
and legislators. This can be done from city hall-council
areas, state legislative and congressional sources. Compile
summaries through which labor can identify its individual,
family and group aspirations with Republican philosophy,
especially individual opportunity and anti-inflation fiscal
responsibility.
C. Present bold statements of Republican positions, both national
and on pertinent local issues. Use speakers who know labor
problems and answers.
D. Point out inconsistencies and duplicities in the records of
Democratic incumbents and party: North-South split, inflation
and tax increases under Democrats, Democratic control of
Congress 26 of past 30 years.
E. Carefully consider development of material relevant to formu-
lation of a favorable GOP labor attitude.
1. Type of fact content.
2. Utilization of original research rather than secondary
source material.
3. Special emphasis on original and boldly Republican-
labor oriented material.
F. Consider use of general media approach to supplement personal
contacts and influences.
5
G. Concentration on neighborhood approach, particularly in
suburban areas where many working people are now moving.
Greet the new family and cultivate it.
H. Specific programs to put material directly into hands of
laboring people.
1. Plant visitation programs.
2. Literature distribution programs -- plant or office
plus neighborhood.
3. Utilize labor officials and leaders who are Republicans
to speak not only to labor groups but to Republican and
civic groups on subjects of labor and Republicanism.
4. Mailing lists compiled and kept current from identifica-
tion and recruiting programs.
V. Incentives
A. Recognition should be continuing -- honorary appointments,
committee assignments, business encouragement, convention
delegate posts, speaking assignments, press coverage.
B. Encouragement must include part-time patronage jobs, aid in
financing campaigns for better prospective candidates.
C. Candidate selection.
1. Evaluate blue collar and white collar workers, union
members and officials, outstanding unorganized workers
for potential in running for office on Republican tickets.
a. It is the responsibility of state and local chairmen
to develop potential leaders in this group.
b. Assign special committees for this program.
C. Since most of this group are unable to meet even
minimum financing requirements for election cam-
paigns, provide special campaign financing and
patronage rewards.
6
d. Explore external sources of assistance for this
type of project.
VI. Women
A. One of the best potentials for the labor vote is through family
association in the neighborhood.
B. A definite program also should be planned for such women
workers as white collar clerks and waitresses.
C. These projects should be coordinated with those of the
Republican Women's Federation.
Labor Summary
The stands of the Republican Party over the years are for the good of the
wage earner -- for lower taxes, against inflation, for establishment of the eight-
hour day, etc. Unless Republicans sell this record, unless they support workers
who support the party, unless they communicate regularly -- and do it throughout
every year -- the Republican Party cannot expect the backing of the working men
and women. Properly organized, the labor vote can become an important factor
in Republican election victories.
BUSINESS
Problems
Contrary to hourly workers encouraged by shop stewards on a basis of
self-interest, salaried management people and small businessmen have a tendency
not to participate in politics. Corporate managers commonly are encouraged to
believe they will benefit in their company by civic work, for which they generally
receive no company recognition. There is no provision for time off for politics.
A businessman (whether corporate or independent) can be active in politics only
by curtailing other activities, usually with a loss in income. For this he receives
no compensation -- and usually no recognition -- from politics.
Businessmen often have little voice in party councils. Their needs may be
ignored in political catering to special interest groups. Volunteers may be rebuffed
on their initial approach to the party -- or at least given no specific assignment
because none is ready.
7
There has been insufficient follow-up by the Republican Party to
the businessman-in-politics training courses, whether conducted by
such groups as the Chamber of Commerce or by the management of
a specific company. Many businessmen simply do not understand
politics and therefore sometimes find specific aspects of it distasteful.
Many small businessmen who may be unable to make large finan-
cial contributions are either unwilling to display their inability to do so
or are unaware that party financing requires many $1, $5, $10, and
$25 gifts, preferably on a year around basis.
Small businessmen and even large retailers often fear retribution
if they are openly partisan.
The business community represents:
1. One of the major sources of manpower for the urban
Republican Party.
2. One of the major sources of finances for the entire
Republican Party.
3. One of the major reservoirs of needed skills of politics:
a.
Organizing
b. Selling
C.
Communications
d. Human Relations
The business community presents a challenge to the party to instill
more desire for party activity, both group and individual, a challenge
to broaden the funding base and a challenge to evoke a pride in Republi-
canism. Yet there is no program and no focal point in the Republican
Party for work in the field of business.
Recommendations
I. Introductory
A. The business community offers a medium for
1. Attracting labor support through education and contact.
2. Recruiting party adherents from present "independents. "
B. The business community is involved in a gray field of un-
decided legal questions about its participation in politics.
8
1. A determined program should be undertaken by business,
as was conducted by labor unions, to clarify these ques-
tions in the courts.
2. Party officials must recognize these legal problems.
C. Businessmen are not accepting responsibility for the political
system under which they live and function.
1. Managers of business need to devote time to political
affairs if they wish to maintain a free enterprise
economic system.
a. They must do so on a continuing, year around basis.
b. They must point out labor's stake in business success.
II. Identification
A. Careful surveys and canvasses to determine businessmen who
are active GOP workers and use them to locate others who
have displayed interest in party work to serve as a nucleus.
1. Include husbands, sons, daughters of GOP women workers.
B. Utilize this nucleus to identify and locate Republican-minded
persons who are opinion leaders in their companies, fields
of work, trade associations, civic organizations and social
activities.
1. Use particularly those who have displayed an awareness
through participation in current schools for businessmen
in politics or in corporate public affairs efforts. Send
the best party workers to participate in such schools.
III. Recruitment
A. Again, the regular party organization is responsible.
1. A staff and/or special programs should beestablished to
recruit businessmen and their families.
2. Utilize local party officials; finance workers; outside help
from National, Senatorial and Congressional Campaign and
State Committees; Volunteer businessmen, especially
corporate public affairs directors.
3. As in labor, the program must be supported with funds,
literature, recognition, leadership, training continuity
and communication,
9
B. Actively solicit party participation by businessmen, instead
of assuming some natural Republican bent will propel them
into party work.
1. The need for developing the businessman's political
awareness of his stake in our political system is just
as acute as the need for promoting Republican orienta-
tion of the working man and woman.
2. The stimulus for any company interest in politics must
stem from a decision that one of the basic management
responsibilities is achieving a fair political climate.
3. Cultivate the policy maker in each company or business
group. Ensure that he realizes politics is the art and
science of government. Relate partisan GOP activity to
the welfare of both the individual and the company. When
he responds, give him party and/or public recognition.
He will convince his associates.
4. Work to get political activity recognized within a company
and credited in personnel files on the same basis as other
civic work. If the husband is assured politics is a proper
activity, his wife generally will follow suit.
5. Actively seek businessmen with that specific personality
needed to maintain a continuing interest and activity in
political work.
6. Assign specific tasks to those organizing support from the
business community, but give coordinated professional
management and direction to the project.
IV. Communications
A. Much that applies to labor applies to business. Communication
must be constant and thorough. It must be two-way. It must
present the Republican position and the errors of the Democratic
position. It must create a better image which in turn will bring
support.
B. A key to communication can be found in the public affairs
directors of corporations and business associations. They
want guidance and, in turn, they have advice well worth con-
sidering. When individuals in these positions are doing a good
job, make sure that top management knows it.
10
V. Incentives
A. Recognition and appreciation for work well done is essential.
Patronage appointments, including the honorary type, are one
important means.
B. Assign businessmen party tasks for which they are fitted.
Volunteer campaign groups, for a single cause or candidate,
often are ideal because of limitations of time and inclination.
So are fund drives and honest ballot groups. Utilize effectively
the wealth of talents which industry provides when those talents
are volunteered to the party organization.
C. Encourage the younger businessman to consider candidacy for
public office at any level. If interested, help him prepare
himself.
Business in Summary
Both the Republican Party and business leaders must consider whether
top party officials and top corporate executives have well-articulated political
policies and whether local leadership, both party and corporate, perceives
these programs and policies in the correct light. This requires close coor-
dination at all levels -- a careful assignment of responsibilities and functions.
At National Committee headquarters, a specialist or group of specialists should
be retained on salary, part time fees or a voluntary basis to develop this
liaison.
PROFESSIONAL AND INDEPENDENT GROUPS
The Subcommittee considered the problems inherent in obtaining
support from professional associations and independent organizations and
makes the following observations and recommendations:
I. Activity with professional and independent groups
A. Recognize that most such clubs and associations are organized
and chartered on a definite nonpartisan basis.
1. They cannot be and should not be utilized as adjuncts to
the Party.
2. They can be and should be used as sounding boards for
Republican philosophy and achievements.
a. Encourage Republicans in such groups to stress
constantly the GOP viewpoint.
11
b. Help bring Republicans, particularly potential
candidates, before these groups as speakers.
C. Utilize acquaintances among these groups in mail
campaigns.
d. When Democrats present their views to these groups,
insist on equal treatment for Republicans.
B. Rapport can be established with these groups by joining in
their "civic-politico" or "profession-politico" action cam-
paigns when they are within the Republican philosophy.
