Election Battle Divides HYRC

Accusations of alleged recruiting of new members for the purpose of voting have issued from the Harvard Young Republican Club presidential campaign.

The contest is between Norman W. Smith Jr. '58, President of the Harvard Times-Republican, and Thomas A. Stalker '58, who is supported by Donald Hodel '57, President of the Club, and by past president John R. Thompson '57.

Smith has brought in about 146 new members, and Stalker has recruited about 94. It is reported that many of the new members are Democrats.

The accusations were followed by a WHRB report stating that Thomposon had paid only six dollars for the 47 memberships which he had recruited, and that the remainder of the $94 fee for the memberships were handed in just before the closing of pre-election registration.

Hodel issued this statement last night, ex planing the transaction: "Accounting for many memberships by check is both ethical and logical. It would have been foolhardy to carry on one's person nearly $100 in cash over a protracted period of time."

The Smith faction made no comment.

An elections committee will be selected soon to decide the voting rights of disputed members and to supervise the election of officers. The elections will be held in early March.