Richardson Asserts G.O.P. Needs Boss To Handle Finances

"The Republican party in Massachusetts needs a financial boss to control its organization," said Elliot Richardson '41, addressing the Harvard Young Republicans last night.

The defeated candidate for the Republican nomination for attorney-general noted that "if we can't centralize our finances, we can't solve our problems. I admit bossism is unpopular, but I'm afraid it may be necessary."

Richardson's call for stricter control over party finances was part of a program to end what he called "the way the Republican party has gone downhill in the last few elections, both nationally and in Massachusetts."

He also suggested the adoption of "a more appealing, responsible program" on a national level, and criticized the lack of Republican leadership other than that provided by the Ev and Charlie Show. He also called for the development of a "middle view" among Massachusetts Republicans.

The moderate position would be implemented by creating a Republican policy committee composed chiefly of moderates and chaired by Senator Leverett Saltonstall '14. The committee would set Republican policy within Massachusetts and would also direct revision of the city and the county-level organization. "If we can solve these two problems, developing a program and centralizing our finances, we'll have gone a long way towards reversing our present downhill curve," Richardson said.

Richardson agreed that his plan might tend to stifie dissident groups within the party. "Campaign contributions at this time go mostly to individual candidates. If the financial machinery were centralized, money would come to the party instead of to the man. This would make it difficult for a candidate who had been defeated in the convention to challenge the party in a primary.