The Faculty Tries Politics

THE fall saw a spurt of faculty political activity, some for "the new politics," other for the not-so-new politics. Three faculty and staff members were on the November 5 ballot while others politicked behind the scenes.

David C. Hoeh, Associate Director of the Public Affairs Center, was soundly defeated in his bid to unseat Republican Congressman James C. Cleveland. Many Dartmouth students worked on his campaign, a classic example of the difficulty in defeating an incumbent. Hoeh's campaign was watched closely by the national press. A strategist in Senator Eugene McCarthy's unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hoeh was considered a "peace candidate."

In a throwback to Colonial days, Edwin Gittleman, Associate Professor of English, lost the race for High Bailiff of Windsor County. Normally there is no contest for this obscure office (the high bailiff is the only one empowered to arrest the county sheriff), but the rejuvenated Democratic party in Vermont wanted to field a full slate of county candidates.

Professor Gittleman, though, derived some satisfaction. His Norwich neighbors gave more votes to him than to the party's gubernatorial candidate, John J. Daley.

Prof. Laurence I. Radway of the Government Department, running unopposed on the Democratic ticket, was elected one of Hanover's three representatives to the General Court (the New Hampshire House of Representatives).

The New Party, in which Gary L. McDowell, Assistant Professor of Economics, played a major role, appeared on the New Hampshire ballot. Its efforts to run Senator McCarthy and Mayor John Lindsay were foiled, first by the candidates, then by the courts.

Jeffrey Hart '51, Associate Professor of English, having worked for Governor Ronald Reagan's bid for the Republican nomination, later wrote campaign speeches for Richard Nixon. He was the author of Nixon's position paper on education.

In the wake of the election results there is speculation (at this writing, still unconfirmed) that Professor Hart will be offered a position in President Nixon's administration.

In other New Hampshire political activity, Mrs. Jean L. Hennessey (wife of Dean John W. Hennessey of Tuck School), Democratic candidate for an Executive Council seat, was defeated and Larry K. Smith, recently of the History Department, was a key campaign worker in Governor John King's unsuccessful effort to unseat Republican U.S. Senator Norris Cotton. Mr. Smith has returned to his new job on the staff of U.S. Senator Thomas J. McIntyre '37.

The College's educational resources benefited from the spurt of politicking. Significant material in the Hoeh campaign was contributed to the College Museum as a case history. Under the direction of Alfred F. Whiting, Curator of Anthropology, it will be incorporated into a growing collection of campaign paraphernalia, initiated by William W. Becker '64 and his father Ralph E. Becker.