 It's time for the Lawn Jean Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the art. A presentation of the Lawn Jean Wittner Watts Company, maker of Lawn Jean, the world's most honored watch, and Wittner, distinguished companion to the world-honored Lawn Jean. Good evening. This is David Ross. May I introduce our co-editors for this edition of the Lawn Jean Chronoscope? Mr. William Bradford Huey and Mr. Richard Waddell, management editor of Business Week Magazine. Our distinguished guest for this evening is the honorable Clifford Case, the United States representative from New Jersey. Mr. Case, many of our viewers, of course, know that you are a veteran congressman from Rallway, New Jersey. You've been in Congress since 1944, haven't you? That's right. And particularly during the last few weeks, you've been a part of Operation Commodore. You've been a part of these people who've been sitting down in the Commodore Hotel and getting the new administration ready to take over. Now, sir, there's a lot of public interest in what you've been doing at the Commodore. And the first question is this, sir. Is all of this organization work that you've been doing for the new administration, is this an unprecedented effort? Has it ever happened before? So far as I know, it is unprecedented. Certainly nothing like this has happened in the past 20 years. Could you give our viewers some indication of the size of the effort? How many people have been employed in it? Right now, I guess, we're about at the peak. And I think there's something like 125 people there altogether. The great bulk of that consists of clerical help. And then there are several people in the rather special category like Hugh Scott and myself. Most of the rest of the men are people who are going into the new administration. Now, you've been everybody from General Eisenhower and Mr. Delis on down, 125 of you. And reporting there for work every morning since the election and working? Pretty much. Your job, I understand part of your job at least, has been to collect some money to pay for this. Yes. Who will pay the final bill or are the bills paid? They're not all paid, but I'm sure they all will be paid. We have had to raise money for this headquarters. There isn't any federal appropriation for it, and it's an expensive thing to have 55 rooms now. Are you in favor of a federal appropriation for such a shift in the interim period? Well, there are various possibilities, it seems to me, and they all ought to be explored. I'm not sure that I can see quickly any reason why there should be such a long delay between Election Day and Inauguration Day. And the purpose, of course, of the whole operation is to make this transition from one administration to another as smooth as possible without any lag. How much does the operation cost, sir? What's been the weekly cost at? It has gradually increased as the president-elect has named additional people to his staff and they have come to the headquarters and taken up their duties. Right now, I expect it's something like in the neighborhood of $25,000 a week. And how are you paying the $25,000 now? How are you paying part of it? A considerable amount. I don't know exactly what it would total. It has been raised just by people who have sent in subscriptions, contributions, knowing that the organization is in existence and needs funds. Is there any possible ground for criticism of such an operation or for financing it in such a manner? It seems to me that there is no proper ground and I've heard no suggestion of criticism. Have you had any difficulty in collecting any of the money? No, but there hasn't been an organized drive to raise money. Your efforts have been in some fields directed in another way. Oh, yes. You have done some other things. There's been some talk that you've been looking over the congressional list to find out those who you think might be the proper men to carry out some of Eisenhower's program. Well, I ought to say right now that my position and Congressman Scott's position, too, has not been that. We are not in any way assigned to that job by the administration or the incoming administration. We are there to do everything that has to be done for which our experience and interests follow. You have some ideas on how the rapprochement between Taft and Eisenhower is going to work out. Do you think it will be smooth? I have every confidence that there will be a completely harmonious operation between Senator Taft and Congress in general and the President. Congressman, since you were an original Eisenhower man and since you've had all this experience in helping to prepare the way for the new administration, I'm sure that you can give our viewers some valuable hints as to what to expect when the show moves on down to Washington on the 20th. Now, sir, specifically, is anything dramatic like that happen during the first few weeks after Eisenhower becomes President? Well, in the sense that I think your question implies no. There has been a very dramatic happening extended over the period beginning about 8.30 on election day and continuing right on now and it's going to continue. But in the sense of dramatic and spectacular moves, I don't think that they are in the wind. This is going to be a process which is a solid accomplishment rather than a spectacular one. The war in Korea is not likely to end quickly or taxes to be reduced drastically or in a new deal legislation be repealed, Senator. Do you think that they'll... Well, Mr. Hue, I'm sure that the kind of thing that