Neophyte Liberals Learn Machine Politics In Door-to-Door Canvassing for Election

Junior politicians and amateur ward heelers are taking their government courses in the school of hard knocks this week in a Liberal Union-sponsored canvass of two election districts in the Boston area.

Every evening 10 to 15 students gather in Little Hall and proceed by car to the districts where Democratic candidate Martha Sharp is campaigning to unseat Republican House minority leader Joe Martin, and Oliver S. Allen, Law School '35, is contesting Edith Nourse Rogers' seat.

Results Often Amusing

"A house-to-house canvass like this takes a little boldness, but everyone is very friendly, and you certainly run into some peculiar situations," remarked Maurice Benewitz '47, vice-president of the Liberal Union, after two evenings of punching doorbells.

"In one house," he said, "a little boy came to the door, and when I asked for his parents he nodded and motioned me inside. When I walked into the room the voters of the house were in bed. They hastily assured me that they would vote for Allen so I left."

Another zealous politico, refused to discuss the candidates with a comely non-voter of 18 or thereabouts when she announced that her parents were not at home and invited him in for the evening.

'Cliffe-Dwellers Entertained

Taking the stump proved to be stimulating for some of the 'Cliffe girls from the Radcliffe League for Democracy, who almost found themselves sipping cocktails with their hosts in the Sixteenth District.

"We won't know whether we have done any good until election day," Benewitz concluded, "but we are having a hell of a lot of fun and getting good practical experience." The Liberal Union plans to keep up the work for the next ten days and is still buttonholing recruits with the hope of sending 20 people on the road every night.