NATIONAL PRESS CLUB HAS A REAL CONTEST FOR PRESIDENCY FIRST TIME IN 33 YEARS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01315R000300680034-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 22, 2004
• Sequence Number: 34
• Publication Date: December 11, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

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WASHINGTON POST
AND 'T'IMES HERALD ~pp __~~~ rr~~
Approved For Release 2004/11/01: CIA-RDP8$ )l 1,5R0 ?996800 -
ational Press Club Has a Deal Contest
For Presidency First Time in 33 Years
By Edward T. Folliard
Staff Reporter
Conflict makes news, they
:say, and. so today's annual
election at the-National Press
Club would seem to rate a
headline.
Ordinarily elections at this,
O the largest and best-known
club of its kind in the world,
''arouse no great excitement-
rat least where the top offices
are concerned.
But this time there is a siz-
zling battle for the presidency,
"the first real contest for the
No. 1 office in 33 years. Con-
sequently, a large turnout. of
voters is predicted.
The candidates for pressi-
dent, as they are listed on the
ballot, are Clark?R. Mollenhoff
,of the.Cowles Publications and
'William M. (Bill) Blair of the
- ew York Times.
Both men already hold of-
fice in the National Press
`Club, Mollenhoff as vice presi-
dent and Blair as secretary.
The big issue in the election
is what is known as the "esca-
lator system." For years it has
been taken fpr, granted 'that
once a member is elected vice
CLARK R. MOLLENHOFF
opponents for presidency of National Press Club
president, he will move up to
the presidency escalator
fashion-automatically, `with-
out opposition. Some have
likened this to royal succes-
sion.
Having been elected vice
persuaded to run aginst Mod
lenhoff. The New York Times
man announced his candidacy
on Dec. 1.
In past years, the abence of,
conflict and contests has re-'
suited in a comparatively)
small turnout of voters. Last;
year it was less' than 15 per',
cent of those qualified to cash
ballots.
In a flier sent to all active
members, the Bill Blair for,
Committee likened'
past Press Club elections to'
the one-party Russian system;
and said:
"Let's get rid of the Russian
ballot In the NPC.
"For the first time in dec-
ades you can CHOOSE a pres-
ident, not Just ACCEPT one.
"He (Bill Blair) Is running
out of turn, bucking the esca-
lator system ...."
Candidate Mollenhoff, a bat-
tier, had this to say yesterday:
"I believe in free, clean elec-
tion contests at the National
Press Club, and have helped
stimulate some competition
for these offices. I have run
for election to the Board of
Governors in three election
contests and won. The record
president last year, Mollen-
hoff had good reason to be-
lieve that he would ride the
escalator' to the presidency
this year.
Then came a revolt against
the 'system, and Bill Blair was
Approved For Release 2004/11/01 : CIA-RDP88-01315R000300680034-1