The Week

• The Polaris nuclear submarine dispatched for duty off the China coast is rumored to be the USS Steve Allen.

• Let us review the fight for the GOP House leadership. First, entering right stage, Melvin Laird (Wise.) who categorically denies that he seeks the minority leadership. But he denies it emphatically enough to wake up Charlie Halleck, downstage right-center, who shakes himself out of a post-election snooze. Gerry Ford (Mich.) , standing moderately at mid-stage, announces that he too will not be a candidate for Halleck’s job, which is a signal to Charlie Goodell (N.Y.) and Robert Griffen (Mich.) to go to work for his election. John Lindsay (Lib., N.Y.), usually seen but not heard on matters of party organization, enters left stage and announces that his Wednesday Club will field its own candidate—Robert Stafford (Vt.), if you press him for names. The Eastern press front pages Lindsay’s statement, others laugh; Stafford crosses Lindsay off his Christmas list. Laird then whispers his support to Ford, while smiling downstage at Halleck, then exits, right. Silvio Conte (Mass.), who has assured at least two candidates of his support, is collared for an explanation, and tries evasive action, and becomes perhaps the first man re-elected by more than 90 per cent of the vote to deplore one-party rotten boroughs. Ford then steps forward and says he will be a candidate after all—which the sensationalists construe as a move against Dean Burch—which Ford has not, and probably will not, take. Halleck gets sorer and sorer. Laird soothes everyone by assuring both candidates that more effective leadership of the GOP will result from the contest, whatever the result. Laird knows he will have a top leadership post for himself, no matter who wins, and fewer and fewer people seem to care.

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• The Polaris nuclear submarine dispatched for duty off the China coast is rumored to be the USS Steve Allen.

• Let us review the fight for the GOP House leadership. First, entering right stage, Melvin Laird (Wise.) who categorically denies that he seeks the minority leadership. But he denies it emphatically enough to wake up Charlie Halleck, downstage right-center, who shakes himself out of a post-election snooze. Gerry Ford (Mich.) , standing moderately at mid-stage, announces that he too will not be a candidate for Halleck’s job, which is a signal to Charlie Goodell (N.Y.) and Robert Griffen (Mich.) to go to work for his election. John Lindsay (Lib., N.Y.), usually seen but not heard on matters of party organization, enters left stage and announces that his Wednesday Club will field its own candidate—Robert Stafford (Vt.), if you press him for names. The Eastern press front pages Lindsay’s statement, others laugh; Stafford crosses Lindsay off his Christmas list. Laird then whispers his support to Ford, while smiling downstage at Halleck, then exits, right. Silvio Conte (Mass.), who has assured at least two candidates of his support, is collared for an explanation, and tries evasive action, and becomes perhaps the first man re-elected by more than 90 per cent of the vote to deplore one-party rotten boroughs. Ford then steps forward and says he will be a candidate after all—which the sensationalists construe as a move against Dean Burch—which Ford has not, and probably will not, take. Halleck gets sorer and sorer. Laird soothes everyone by assuring both candidates that more effective leadership of the GOP will result from the contest, whatever the result. Laird knows he will have a top leadership post for himself, no matter who wins, and fewer and fewer people seem to care.