Clare Luce boomed for GOP keynoter
Vandenberg also strong contender
Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg (R-MI) and Rep. Clare Boothe Luce (R-CT) were mentioned today for the keynote address at the Republican National Convention as the committee on arrangements, headed by Harrison E. Spangler, national chairman, met to pick a temporary chairman.
One chore of the committee will be the selection of the keynoter, but Mr. Spangler refused to speculate on any possible choice.
Republican leaders, however, talked most of Senator Vandenberg, who recently named Gen. Douglas MacArthur as his choice for the Republican presidential nomination. This might preclude the selection of the Senator since supporters of Governor Thomas E. Dewey were reported to be in a position to veto selection of a keynoters unacceptable to them.
The actual selection of the keynoter and other convention officials will be made tomorrow. Subcommittees on such convention activities as housing, concessions, and the radio, press and motion pictures met today to draw up their reports for presentation to the whole committee tomorrow.
Mrs. Luce was boomed by J. Kenneth Bradley, Connecticut member of the committee who was reported to have written letters to the 11 women members emphasizing her availability. Mrs. Luce, a freshman in Congress, would be the first woman keynoter in history.
However, it was pointed out that Mrs. Luce’s New England background would be against her being elected for the post.
Mr. Spangler conceded that Rep. Joseph W. Martin Jr. (R-MA), minority leader in Congress, has a “good chance” of being named permanent chairman, a position he held four years ago at Philadelphia.