your question implies is not going to happen that way. I know, I have the deepest confidence that we are going to get the war in Korea ended sooner than we would otherwise. The Texas will come down sooner than otherwise they would and that sound legislative programs are going to be enacted and good things carried out and developed further. But I don't look for a lightning stroke of the kind I think you mean. Well, there'll be differences, undoubtedly. One of the differences and the one that I'm interested in is the businessmen who have gone to Washington... Well, gone to the common door and will be going to Washington. Do you think that their organization of the executive branch of the government will improve and even save money for the government as an operation? I'm sure that the administration will do that and that the wisdom and ability that the leaders from business who lies in the hour is putting in his cabinet and in his administration will be of great help in that direction. Yes. Now, sir, who are the brain trusters of this new administration? Well, that again implies that there's a little coterie of people behind the scenes who are running the show. And I couldn't, if there were such and I knew about it, I wouldn't be able to say so. As a matter of fact, I don't believe there is that kind of thing. There's what I'm striking at, sir, and I'm trying to get at. This has been built as a new era, something new is happening in Washington on January the 20th. For most people now, most American adults, and for most people less than 50 years old, there's nothing like this has happened since 1932. Now, can you illustrate to our viewers what the difference is going to be between this new administration and what we've had for the past 20 years? Well, we've had for the past, at least the latter part of this 20 years, an administration that's been running down. An administration that by the weight of its accumulated mistakes and the mere fact that it's been in office so long has been getting slower and slower grinding to a halt. And we now have, coming into office on the 20th of January, presaged by the Republican Congress, which took office last Saturday, an administration that is fresh and comes with vigor with none of the handicaps or the barnacles that have attached to the old one, and with a complete dedication to the single purpose of doing the best possible job in foreign affairs and in domestic affairs, and no entanglement. And I have the greatest confidence that the results which are expected are going to be realized. One of the problems that some people think that the Eisenhower administration will face perhaps in 1953 is a recession. Now, you have said in your campaign speeches for re-election in New Jersey that the Republican Party must do nothing to earn the title of the Depression Party or Party of Privilege or the indifference towards the general public. Will they move quickly if there's any sign of that? If there is any sign of that sort, I am sure the administration will take all proper and necessary action. Actually, in my talks to which you refer, I was talking about a reputation rather than an actuality. Something that had been successfully hoisted on us by certain branches of the Democratic Party in many people's minds, and I was pointing out that we should not accept that, and must not, and I'm sure we will not do anything to justify it. Well, Mr. Case, you are a very influential New Jersey politician in your own right, sir. In a very limited area. And from a very fine district. That's true. Now, what have you promised your district to get them down there during this new Congress? I'm a very lucky congressman because mine is not a tort barrel district in any sense. We have no great public works that are desired and them that are there. You mean your district doesn't want anything? My district wants, pardon me, this is not saying that it's got it, but it wants just good, solid representation. Which? They must think you saw a representation since you let Eisenhower in the district by about 10,000 votes. I'm sorry, you started this. And let those facts speak for themselves. That was a little bit special, and there were special reasons for that. Do you accept the candidacy for governor? And some people say that you are going to be offered that. That would be a most flattering offer. I don't believe anybody in political life would turn it down. But I'd prefer to wait till it was offered before I say yes. That's a final question, sir. It's been said that the new administration is going to be weak on politicians. It's going to have a lot of businessmen, but there aren't going to be any very experienced politicians in the administration itself. Do you think that there's going to be a shortage of politicians? No, not in the right sense. Both in the administration itself and the executive side, and of course in Congress, where we have experienced politicians, men from way back who know the trade and properly, I am sure that we will have no difficulty in handling the political side of this thing in a proper way. Well, thank you very much for being with us this evening, sir. The opinions you've heard our speakers express tonight are entirely their own. The editorial board for this edition of the Laun Jean Chronoscope was Mr. William Bradford Huey and Mr. Richard Waddell, Management Editor of Business Week Magazine. Our distinguished guest was the Honorable Clifford Case, United States Representative from New Jersey. 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