HYRC Backs Goldwater After Raucous Meeting

In a noisy meeting of the general membership, the Harvard Young Republican Club pondered its future last night and decided to endorse Senator Barry Goldwater for President by a 67-35 vote.

The vote reversed the action of the club's executive committee, which failed more than two weeks ago to endorse the national GOP ticket.

Repeatedly during last night's meeting in Harvard Hall 5, speakers emphasized that endorsement of Goldwater would weaken the club by accentuating the split between conservatives and moderates.

"This issue has gone too far. I ask you why should we endorse the national ticket when our club has been shattered by it--our membership in disarray," Robert L. Beal '63, the first speaker for the faction opposing endorsement, said.

Conservative Rule

Last February, conservatives captured the club's presidency, vice-presidency, and six of 12 seats on the executive committee. Ever since, there has been repeated conflict between the two sides.

Eric A. Von Salzen '65, president of the HYRC, gave the concluding speech for the pro-Goldwater forces and emphasized two points that had been made all evening: that the HYRC was a Republican Club and had an obligation to endorse the ticket of the national party; that the club's endorsement did not prohibit any of its members from openly opposing the Arizona Senator.

From the very start of the meeting, it was obvious that the Goldwater forces had a clear-cut majority. They clapped and shouted loudly for their speakers. The alternative clapping from the moderates added to the din.

Midway through the meeting Charles K. Scott '67, a member of the executive committee, told the gathering that "I've been informed we're bothering everybody in this corner of the Yard." He said that either the windows of the lecture hall would have to be closed or the noise would have to be kept down. The windows were closed.

"Compromise" Attempted

An effort at "compromise" was made by T. Dewey Schwartzenburg '67, a member of the Executive Committee. He proposed that the general membership merely approve sending a letter to the CRIMSON explaining why the Executive Committee had not endorsed Goldwater.

Schwartzenburg, who said that he personally favored Goldwater, told the meeting "I have seen this club ripped to shreds by this issue and appealed for acceptance of his motion as "something we can work together with." It was defeated 66-35.

Before and after the meeting, some moderates complained that the club's conservative leadership had unfairly rigged the results by calling the meeting only two days before.

One moderate suggested that the conservatives had been secretly organizing their support during the past week, but "didn't tell anyone that we were going to do this [have a general membership meeting] until last Tuesday night." He said the moderates were "caught sleeping."

Von Salzen denied there had been any foul play. He said that the general membership meeting had been called on the request of four members of the executive committee--including himself--last Tuesday, and up "until then such a four did not exist.