of the constitution. They believed that Dewey's 1948 campaign and its lack of

opposition represented an ineffective strategy and a betrayal of Republican principles,

but the Taft camp did not think that they could return to the 1920s Harding/Coolidge

Republican model no matter how much they wanted to.

 The Summerfield-Gabrielson disagreement showed that the conservative

members of the RNC lacked coherence. Taft and his RNC supporters hoped to use

their control of the RNC to shape the 1950 party platform in order to foster their

vision of a Republican opposition. Gabrielson had already indicated his willingness to

draft a new RNC declaration of principles and went forward with plans to have a

statement prepared by early 1950. Gabrielson's mission was to increase the

importance and standing of the RNC while creating a platform representative of Taft's

viewpoints. Summerfield cared less about who received the 1952 presidential

nomination and more about building the party as a clear, recognizable alternative to

the Democrats, and protecting the free enterprise system. While these goals were not

mutually exclusive, Taft's plan required a more soothing, less hostile declaration than

the one Summerfield had in mind.

 The Taft faction generally supported Gabrielson and submitted a number of

proposals for the RNC statement of principles. A number of its points, when taken

collectively, illustrated the differences between the Taft and Dewey groups, as well as

the Taft group and the more ideologically-motivated conservatives. Walter Hallanan

hoped that the GOP would make a defense against "socialism" the critical issue in the

1950 and 1952 election campaigns and depict itself as the alternative to the Soviet

way of life.74 Marrs McLean, another powerful Taft backer, thought the Republicans

should highlight their disdain for union leadership and drive a wedge between labor

74 Walter Hallanan, Letter to Guy Gabrielson, 13 December 1949. Copy in Folder (H Republicans (2)),
Box 8, Summerfield Papers.