12
Committee on
BIG CITY POLITICS
REPORT
of the
Subcommittee on
Nationalities and Minorities
THE HONORABLE EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, Chairman
Member of Congress (4th District, Illinois)
MRS. C. WAYLAND BROOKS
National Committeewoman for Illinois and Vice Chairman of the
Executive Committee of the Republican National Committee
THE HONORABLE JOHN VOLPE
Governor of Massachusetts
Preface
The report of the Subcommittee on Nationalities and Minorities
recommends a number of actions designed to create effective continu-
ing programs for attracting to the Republican banner many population
groups in our big cities who, for a variety of reasons, have not gen-
erally been sources of Republican strength in these areas. Not the
least of the reasons is the lack of organized party effort to attract
them to our ranks.
Thus it must be emphasized that the proposals set forth will
have small chance of success unless they are concurred in and ac-
tively promoted by top-level Republican leaders as a permanent pro-
gram.
National Committeemen and Committeewomen, State Chairmen,
County and other local Republican leaders must all become fully aware
of the potential that lies in this field and understand its effective utili-
zation.
The Subcommittee recommendations are made largely in general
terms. This is done deliberately, to encourage thought and suggestions
from others in implementing the general program. The need for a con-
certed effort to improve our vote appeal among these groups has been
realized for a long time. The problem has always been in development
and implementation of an effective permanent program. This can be
done only by our Party's leaders and by its workers.
Emphasis in this program in 1962 should be placed on Senatorial,
Congressional and statewide races, in cooperation with the Senatorial,
Congressional and State Campaign Committees and with individual
Senators and Representatives. If we concentrate on organizing the basic
structure for this special operation, its effectiveness can be tested in
the 1962 campaign. The errors and weaknesses then disclosed could be
ironed out before the 1964 Presidential campaign. The recruitment of
volunteers, the organization of committees at all levels, the assignment
of speakers and other steps must be undertaken immediately if we are to
achieve the desired effect in the coming elections.
****
1
REPORT
People in distinctive language-culture groups frequently are sensi-
tive about what sometimes seems to them to be Republican lack of in-
terest in them except during the last hours of campaign vote-solicitation.
They sometimes assert that the Republican Party is not interested in
the working class to which most of them belong. This attitude, needless
to say, has been cultivated by the Democrats.
Reversing these mistaken attitudes is not something that can be
accomplished in a six months' campaign, however intensive. It must
be done by starting with a well thought out strategic plan, and the com-
mittees and administrative staff to develop and implement this strategy
should be set up at once. Anything less than a full-time operation for
such a program would be an empty gesture. The Democrats maintain a
successful full-time operation, and last-minute Presidential election year
activities are doomed to fall short.
The basic modus operandi which is recommended herein for the
development of a permanent program for working with language-culture
groups within the Republican Party organization is flexible enough for
adjustments to meet the state, regional and national organizational prob-
lems that activity in this field will naturally face.
PERMANENT SPECIAL ACTIVITIES PROGRAM -- Nationalities
1. The Republican National Committee should initiate a full-time
program among language-culture groups by creating a permanent Special
Activities Division headed by an executive director. He must be pro-
vided the necessary secretarial staff and the necessary public relations
and promotional assistance facilities to do the job.
2. A Special Activities Council should be organized to develop
programs and work among these groups throughout the country, in com-
plete coordination with the Director of the Special Activities Division.
In forming the Activities Council, proper consideration should be
given to the size and geographic distribution of various language groups.
Membership on this committee should be divided into two basic categories--
advisory and active; the advisory being primarily honorary and extended
to respected veteran leaders of each group whose names will lend pres-
tige and authenticity to Committee efforts; the active consisting of younger,
intensely dedicated Republicans from such groups, who have a knowledge
of politics as well as their group, and who show the ability and potential
to provide leadership within their areas.
2
3. In at least the following key states, where sizable ethnic groups
exist, the Special Activities Division and the Activities Council should
organize immediate programs directed at the 1962 elections:
California
Missouri
Connecticut
Nebraska
Delaware
New Jersey
Illinois
New York
Indiana
Ohio
Maryland
Pennsylvania
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Michigan
West Virginia
Minnesota
Wisconsin
In the above states effective work would produce substantial gains in
the House of Representatives and could be a key factor in numerous Senate
contests. There also would be a great impact on state-wide and local
elections.
4. In each of these states it should be practical to establish one or
more city or metropolitan committees whose activities would be closely
coordinated with state and national operations. We recommend state com-
mittees be urged to take such steps. In Pennsylvania, for example, Pitts-
burgh, Philadelphia, Scranton, Erie, and the Wilkes-Barre area could all
have local committees. And, in Illinois, the Chicago metropolitan area
might be served by one committee with an East St. Louis committee serv-
ing that portion of the state.
These committees at all levels--national, state or regional, and
local- must be active and meet frequently, with emphasis on maintaining
a coordinated program through the entire structure. Properly done, such
an effort would mesh into genuine effectiveness at the local community
level. The committees should be organized on a volunteer basis, should
be kept broad enough to provide thorough coverage, but should not be so
large as to become unwieldy. The leaders at all levels must be carefully
selected, with emphasis on their ability to coordinate effectively the in-
dividual efforts of the members serving with them. It is important to
avoid the pitfall of striking out in all directions at the same time, in an
effort to please everyone equally. Care must be taken to assure that
members of the committees will provide more than just use of their names
and, in addition, will not be a source of controversy within their own
language-culture group.
3
The real key to a successful operation, however, will be the direc-
tor of the Special Activities Division who, within the framework set by
the Republican National Committee, must proceed to organize a permanent
program, in keeping with our ultimate objectives, which will succeed in
winning the votes of these population groups.
MEDIA THROUGH WHICH PROGRAM SHOULD BE CONDUCTED
A continuing program of public relations and publicity could be used
to coordinate meetings and activities, to generate enthusiasm long before
an election and to avoid the charge of last-minute selfish purposes. Many
means are available and can be used effectively.
1. Fraternal insurance groups, religious and patriotic associations
and clubs, veteran, education and historical groups--all can be effectively
and efficiently exposed to Republican activity. These groups appreciate
the support and good will of outside organizations and genuine rapport can
be successfully established with them.
2. A policy of recognizing the traditional observances of each eth-
nic group should be instituted through regular use of special messages
from Republican VIPs.
3. A special Speakers' Bureau of prominent national, Congressional,
state and local Republican officials should be developed for key engagements
at conventions, banquets, commemorative occasions, and regular meetings
of language-culture organizations.
4. The Foreign Language Press must be contacted regularly to de-
velop effective working relations with them. This activity could be coor-
dinated with appearances and press releases to cover the activities of the
above-mentioned Speakers' Bureau. Since many voters in big cities still
depend heavily on foreign language newspapers for their information, these
publications often represent the best vehicle through which our message
can reach these people. The most effective arrangements with the foreign
language press would be those initiated by local communities, with infor-
mational material supplied from national headquarters.
5. Foreign Language Radio Stations in big cities offer similar op-
portunities for broad coverage. The large number of foreign language
broadcasts found in major metropolitan areas provide the same relation-
ship to their listeners that the press does to those who must use the
foreign language press. Therefore this channel also must be used to the
greatest possible extent.
4
6. Republican Party supporters should be encouraged to utilize
these communication media in every possible way.
7. Party organizations should develop advertising budgets pro-
viding for regular periodic advertising in all foreign language com-
munication media.
SOME SPECIFIC PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS
New Immigrants
A tremendous source of support for the Republican Party can be
found in post-war immigrants who, because of strong anti-Communist
feelings and previous community positions, have a definite affinity to
the principles of the Republican Party. They must be cultivated at
every opportunity since they are steadily assuming positions of major
importance in language-culture group organizations.
Political Appointments
Consistent efforts should be made to see that party organizations,
in distributing such political patronage as may be available, give due
consideration to the various language-culture groups. Once again, com-
plaints have been heard that some Republicans forget this source of
support after the campaign is over. Government employment is held
in high esteem by many of these groups, especially in large cities, and
its political impact should not be ignored.
Candidate Recruitment
The Special Activities Division, the Special Activities Council,
and other state and local committees organized to implement the pro-
gram of activities recommended herein will be concerned with drawing
into active party roles citizens from these distinctive segments of our
population. One major function of the program thus should be to en-
courage a widespread effort to develop and recruit Republican Party
leaders and candidates for public office from among the members of
these groups.
5
PERMANENT SPECIAL ACTIVITIES PROGRAM -- Minorities
The regular Republican organization in predominantly Negro wards
in our big cities frequently is woefully weak and just as frequently non-
existent. Our problem in these situations is to establish effective per-
sonal contacts within the Negro community and draw Negro citizens into
regular party activities. Certainly our Party's splendid record in the
field of civil rights merits greater recognition and response than it has
received.
The Republican National Committee has had for many years a
permanent Minorities Division which has concentrated primarily on
working among Negroes. Building on this foundation, we recommend
that:
1. The National Committee expand its public relations activities
especially directed toward building support among our Negro population.
At the present time only one column a week, aimed particularly at the
Negro press, is distributed by the National Committee. This program
should be expanded to include the regular release to all communication
media oriented to the Negro community of special items which would
benefit the Republican Party.
2. The National Committee enlarge its field forces to permit in-
creased organizational activities in those states most concerned with
this program.
3. The National Committee place special emphasis on encouraging
organizational activities in our big cities which will bring Negro citizens
more fully into all Republican programs.
4. The Republican Party at all levels particularly concern itself
with encouraging Negro women to work in their communities in behalf of
the party and Republican candidates.
5. Special emphasis continue to be placed on bringing young Negro
citizens into active participation in Young Republican Clubs.
6. The Republican Party make a concerted effort in big cities to
develop and recruit party leaders and candidates for public office from the
ranks of its Negro supporters.
6
Committee on
BIG CITY POLITICS
REPORT
of the
Subcommittee on Public Relations,
Use of Surveys
And Educational Methods
L. JUDSON MORHOUSE, Chairman
Chairman, New York Republican State Committee and member of the
Republican National Committee
THE HONORABLE BRUCE ALGER
Member of Congress (5th District, Texas)
THE HONORABLE P. KENNETH PETERSON
Former Mayor of the City of Minneapolis and former Chairman of the
Minnesota Republican State Central Committee
Preface
This report of the Subcommittee on Public Relations, Use of
Surveys and Educational Methods has been divided into two sections.
Section I deals with Surveys and the Use of Surveys, Section II covers
Public Relations and Educational Methods.
In our report we have endeavored to be brief, to the point, and
factual. We believe the report contains considerable food for thought
for those who would guide the destinies of the Republican Party. We
hope it will be of assistance in helping the Republican Party find the
pathway to further victories.
If it is possible to summarize the findings of this Subcommittee,
it would be as follows:
The problem of maintaining two-way communication between party
and public becomes greater as our population grows and our society becomes
more complex. The problem is magnified in our big cities. To avoid the
political consequences of a lapse in these communications, we must utilize
every means to get our message to the public and to obtain their opinions on
public affairs. In this connection it seems to us that:
a. The Republican Party will be a minority in the big cities until
its true concern with the problems of all citizens is accurately and fully
identified. Our party is too frequently mistakenly identified with big
business and privilege.
b. People think in terms of immediate problems and crises,
not broad issues. Semantic arguments usually only confuse the public
or convey an aura of insincerity to people whose chief interest is "What
are you doing about it?"
C. The Republican Party must re-emphasize its position as a
dynamic, forward-looking movement with answers to the people's
problems.
1. The principles of the Republican Party, derived from
the American heritage of individual initiative, free enterprise, thrift and
planning ahead, can best solve the problems that confront the American
people in the 1960's.
2. The Republican Party must fight being erroneously labeled
as the party which is against change and new ideas.
3. The Republican Party must continue to emphasize the
rights and the freedom of expression of its individual members.
1
To accomplish these purposes, we recommend year around,
intensive and expert use of:
1. Public opinion surveys to provide one important basis for
an effective two-way communication system between party and voter.
Surveys have special value for:
a. evaluation of candidates
b. determination of problems and their importance
C. determination of party strength
d. testing ideas and tactics
e. planning educational programs
2. Public relations and publicity programs which effectively
utilize the particular advantages of press, radio and television as media
of mass communication in big cities.
3. Programs of political education within the party organization
and also in schools and among community groups, to assure that our record
and our purposes are understood by everyone and to build support for our
party.
4. Research as a fundamental tool of politics which provides much
of our working material and is basic to good public relations and educational
programs.
2
I.
SURVEYS AND THE USE OF SURVEYS
Introduction
There are more than one hundred and eighty million people in the
United States. This is thirty million more than there were in 1950. As
for voters -- twenty million more people voted in the Presidential elec-
tion of 1960 than voted for President in 1948. Nearly seventy million
people voted for President in 1960. Voters in the 41 largest cities cast
about 22% of this vote.
Successful politics involves two-way communication between party
and voters. But how well can the Republican Party know seventy million
voters -- their problems, their fears, their hopes, their beliefs, their
ideas? Or how can our city organizations know these things about the mil-
lions of voters they serve? At an earlier time political leaders could be
closer to people's thinking because there were fewer people. Today there
is always danger of a communications gap between party leaders and the
general public.
Public opinion surveys are a principal means of avoiding such a
gap -- of maintaining the close relationship between citizens and their
political leaders which has been the mainstay of our republican form of
government.
Any communication by sight or sound will be interpreted by the
recipient on the basis of his own attitudes, beliefs and knowledge. If
the President of the United States makes a speech on television, everyone
sees the same picture and hears exactly the same words. Yet his speech
will be interpreted as good, bad or indifferent, depending upon the political
affiliation, expectancy, attitudes, ideas and opinions of the various listeners.
What seems very logical to one person may be considered completely illogical
by another.
Therefore, a true leader -- to influence people to his way of thinking,
to gain support for a program, to accomplish what he thinks should be
accomplished -- must have some knowledge about the frame of reference in
which his communications will be received by the public. It is not enough
for a political leader to have principles and convictions. He must know how
to communicate his beliefs so that they will be accepted by those he represents.
It may be unfortunate, but it is true that we live in a world of decreasing per-
sonal communication and increasing mass communication.
3
Another fact of life in contemporary politics is that the voter has
learned how to split his ballot. When a candidate has well-known qualifica-
tions or rises above party image (or professional politician image) voters
are inclined to ignore party labels and vote for him. When candidates are
not well known or are not considered outstanding, the voter relies on party
image. With more voters considering themselves Democrats than Republicans,
this gives the Democrats an obvious advantage toward winning national elec-
tions. The practice is just as signif icant in state and local elections.
Hence it is vital for the Republican Party to know the voter's
image of it and of its candidates. It is not enough for Republican leaders
to know what they think of themselves -- they must know what the house-
wife, the truck driver, the businessman, the farmer and the Democrat
think of them.
It is for these reasons that surveys and education in politics must
be looked upon not as mere head counting and propaganda, but as providing
two-way communication between political leaders and the general public.
The problems of mass communication are common to all parts of our nation,
but they have special importance in the impersonal atmosphere of our big
cities.
Two examples will serve to illustrate the practical significance
of the foregoing comments for the Republican Party:
A.
To Whom Do Party Leaders Listen In Their Own States?
An interesting test of how well leaders know their own states was
made during the 1956 election campaign. Through official channels a party
leader in each of four critical states was asked to list the most important
problems or issues in the election in his state. Following this, intensive
surveys were made of a scientific cross-section of adults in these same
states. The following tables indicate the degree to which the replies of
leaders in three states reflected the problems and issues as the voters
saw them.
State A
Statement of Issues
% of Voters Who Mentioned
by Party Official
These as Issues
Foreign Policy & Peace
37
Hard Money
Less than 1
Public Power
3
Honesty in Government
Less than 1
Nixon
3
Outside Influence
0
4
State B
Statement of Issues
% of Voters Who Mentioned
by Party Official
These as Issues
Peace
31
Prosperity
11
Taxes
18
Inflation
Less than
1
Honesty in Government
Less than
1
Civil Rights
7
Note that in State A three matters, and in State B two, seen as issues by
party leaders were seen as issues in the election by less than one percent
of the people in each state.
State C
Statement of Issues
% of Voters Who Mentioned
by Party Leader
These as Issues
Nixon's Qualifications
3
Right to Work Initiative
4
Continued Prosperity
5
Public Power
7
Foreign Affairs
21
Hard Money
0
As can be seen, the issue listed first by the party leader in State C was an
issue for only three percent of the people, while the issue that he listed
sixth was mentioned by 21 % of the people in the survey.
B. What Is The Frame Of Reference In Which People Judge And Interpret
Republican Communications?
In view of the preceding discussion it might be fairly assumed that, at
times, there is a breakdown in communications between some Republican Party
leaders and the people. The greater the real gap in communications between
groups, the more the actions and statements of each will be received and
interpreted in the light of the "image" that one group has of the other. What
is the "image" of the Republican Party?
The Republican Party image has been discussed almost ad nauseum.
After the re-election of President Eisenhower in 1956, a number of studies
were conducted to determine why he won so easily but still did not carry
Republican Senators and Congressmen into office with him.
The surveys suggested a relatively simple answer to the question.
President Eisenhower was not considered as a political image figure. He
was "Ike" and people voted for "Ike". When it came to other offices, they
voted on the basis of party image or individual personality.
5
Unfortunately and erroneously -- and traditionally at the instigation
of the Democrats -- the Republican Party has been labeled the party of big
business, while the Democratic Party has been labeled the party of the
working man. When our lines of communication are weak, these images
tend to prevail -- to our decided disadvantage.
Actually, the Republican Party has been outstanding in its accom-
plishment of benefits for all people. But seldom has it received credit for its
efforts.
This presents the real challenge of today to Republicans, a challenge
to meet the false contention of the Democrats -- to explain in detail our Party's
accomplishments, goals and objectives so that the people of our country will
fully understand them and obtain the correct "image" of Republicanism.
It is our foremost challenge to show everywhere that the Republican
Party has been and still is the party that Lincoln represented when he spoke
of government "of, by, and for the people. 11
The magnitude of this challenge is illustrated in the results of a 1956
survey reported on in detail later in this report. In that survey voters were
given a number of statements about things that had been accomplished during
the first four years of President Eisenhower's Administration and asked
whether they were true or false. All twenty statements were true, but only
five were believed to be true by over one-half of the voters questioned! In fifteen
of the twenty cases less than 40% of the voters contacted through the Adminis-
tration had done what was indicated and what, in fact, had been done.
The next section of this report will point out ways in which survey
data can be used to improve two-way communication between Republican
leaders and voters.
It should be clearly understood that survey data is but an additional
source of information for Republican leaders in determining programs and
courses of action. Survey data must always be interpreted in the light of
all sources of information. As the armed services must interpret the
information derived from intelligence operations with all other factors, so
must survey intelligence be analyzed and interpreted by leadership in de-
termining strategy and tactics.
Nevertheless, surveys provide a fundamental element in the picture.
We strongly recommend that party organizations use them to the fullest
possible extent. Without them party efforts may well be ineffective and
wasteful of resources. Do not forget that the survey technique can be used
not only to gather information but also to test ideas, programs and
positions.
6
As Artemus Ward once said, "It's not only what we don't know that
gets us in trouble
it's also what we do know that ain't so."
WAYS IN WHICH SURVEYS CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR USE IN
DETERMINING STRATEGY AND TACTICS
Probably the least important function of surveys is attempting to
predict who is going to win the "horse race. 11 Estimates of where parties
and candidates stand at various stages in a campaign can be developed, but
the money required to predict through a sample technique the actual per-
centage outcome of an election would be tremendous.
The two main difficulties in giving precise estimates of how an
election will turn out, other than the problem of sample size, are that there are
no devices yet available that are precise in estimating actual voter turnout,
and there are no precise techniques available for "guessing" what the undecided
voter is actually going to do when he steps in the voting booth. In view of these
problems the record of surveys in estimating elections has been far better than
is generally realized.
There are survey questions which can be asked which will indicate
the probable strength of parties or candidates at certain stages of a campaign.
Examples of questions on voting intention will not be included here because
there are many varieties, but the usual type involves asking the person what
he thinks he would do if the election were to be held that very day.
Far more important than estimating election outcome are the uses of
surveys in the areas of:
1. Evaluation of Candidates.
2. Determination of Problems and Evaluation of the Importance of Issues.
3. Determination of Party Image and Strength
4. Testing Ideas, Reactions and Effectiveness of Tactics.
1. Evaluation of Candidates
a. A number of approaches may be used in evaluating candidates or
people presently in office. One is to learn how well the candidate is known
by the voters. The following question is one of several that are designed
to measure knowledge:
"How well do you know each of the following names?
By that I mean how well can you identify who the
person is or what he has done or what he is doing? "
7
The person being interviewed is handed a card with the following state-
ments on it and he picks the statement that comes closest to what he
feels he knows about the candidate.
1. Know a great deal about him.
2. Know something about him.
3. Know a little about him.
4. Just recognize the name, that's all.
5. Don't know him at all.
Obviously, replies to this type of question are not precise and the respon-
dent might either over-rate or under-rate his own knowledge. But, when
tabulations of these replies are made for a large sample, the results give
an excellent relative picture of knowledge about candidates.
b. Knowledge about candidates, however, is only one of many factors.
It is important also to find out how those who do know a candidate rate him.
Rating can be accomplished in a number of ways. The following example
indicates one approach:
"Now, what about Mr. X? What kind of a job do you
think he would do as (insert office for which the candi-
date is considered)? Outstanding, above average,
average, below average or poor?"
When the replies to such a question are tabulated and cross-analyzed with
a question on knowledge, candidates can be compared as to their standing
among those who indicate they know something about the candidate. This
cross-analysis of rating with knowledge is essential to avoid penalizing
candidates who are not well-known but rate well when compared with
candidates who are well-known but poorly regarded.
C. Another technique used in evaluating candidates is to ask those
who have rated a candidate above average or outstanding, or below average or
poor, just why they gave that rating to the candidate. A careful analysis of
such replies will disclose strengths and weaknesses of candidates and show
what must be done in communicating with the voters.
d. Another method is to compare your candidate with some "ideal
image of a candidate. 11 The following is an example of this type of question.
"In
we know that
is
.
But forgetting him and anyone you've heard mentioned for
the job lately, would you describe for me the characteristics
of the kind of man you think would make the perfect
11
.
The characteristics mentioned by respondents are recorded, along with
the frequency of mention.
8
Having determined this picture of an "ideal candidate" later surveys
can use a scaling device to measure each candidate against this ideal. A
typical technique is to give each respondent a card which has the numbers
from 0 to 10, with the card stating that 10 means outstanding and 0 signifies
very poor. Then interviewers are asked to rate each of several candidates
on characteristics making up the "ideal candidate. " For example, they
can be asked to rate a candidate on such items as the degree to which he
is really concerned with problems of the people, his leadership ability and
his aggressiveness, and whether or not he is an extreme partisan politician.
The replies to all such questions rating candidates are to be interpreted as
relative differences between candidates in the eyes of the voters, rather
than as actual determination of whether or not candidates have these character-
istics.
e. Another type of rating scale for candidates uses the following question.
"Here is a card which has some words and phrases.
You can see that they are paired - the first pair is
aggressive and quiet and you can see that there are
some numbers between the two words. I'm going to
read some names to you and, as I do, would you
tell me the number which best represents in your
mind where you would place that person between the
two words at either end of the scale. In other words
if you think the person is extremely aggressive you
would say number 1 on the first pair of words. If
you think him extremely quiet you would say number 7.
If you feel he is somewhere between, just give us the
number where you think he would be placed. In other
words, if he is somewhere between the extreme select
a number which best describes how aggressive or how
quiet you think he is. All right, let's take the first
man ang go right down the five pairs on him. Think
first of Mr. X. 11
When respondents are also asked to go through this list to indicate
what they think is "an ideal candidate, 11 we can interpret the rating data
much better. A particular advantage of this approach is that various
concepts about candidates can be tested by inserting them in the question
as opposite pairs of words or phrases.
Card
Aggressive
1234567
Quiet
Strong party politician
1234567
Above party politics
Friendly
1234567
Unfriendly
On side of working man
1234567
On side of business
Forceful leader with new
1234567
Good administrator of
ideas
established ideas
9
2.
Determination of Problems and Evaluation of the Importance of Issues
A second important function of surveys is to assist in determining the
problems that voters consider to be important. It should be pointed out clearly
that surveys do not often show really clear-cut issues in elections. Very seldom
do you find voters standing up and taking sides on something. When they do, it
usually involves a very specific matter, such as whether or not to build a dam
in a particular locality.
Frequently what leaders think are issues are very general ideas which,
to the average voter, seem quite hazy. In national politics today, issues gener -
ally resolve themselves into different ways of trying to solve the same problem.
There are so many pros and cons in every solution proposed that many voters
get completely confused.
Nevertheless, every voter is conscious of problems that he wants solved --
of things he sees thatneed some kind of attention. And it is vitally important
that party leaders know what these problems are. To say that problems require
attention does not necessarily mean that the voters want government action and
government spending on these subjects. What they do want is somebody in
office who will show concern for these problems and who will give attention to
these problems in an effort to see that they are solved one way or another.
a. There are two ways in which problems can be studied through surveys.
The first approach is to use what is called an "open-end" question. A typical
question is as follows:
"As far as you are concerned, what are the most
important problems (or what are the three most
important problems in order of importance) facing
the United States (state of Oregon} (city of Chicago)
today? "
Tabulations of the replies to such questions will give a good indication of the
importance of various problems in terms of the number of people who are con-
cerned with them or mention them.
The other approach to problems is to state the problem on a card, or in
the question by the interviewer, and ask the respondent to rate these problems
in various ways. One simple method is to ask the respondent to pick out which
problem is the most important, then the second most important and then the
third most important. The advantage of a "closed-end" question like this is
that it permits evaluation of specific problems which Republican leaders may
think are important.
10
A similar approach is illustrated in the following example:
"Here's a card which has a sort of ladder scale
on it. You will notice that the top of the scale
is marked 'great deal of concern or worry' and
the bottom 'little concern or worry. 1 You will
notice that the number 1 means little or no con-
cern or worry and the other numbers mean an
increasing amount of concern or worry. Now,
I'm going to mention some problems that we
face today and I'd like you to tell me how con-
cerned or worried you are about each problem. "
The advantage of this type of question is that it permits an analysis of both the
frequency of mention of a problem and the importance that particular problem
has for people. For example, a problem might be mentioned by 20% of the
people. However, from that we would not know whether it was any great con-
cern or worry to them. This simple "ladder scale" technique permits such an
analysis.
b. In addition to discovering the number of people concerned with prob-
lems, then, we also can find out how important these problems are. This still
does not give us the kind of information which can be gathered with the following
question:
"(Instruction to Interviewer: Ask the next question
about the problem the respondent picked as first in
importance.) Well, just what do you think ought to
be done about this problem?
In a series of surveys in one locality it was found that "juvenile delinquency"
always appeared high on the list of problems mentioned by people being interviewed.
But the addition of a question about what should be done about juvenile delinquency
disclosed the very important information that about 60% of the people felt the most
immediate thing to be done was to provide protection of the public. About 40%
believed that the prevention and cure of delinquency was what needed immediate
attention. This analysis should suggest to party leaders that, in discussing
juvenile delinquency in this particular city, the local party should develop a
program concerned with two things -- immediate protection of people against
juvenile delinquency and the means and programs to prevent and reduce delinq-
uency. Stressing either approach, to the point of excluding the other, would
antagonize a large segment of the population.
If the issues can be defined by party leaders, surveys can be used extensive-
ly to measure attitudes and opinions on these issues. Surveys also can be used
to measure the extent of confusion among the voting public as to just what are
the issues.
11
C. Another way to study issues is to state them as the positions of
candidates, as campaign statements or as a program to solve a problem, and
then ask respondents whether they agree or disagree with the position, statement
or proposed program. For a real analysis of this sort, however, it is vitally
important to ask people why they agree or disagree with the various positions,
statements or programs.
3. Determination of Party Image and Strength
Party strength can be measured in a variety of ways. Election returns
themselves are transient figures on party strength but they are so confused by
the need to evaluate the degree to which the candidate himself affected the
results that returns alone are not always sufficient.
a. Techniques such as those mentioned in the preceding section on
issues also are useful for determining people's "images" of our Party. A
simple question such as, "All in all, which party -- the Republican or Demo-
cratic -- do you think is better for people like yourself? 11 followed by a question,
"Just why do you feel this way? will elicit a great deal of image information.
b. Another way of getting a picture of the party is to list a series of pos-
sible crises that could occur -- international and domestic -- and then simply ask
which party could best handle the situation if it did occur. Replies to just this
one question will suggest the strengths and weaknesses of the Republican Party.
If interviewees also are asked why they feel the party they chose is best able to
handle the crisis, their replies will give additional information about the party
image.
c. A very useful question, although it may seem naive, is an old standard:
"If there were to be an election for Congressman today, would you vote for the
Republican Congressman or the Democratic Congressman? At first glance the
question would seem to be so unreal that the results would be meaningless. They
will be meaningless if the survey is made only once, but when the question is
asked over a period of time a picture of the rise and fall of party strength becomes
quite clear. Replies to the question will give a fairly good rule of thumb measure
of relative party strength, or satisfaction with the party, at any particular time.
d. Another question that can be used to determine party strength is one
which asks: "In general, do you consider yourself a Democrat or a Republican?'
Over the years this question has produced the significant finding that an increas-
ingly large number of people call themselves "Independents" rather than either
Democrats or Republicans.
12
4. Testing Ideas, Reactions and Effectiveness of Tactics
a. One of the most important functions of surveys, when the technical
work is arranged so that studies can be completed with extreme rapidity, is
in testing reactions to events occurring and statements made during campaigns.
Following is one example which illustrates the use of surveys in this manner.
The question was asked in a quick survey done in October, 1956. The ques-
tion was:
"As you may have heard, Adlai Stevenson has
advocated that the United States stop all further
H-bomb tests. Do you agree or disagree with
him that this would be a good idea?'
Agree
27%
Disagree
40%
Don't know
33%
"Will this make you more likely to vote for
Stevenson or more likely to vote for Eisenhower ?"
More likely to vote for Eisenhower
2.3%
More likely to vote for Stevenson
0.3%
Will not change vote in any way
97.4%
b. Another way of testing ideas in campaigns can be illustrated by the
following question:
"As concerns this proposal, do you think that
Candidate X should come out openly against it,
say little or nothing about it, or come out
openly in favor of it?"
Come out openly against it
25%
Say little or nothing about it
14%
Come out openly in favor of it
21%
No opinion
40%
While such information should not be used to dictate the candidate's position,
it does indicate how the public feels and lets him evaluate what his advisors
have been telling him. There may be many reasons for an action taken by a
candidate beyond how the public feels, but such information does let him
determine whether the matter is of extreme or little political importance.
13
C. When there are definite differences between the positions of
candidates or of parties, reactions to these differences can be learned
through statements such as the following: "Candidate X has said that
he wants to do the following
while Candidate Y wants to do it this way
which candidate do you think has the better solution to this problem,
Candidate X or Candidate Y?"
d. Finding out how people interpret various actions or statements
is another use of surveys to test ideas and tactics. One way to do this
is to formulate a statement of what actually happened such as that a
meeting took place or something was done. Then following the state-
ment of the situation, interpretations are made and put to the inter-
viewees in this form: "This means that Candidate X has taken a liberal
position" or that "Candidate X did this for the following reasons
11
The respondents are asked to agree or disagree with the various inter-
pretations.
This technique is exceedingly useful because it is not un-
common in politics for people to believe that what they say and do is
interpreted exactly as they intend. Frequently this is not the case.
Hence testing the interpretations people make of speeches, announce-
ments, meetings and events can be of great help in planning further
activities. The usefulness of survey testing procedures is exemplified
in the surveys that were made following the debates between the Presi-
dential candidates in 1960.
One of the less used aspects of survey work is exploring
the degree of understanding that voters have about the implications of
various political actions. They may favor something that the party
opposes. If a survey shows that their knowledge of the situation is
inadequate, then it is apparent that the party needs to institute an edu-
cational program to supply the voters with the missing information, in an
effort to change their positions.
Surveys, taken by qualified personnel and carefully evaluated,
can provide valuable information for planning Republican political education
programs. The last section of this report on surveys will discuss briefly
some of the problems facing Republican leaders in educational activities
and how surveys can be used to plan such programs.
A. The basic question for which there must be answers, before any con-
sideration can be given to strategy and tactics in political education, is
simply "What do we say?" There have been two general ways of getting
answers to the question.
14
A group of people sit down and by talking among themselves
decide what they shall say, based on their own experiences, personal
feelings, information, and personal prejudices of one sort or another.
In this connection every person interested in political education should
keep in mind an old saying: "On what do you bias your opinions?
A second way has been reliance on politically gifted people
who can "sense" things that need to be said to the voters and can express
themselves so that their ideas get across. Highly successful campaigns
were run long before anyone even thought of the idea of surveys. Such
people have been rare, however, and with political activities today con-
fronted by mass communication, rapidly changing events, a complex
society, and tremendous numbers of voters, the "genius" of political
campaigning will be found even less often than before.
The essence of successful communication with voters today
lies more in basing communication efforts on what voters know or don't
know about certain issues -- on the reasons for their feeling the way they
do about candidates and problems and issues. The prime need is to express
the Republican argument in terms the voter will understand.
B. One of the continuing problems of the Republican Party is to communi-
cate effectively to the voters what it has accomplished and where it is trying
to go. The following survey result underlines this problem. The study was
made in 1956 to see whether the voters in this country really had any idea of
the accomplishments of President Eisenhower and his Administration in
domestic affairs.
A list of statements about various Administration activities
was given voters and they were asked whether they were true or false. All
statements were true but, on fifteen of the twenty items, less than 40% of
the voters thought they were true! In only five instances did more than half
of the voters think the statements were true, and in no case did more than
60% of the people say a statement was true. Following is the list of the
statements used:
1. President Eisenhower's administration reduced Truman's last budget
by $10 billion.
2. 65 million Americans have jobs. This is the highest number of employed
people in the history of the U. S.
3. The National budget has been balanced.
4. The Cabinet post and Department of Health, Education and Welfare was
created under Eisenhower.
5. Social Security benefits were extended to an additional 10 million Americans.
6. The Eisenhower Administration established a small business administra-
tion to help small business.
7. James C. Petrillo, President of the Musicians Union, George Meany,
President of the AFL, Jacob Pottofski, President of Amalgamated Clothing
Workers, have praised the handling of labor problems by President Eisenhower.
15
8. There have been income tax cuts of 7-1/2 billion dollars.
9. Over 80% of income tax cuts went to middle and lower income families.
10. 70 million Americans received a reduction in the income tax they paid.
11. The minimum wage of all workers in the country was raised from 75¢
to $1.00 an hour.
12. Each year some small businesses fail and some are started. In 1955,
there was a net gain of 50, 000 new small businesses started in the United
States.
13. The St. Lawrence Seaway was established to help the economy of the
Middle West.
14. Under President Eisenhower more than 800 million dollars in military
purchases was set aside to help small business in trouble.
15. In 1955, small business concerns in the U. S. received more than
3 billion dollars of government contracts.
16. In 1955, strike losses in the United States were less than one-half of
the strike losses in the last year of Truman's Administration.
17. The housing bill was passed in 1954 to make it easier for people to buy,
build or rent adequate housing.
18. In the first six months of 1956, there was an 11% increase in the price
of farm products.
19. President Eisenhower asked for 2 billion dollars for aid to public schools
and this bill was defeated by the Democrats.
20. President Eisenhower has asked for changes in the Taft-Hartley Law to
benefit labor.
All evidence from this and similar surveys indicates one thing
very clearly. The Republican Party has accomplished many things for the
benefit of "the people" but seldom gets much credit for it. There is a tre-
mendous need for a new kind of educational campaign to get across to the
voters an understanding of what the Republican Party has achieved.
C. Adequate polls can point out what needs to be said and how to say it. A
campaign based upon what voters think is important obviously is going to be
more successful than one based on what they see as unimportant.
Information for a political educational program may be gathered
by testing various ideas, such as campaign statements, to see which are ef-
fective and which are not. Examples of such testing were given earlier and
will not be repeated here.
Perhaps the most important function of surveys in providing
information for political education is in determining the factors that enter
into the voter's opinions and judgments. This type of analysis involves
evaluating items of the following types:
16
1. The knowledge the voter has concerning the party,
issue or candidate.
2. The degree to which he is emotionally concerned
with the problems, candidates or issues.
3. The social and economic characteristics of those
having various opinions, knowledge and attitudes
about problems, candidates, parties and issues.
The first of these items, the knowledge that the individual voter
has, has been discussed before. But in addition surveys can test whether
more information, and what kinds of information, would change his opinion.
Measuring the degree to which a person is emotionally involved
in various aspects of a political campaign is more difficult but just as neces-
sary. A variety of techniques have been developed to do this. What is desired
is to learn not only people's opinions about an issue and whether these opinions
are based on real understanding of the situation, but also how strongly people
hold their opinions about the matter and how strongly they feel about the solu-
tions being offered. The importance of a problem in the minds of the voters
and their emotional involvement in that problem are of prime importance for
any educational technique. It is much harder to communicate with a person
who is "fighting mad" about something than with a person who is "calm and
collected. "
To find out just how important people rate a problem the
following question can be asked:
"We would like you to think for a minute of the most
serious problem that you can think of today. It can be
your own health or your own job or the Berlin crisis
or the Cuban situation or anything else that you think
is the most important problem facing you today. Now,
let's think of a scale running from 0 to 100. This
problem that you think of as the most important today
would be given a score of 100. Now on that basis just
what score would you give to this problem we're
talking about?"
Questions like this measure to some degree the emotional
involvement in a problem. They also pinpoint what types of people are
most concerned with it and what types of people are the least concerned,
and they can help discover whether those who are most emotionally in-
volved have the least knowledge about the situation.
17
Finally, surveys may be used to analyze the social and
economic factors involved in political opinions. The following list indi-
cates some of the basic factors which can be studied through survey
techniques:
Age
Geographical Location
Education
Religion
Sex
Nationality Background
Income
Political Background
18
II.
PUBLIC RELATIONS, PUBLICITY AND EDUCATIONAL METHODS
It is of vital importance that our Republican Party organizations in
large cities develop a well-conceived, thoroughly coordinated and contin-
uous program of public relations. We can not win votes unless we commun-
icate our principles, policies, ideas and achievements throughout the city.
This is elementary but it requires emphasizing. Too many of our party
organizations in the big cities do not have an adequate program of public
relations and publicity activities.
History proves that the Republican Party is truly interested in all
the people. The Republican Party has originated and developed legislation
which has helped make America great. We must emphasize that the Repub-
lican Party is dynamic, progressive and responsive to the will of the people.
Public relations activities should include development of a program
to let the rank and file of labor know that the Republican Party is genuinely
interested in their welfare. In the public relations division there should be
persons who are familiar with the interests of the workingman and able to
convince him that the well-being of his family is strengthened by the programs
and policies of the Republican Party.
Similar public relations attention should be given to the Negro press
and to the foreign language press. In nearly every big city there are news-
papers published for Negroes, for Spanish-speaking citizens and for natural-
ized citizens of many origins. There are, in some cities, radio stations
which beam their programs to these groups.
A well-organized public relations division should include persons,
at least on a part-time basis, who are qualified to work with these media and
supply them with information aimed directly at serving their special needs.
Every communication medium should be used in a public relations
program to carry our message to people in all walks of life; to publicize all
Republican events, programs and candidates; and to publicize the opposition's
failures and shortcomings.
Not all newspapers have the same policies. Neither do television and
radio stations. Therefore, some of the recommendations set forth in this
report may not be applicable in all cities. But, in general, they may be
tailored to fit into your particular program.
19
This section of our report considers these aspects of public relations
and publicity:
Advertising Agencies and Public Relations Consultants
Press-Television-Radio Relations
Newspaper Advertising
Television and Radio Programming
Magazines, Trade and Professional Journals, House Organs
Pamphlets and Brochures
Direct Mail
Billboards and Posters
Following this section are two others on Educational Programs and on Research.
Advertising Agencies and Public Relations Consultants
These professions have important roles in affecting and molding public
opinion in large cities. In the ideal situation the advertising agency and the
public relations firm, as well as their key employees, would be steadfast Repub-
licans who are vitally interested in the party's success. Their account execu-
tives handling your campaign, in any case, must understand the issues, know
the candidates and have the "feel" for politics.
The public relations consultant and the advertising agency must work
in cooperation with the candidate and the local committee. Both the agency
and public relations people must understand the attitudes of the people in the
community. They must be familiar with the issues and know how they were
developed, whether they are true or false, sound or unsound, of great conse-
quence or of little consequence. The proper type of advertising agency and
public relations consultant will not hesitate to point out weaknesses of campaign
promises and party planks.
The party organization leader and the candidate must give direction--
and complete cooperation--to the advertising man and the public relations con-
sultant if these two agencies are to function properly and effectively.
Press-Television-Radio Relations
First, last and always we must let the public know what our party
stands for and what it has done for the people over the years. We must let
the people know the position of our candidates on issues.
In order to present the Republican Party, its programs and its
candidates to the public aggressively and constantly, we must maintain close
contact with newspapers, television and radio at all times, in off years as
well as in campaign years.
20
This applies to party organizations, party leaders, officeholders
and our candidates.
Become friendly with the persons in charge of political news--the
news editor or city editor or news director, as well as the man who actually
writes politics or broadcasts politics.
Your candidate, too, should become well-acquainted with these same
people. He should be accessible to newsmen at all times.
Always deal in facts, not rumors, when talking with newsmen. Don't
ever try to mislead or deceive.
Ascertain the news deadlines on newspapers and newscast hours on
the air.
Whenever possible, let newsmen know when you are going to break
a story. Don't "play favorites" with your news release. Release your story
as it breaks.
Arrange for copies of your release to be in the hands of all newsmen
in ample time for editing.
Prepare enough copies of your release not only for the reporters but
also for editorial writers and policy makers, such as publishers and owners
of radio and television stations. You may want to inform the general manager
as well as the owner.
Project one idea at a time.
When you have an announcement or statement, and if facilities are
available, make tape recordings for the radio stations and video tapes or
film with sound for the television stations. These should be made in 20-second
to 1-minute segments to fit into regular newscasts. If they're too long, neither
television nor radio will use them.
Your own photographer should make pictures of candidates talking with
important people, or attending important meetings, or engaging in any activity
which has news value or human interest. If you furnish these pictures to news-
papers and television editors immediately, you can often get good publicity.
If you have several television stations in your city, attempt to get
different shots for each station.
Supply releases and pictures to the wire services, such as AP, UPI
and regional or state news services.
21
It is good policy to furnish the papers, radio and television with the
news of a meeting, including resolutions and other facts of public interest.
Follow up pre-event material and advance publicity by giving the press in-
formation on what actually happened.
Refrain from attempts to oversell a meeting or statement. However,
do not neglect to emphasize something really important.
Newspaper Advertising
Newspaper advertising should be completely coordinated with your
television and radio programs. Your ads should drive home the same points,
the same arguments, whether you use a full page or smaller space to tell
your story and sell your candidates.
Is a full page worthwhile ? Again, as with television and radio, that
depends on personal preferences and finances. Full pages, in big cities,
are expensive. Experience proves that an ad five columns wide and 18 inches
deep in a standard size newspaper is just about as effective as a full page.
The 18-inch depth starts your ad above the fold, and it dominates or controls
the entire page.
The same principle applies to tabloids, which are published in and
around many of our big cities. Here again a full page is not necessary.
An ad measuring four columns wide and 13 inches deep in a tabloid dominates
the page.
An ad has a greater chance of being read if it appears on a page carrying
news matter.
If your finances limit you to smaller space, try to design your ads to
get the maximum depth rather than width on any newspaper page. An ad two
columns wide and 21 inches deep is better than the same total space in four
column width but half as deep.
An advertisement measuring two or three columns wide, and 6 or 7
inches in depth usually is "buried" surrounded by several other ads bidding
for the reader's attention.
Newspaper ads should not be crowded with too much copy. Do not use
too many borders or heavy borders, because they detract from the point you
are trying to put over to the reader.
Do not use decorations merely for the sake of decorations. Use a
pi cture or an illustration which tells a story or which will attract or compel
attention.
22
Use plenty of white space. Note this current trend in advertising
in magazines and newspapers.
Write your copy in simple language that is easily understood.
Do not try to make too many points in a single ad. If you are dis-
cussing a candidate's stand on certain issues, do not include points about
the candidate's personality.
Position in a newspaper is an important factor. Many newspapers
do not sell position, but by asking a newspaper's advertising manager or
business manager you may have your ad placed on a desired page.
Right hand pages are considered better than left hand pages. The
back or last page is always good, but it is difficult to get in most newspapers.
The Sports page is good for a particular type of ad, the Woman's page for
another. Page 3 or page 5 is excellent, and the Television-Radio page reader-
ship is growing rapidly.
Political advertising in newspapers, especially in the big cities,
should be directed at the people in the area. Political advertising aimed at
the entire country is worthwhile in some instances, but often it would be
much more valuable if it were tailored and pinpointed for a particular city
or region.
If a candidate is espousing a particular issue, he should first determine
how that issue affects a given area, and his advertising should be designed and
written to translate the issue into terms and language that will have the greatest
impact upon the people in that area. In other words, his advertising should be
"localized" whenever possible, if it is nothing more than a headline such as:
"To the People of Metro City" or "To the People of Metropolitan County."
A candidate himself should refrain from using "anti" or "attack" ad-
vertising over his own name. This type of advertising, if used at all, should
be sponsored by someone other than the candidate or by a committee or par-
ticular group.
Television and Radio Programming
These suggestions must be modified to meet local situations involving
the "image" of candidates, the offices they seek, news space and radio and
TV facilities.
Although it has been said that selling a candidate is the same as selling
any product, there are certain factors to be considered which modify this view:
23
1. Limited finances and limited time
2. Possibility of over-exposure
3. Need for especially planned programs
4. Public service programs available to officeholders
and candidates.
Television
In buying TV time, a 20-second spot can be less expensive in the
long run than the 10-second station break. Advantages of the 20-second
spot are:
(a) You purchase the exact times your spot announcement will be
shown. (In a package deal a station may show your spots at times when
there are comparatively few viewers.)
(b) Some TV stations will not put a 20-second political spot back
to back with another political announcement, if you request this consider-
ation.
By pre-recording your TV spot, whether it be 20-second, 40-second
or 5 minutes, you will be able to get your message across the way you want.
In the 20-second and up to a 1-minute spot, film done in cartoon,
with a voice narrating what the people are seeing on the screen, is rated
effective.
The question is always how much time to buy. Experience indicates
that you are trying to convince only a small percent of the voters during the
last week of a campaign; therefore, your commercials should be written in
a manner that will cover those particular issues which you find to be of
greatest importance in the mind of the voting public. (You can evaluate the
issues by taking polls, which have been discussed in another part of this
report.)
When it comes to 5-minute TV programs, you must have good pro-
duction so that the points you make are easy for the audience to remember.
There are several ways to accomplish this. You can use charts which will
portray graphically the points you are endeavoring to make. You can use
interviews with a person asking a question and giving the candidate the op-
portunity to answer by chart, graph or a brief explanation.
Again, it is cheaper in the long run to have this type of commercial
filmed, rather than try to do it live, unless you are working with experienced
people. It is best not to present a television spot, 5-minute program, 15-
minute program or even a 30-minute program, if the people involved do not
look at ease and if they are not well-informed. A fundamental point to
24
remember about television programs: the candidate has an opportunity to
get into the homes of potential voters and the voters have an opportunity to
look at and appraise the candidate.
If you have the money to do live shows, and if the production is good,
a program such as "The Press Conference of the Air, " in which the candi-
date is asked questions and answers them, can be very effective. Here again
you can use charts and photographs to emphasize points. In this type of
programming flubs are not too serious (depending on the flub) and people
usually have sympathy for candidates who look as if they are being put on
the spot, but still graciously come up with an answer.
In the campaign of 1960, effective use was made of the "Truth Squad"
on television in an unrehearsed live program with newspapermen asking
the questions, to bring out the facts concerning government operations, party
positions and the pros and cons of the candidates.
In a survey by TV Guide, made among members of the Senate and
House of Representatives, the interview show was selected by 45% as the
most valuable television form for them. Five-minute segments were se-
lected as the most effective length by 42% of the Congressmen. Among the
remainder, 27% chose 10- to 20-second spots, 23% named 15-minute pro-
grams and 8% chose half-hour shows.
The straight speech was voted the least effective television program
by 50% of the respondents. Neither Republicans nor Democrats recommended
the open debate form, except for Presidential candidates, but both groups
said they would welcome a chance to share the same programs with their
opponents for consecutive addresses.
A research agency, studying the effects of television campaign
techniques among big city voters, reported the following results:
(1) Television is strongest with the youngest group of voters (21-30).
(2) Voters emphasized the sense of personal contact television per-
mitted them with the candidate, allowing them to participate in political
events as they happened.
(3) Voters during the campaign definitely did favor one candidate
over the other because of television. The study stated, "Voters saw the
candidate as a dynamic, personable, handsome man, a man with a great
deal of personality. During the campaign their attitude toward him, because
of television, definitely became 'more favorable'; there was almost a com-
plete lack of any negative impression
Impressions of the opponent, on
the other hand, were restrained and qualified. There was little change in
voters' attitudes toward him because of television. 11
A final word on the subject: Never present a candidate on television
in a manner which shows him out of character.
25
Radio
There is more radio being listened to now than many people sus-
pect. The same subject matter that is used on television can be used as
well on radio tapes.
Music on radio is very effective as an attention-getter. In the use
of radio, again pinpoint your times. One-minute spots are especially good.
According to some listener surveys, the best time to buy in metropolitan
areas is from 6:30 A.M. to 9 A.M. and from 3 P.M. to 6:30 P. M.
A great number of people use auto radios; therefore, try to buy
time when people are traveling to and from work. In many cities there
are now police helicopter reports advising people on traffic conditions.
One can often obtain spots, if purchased early enough, contiguous to these
reports or within that time area.
On radio, as on television, commercials should be uncomplicated,
to the point, and present one idea at a time.
Magazines, Trade and Professional Journals, House Organs
Some national magazines have correspondents in metropolitan areas.
These magazines, with large circulations in every state, have a strong im-
pact on their readers. Organization leaders and candidates should know
these correspondents and develop a working relationship with them. Local
magazines should receive similar attention.
Trade journals and official publications of various industries, assoc-
iations and professions, offer another fertile field for public relations. Many
times a party's stand or a candidate's stand on an issue which affects a par-
ticular industry or business or profession can be reported or explained in
plant publications, known as house organs, or in trade and professional
journals.
Become acquainted with editors of these publications and keep them
on your mailing list for releases. Party spokesmen and candidates may
find it well worthwhile to submit specially prepared statements setting forth
their position on subjects of interest and importance to various trade and
professional groups,
Pamphlets and Brochures
Pamphlets and brochures are fundamental to a well-rounded pub-
licity program in a campaign. They also can be used on a year around basis
26
to publicize the party and its programs. This type of literature must be
carefully prepared and attractively printed to present points clearly and
forcefully.
Direct Mail
There is a definite place for direct mail in a campaign. It is true
that voters are literally swamped with political propaganda as election day
approaches, yet well-planned mailing pieces to the point and eye-catching--
can be helpful to a candidate or a party ticket.
The approach on the cover or on the envelope has much to do with
the success of a mailing piece. It must provoke the householder's interest
enough to cause him to read what is inside. Nine out of ten envelopes which
merely say "Vote for Jones" will go into the wastebasket. Much better re-
sults come if you say "Jones Pays the Freight" or use a similar "come-on."
Billboards and Posters
Billboards and posters are valuable in advertising a candidate or
an issue. Your message, of course, has to be direct and simple. Bus,
street car, subway and taxicab posters are very good for political adver-
tising.
Location of billboards is highly important. Not all communities
permit the use of billboards. Sometimes they are limited in number or
restricted to certain areas of the city.
Billboards and posters are a great reminder factor. If you can
purchase billboard space in locations not too far from voting booths it
will permit a last-minute appeal to voters on election day. Well-placed
posters can serve a similar purpose.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
It is imperative that all party organization people know and understand
the records of their candidates and their party--and those of the opposition--
so that no opportunity for gaining party advantage and support is lost. For
this a regular program of education must be conducted. Such a program
27
should go beyond the limits of organization people. We must also carry
the Republican message into public schools and colleges and everywhere
else in the community.
Big city party organizations should institute educational programs
encompassing at least the following activities:
1. Self-contained education programs and discussion outlines on:
-- organization and operation of government.
-- party organization, history and principles.
-- current issues.
-- basic economics.
-- special subjects.
2. A basic worker recruitment and orientation program for city
and other local party organizations.
3. "Issue seminars" to arm party leaders with accurate data on
current issues and to obtain grass roots opinions on local, state
and national affairs.
4. Education programs in the areas of government, current issues
and political parties, tailored for use by nonpartisan community
groups.
5. Formation of a committee composed of leading Republican
educators to develop ways to ensure a balanced presentation
of the Republican philosophy and position in our high schools
and colleges.
RESEARCH
Public relations and educational programs will never attain their
potential unless party organizations develop the fundamental tool of research.
Thus a vital cog in any political organization is a research department to
provide much of the party's working material.
A political party, like industry, organized labor and government, is
handicapped and virtually helpless without good all-around research. We
must know what the opposition is doing and saying, and we must know what
the opposition has said and done. At the same time we must have basic data
28
to help develop our own policies, and to help promote our own programs.
You need ammunition to win a research provides much of the ammun-
ition for political battles.
A research department, whether it consists of one person or ten,
should function along these lines:
1. Collect voter and voting statistics on every political subdivision
in the city.
2. Maintain a file of all legislation--national, state and local-
which affects metropolitan areas. This includes activities of Congress,
the State Legislature, the City Council, the County Commissioners. It
includes governmental decrees, orders and rulings by elective and ap-
pointive officials at all levels--from the President to city and county of-
ficials.
3. Maintain complete bibliographies on sources of information and
research data pertaining to all major party activities. Keep them up-to-date.
4. Review legislation and proposed legislation with party office-
holders or candidates. Prepare briefs outlining the advantages, disad-
vantages, political implications, etc.
5. Develop cross-index clipping files on issues; legislative ac-
tivities; press releases; opposition and special interest group statements
and activities; political personalities,
6. Conduct continuing programs for obtaining or making statistical
analyses of population trends, employment and unemployment, cost and ef-
ficiency of state and local government operations.
7. Conduct polls, based on scientific sampling techniques, to
obtain and evaluate voter attitudes on issues, party images, officeholders
and candidates.
29
Republican National Committee
January, 1962.
HOW TO PLAN AND BUY TELEVISION TIME
FOR POLITICAL CANDIDATES
(Adapted from a presentation given to the Republican National
Committee by Carroll Newton, Vice President of Batten, Barton,
Durstine & Osborn, at Oklahoma City, Okla. , on January 12, 1962)
It is estimated that 9 out of 10 homes in the United States will
have television this Fall, and that the average one of these homes
will have that set tuned in with someone looking at it more than 5
hours every average day.
During the evening hours 6 out of 10 families are watching,
with about 1. 7 adults at the TV set at any given moment.
Assume there are three television stations in the city in which
you reside, and assume that your candidate is on television at a
particular minute between 8 and 9 in the evening on each of those
stations. In that one television appearance, your candidate has shown
himself - practically in the flesh to more than half of the potential
voters in his constituency.
And people seen on television are living, breathing, alive indi-
viduals to the viewers, even though the candidates themselves find
that hard to believe as they look at the unwinking eye of the TV camera.
Television represents the sole opportunity of presenting a flesh-
and-blood candidate to all the voters who will or will not elect him.
- -2-
While it is not true that TV is the deciding factor in all elections,
it is true that TV can make the difference in a close election.
In the first week of October, 1956, a national sample of
2400 eligible voters was asked where they learned most about the
campaign. The survey showed that TV was the most important
source of information by a rather wide margin -- 49 per cent, VS.
38 per cent for newspapers.
On the farm - it was TV by a substantial margin 56 per cent
of the farmers said they learned most about the campaign from TV.
A significant breakdown was made by income groups. This
indicated that as incomes decrease people rely more heavily on TV
and it is in the lower income areas where the Republican party
has traditionally had greater difficulty in attracting voters. Tele-
vision was the major source of campaign information to 58 per cent
of the people with below average income.
The survey also broke down the answers by the degree of
attention the respondents were paying to the campaign.
For those who were not sufficiently interested to go out of
their way to inform themselves about the campaign, TV was the
principal source of information for 56 per cent.
At the time this study was made 37.1 7 million US families had
TV sets. It is estimated that more than 49 million families will
have TV sets in October 1962 and the importance of TV will be
-3-
about 25% greater than these figures show.
These surveys strongly suggest that you cannot afford to
allow your candidate to be seen at his best less often than his
opponent.
Here are some suggestions which will help you make sure
that the dollars you spend on television return full value.
Buy TV time when people habitually look at their sets.
The percentage of TV homes which are using their sets hour
by hour through the daytime hours generally mounts as the day
proceeds. By and large, rates are the same from early morning
to 6 in the evening, so it is clear that the man who pays $100 for
an announcement between 9 and 10 in the morning gets about 60%
of the value received by the man who buys an announcement for
$100 between 12 Noon and 1 PM.
The variations in evening viewing are not quite so great
and the rates usually reflect the differences in sets-in-use after
11 PM.
This kind of information is available in one form or another
for nearly every city in the country. Insist on seeing the appro-
priate figures in every city in which you buy time.
While national audiences are divided quite evenly among
the three major networks, local variations can be great. So, do
not fall for the line
"this is one of the most popular network
-4-
shows"
unless the local ratings prove it,
By and large, any TV station will first try to sell you time
periods which are not regularly sold to commercial sponsors.
They will say "this is all we have available. "
The fact that these times are not sold is a pretty good indi-
cation of their lack of value. Stations will clear for you times which
are sold to commercial advertisers, if you ask well in advance and
are insistent on getting the best times.
One of the questions which arises most frequently has to do
with the length of time periods.
The table below shows the number of homes reached per dollar
spent for a one-minute announcement in New York City and assigns
an efficiency rating of 100 to this time unit. It then shows the num-
ber of homes reached per dollar and efficiency rating of each of the
other time units. These comparisons assume the same number of
viewers for each time unit.
VIEWERS FOR
TIME
DOLLAR SPENT
EFFICIENCY
1 minute
841
100
5 minutes
673
80
15 minutes
505
60
30 minutes
337
40
Rates based on costs of a major network
New York station (Prime Time)
There is, however, one other very important factor to be con-
sidered. Experience has demonstrated that the ability of a political
-5-
program to hold its audience varies in inverse proportion to the
length of the program.
For all practical purposes, announcements of one-minute or
less do not lose any audience, they just catch the people who are
already tuned into that particular station.
Losses ranging up to 10% can be expected for 5-minute pro-
grams, depending on their position in the schedule.
There were 14 one-half-hour evening programs telecast by
both parties during the 1960 campaign. The average loss in audi-
ence of these programs as compared to the normal audiences of
the entertainment programs they replaced was approximately 35%.
The higher costs for one-half hour over one-minute, plus
the audience loss factor in the longer time period, makes it clear
how difficult it is to get your money's worth with the longer program.
There are exceptions to these rules. A few events have produced
audiences larger than the number normally watching at that time.
The press build-up for the program now referred to as Nixon's
Fund Telecast in 1952 was one such instance.
The build-up that occurred before and during the Nixon Tele-
thon on Monday afternoon prior to election day in 1960 finally pro-
duced an audience level nearly double the normal audience tuned to
ABC during the afternoon hours.
Therefore, when and if you use time units longer than 5 minutes,
-6-
leave no stone unturned to create all the press excitement possible
over the candidate's TV appearance. Make an event of each appear-
ance. You can perhaps double the value of your investment by so
doing.
Most research indicates that a relatively large group of voters
in a close election does not decide until the last week or two.
Therefore, place a priority on dominating the air at the end
of the campaign. That means a heavy schedule of announcements and
5-minute programs in the last two weeks. If you are going to follow
that course, you must set aside the necessary money in the beginning
of the campaign and purchase those spots a month or more ahead of
time.
In general, half-hour or longer programs for local or state races
are not recommended, except perhaps for a dramatic campaign kick-
off or a dramatic finale on election eve to capitalize on the increas-
ing interest in the election and help in your efforts to get your vote
out.
In any case, expenditures for such programs should be made
only after you and your advertising agency are satisfied that you
have done an adequate job of reaching the voters in spots and 5-
minute programs.
What should you say in your TV annountements and broadcasts?
Experience indicates there are never more than two or three issues
of major significance in any campaign.
-7-
Here are the results of a study made in August 1960.
PUBLIC RANKING OF ISSUES
August, 1960
Foreign affairs (peace & disarmament,
defense, foreign aid, general)
61.1
Civil rights-integration
24.5
Religon
2.2
Taxes
1.6
Old Age
0.3
Farm problems
1.1
Prosperity
4.2
Labor Problems
0.4
At that time it was clear that only two issues occupied the
attention of most of the electorate.
So find the two or three issues of real significance in your
state or district and make them your issues.
Make what you say as simple as you can. If you can remember
any one phrase that got over and entered peoples minds in the 1960
presidential campaign I think it will be
"I am not satisfied. 11
This simple phrase promised the voters they would have something
better and enough of them believed it.
In the 1960 presidential campaign, the national television
debates were the TV highlight. It is estimated that more than 101
million people saw one or more of the debates. The average home
of those which tuned in at all watched 2.8 of the four hours of debates.
Many factors will enter into your decision on whether or not
your candidate should appear in debates when they are offered by
-8-
stations reaching your constituencies. Generally, debates are much
more dangerous for an incumbent simply because attacks on a record
are by nature likely to be more dramatic than defenses. On the other
hand, a candidate who is running against an incumbent, and who has
the odds against him, probably has much more to gain than he has to
lose.
Generally, it is true that you take a risk every time your candi-
date appears under circumstances which he and his managers do not
completely control. To know when to take risks is a part of the
essence of good political management.
The value you get out of your TV programs and announcements
will be in direct proportion to the amount of time and effort you spend
preparing them.
Take time out of your candidate's schedule to prepare and re-
hearse what he is going to do and say.
How much time would you spend preparing for a rally which
was going to be attended by 90% of the voters in your district or state?
Your TV spots will probably be seen by 90% of the voters if you buy
a good schedule.
If your candidate is tired -- it will show on the TV screen.
If he's worried or harassed -- it will show on the TV screen. TV
is a visual medium -- how he looks is just as important as what he
says.
-9-
There are many ways of adding visual interest to political TV
programs. Questions from bona fide voters answered by the C andi-
date can be very effective.
If, for example, your candidate's district contains a plant
threatened by administration plans to reduce tariffs, dramatize the
issue with pictures or films of the plant's workers -- the people who
may lose their jobs -- rather than a generalized discussion about the
threat posed to jobs by the tariff reduction program.
If you are going to attack increasing government expenditures,
and you come from a state such as Connecticut, it is more effective
to show on the screen the $3.45 you must pay in taxes to get back
$1.00 of Federal expenditures.
Your own advertising agencies, who are experienced in TV,
understand these techniques. Listen to them. They know how to
communicate ideas and that is what you are trying to do on TV.
You will also find in your campaign that there are moments of
excitement and inspiration during rallies which are difficult to re-
capture. It is well worthwhile to cover such events and to try to
capture these moments on film or tapes. They often make most
effective spots later on.
-10-
To sum up:
1. Buy the best stations and times in every city. And, make
the stations show you the audience ratings so that you know what
you are getting.
2. Find the vital issues and stick to them. Make them your
issues.
3. Dominate the air at the close of the campaign.
4. Beware of long programs. It is hard to get your money's
worth out of them. Do strive for a press build-up if you have
any.
5. Beware of appearances under circumstances which you
cannot control.
6. Always show your candidate at his very best and with as
much visual interest as possible.
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