in Gabrielson's leadership ability, saying "I hope the present leadership of the party is

not trying to evolve some mythical, tight control methods -- for, I am sure, there is too

much independent thought in the Republican Party to bind it up that way."87 Harold

Talbott, Dewey's top fund-raiser, wrote to Summerfield saying "I think there has to

be a knock-down-drag out fight by those of us who realize what we are up against and

at some time have him replaced."88 Summerfield found favor on this issue with a

number of liberal Republicans simply because he opposed one of their chief rivals,

not because of his policy statements or political ideology.

 While the Albany group and its supporters backed Summerfield and Coleman,

the Taft faction staunchly defended Gabrielson. George Hansen, the national

committeeman from Utah, believed that Gabrielson's efforts to limit the bureaucracy

would boost Republican efforts in 1950 and 1952. He argued that Brownell's attempt

to create a parallel campaign organization in 1948 had directly led to the party's

defeat and believed that a small, well-coordinated headquarters staff could mount a

more effective drive for the White House than the RSC was capable of.89 Walter

Hallanan, never one to mince words, sent a three page diatribe skewering

Summerfield for this resignation. He accused Summerfield of putting his own

personal ambition above party unity and criticized him for attempting to establish a

parallel policy making apparatus, just as Brownell had done in 1945 and 1948. Taft's




8 Arthur Langlie, Letter to Arthur Summerfield, 18 July 1950. Copy in Folder (Republican National
Strategy Committee Summerfield Resignation as Acting Chairman and Letters pertaining to the Same
(2)), Box 6, Summerfield Papers.

88 Harold Talbott, Letter to Arthur Summerfield, 2 July 1950. Copy in Folder (Republican National
Strategy Committee Summerfield Resignation as Acting Chairman and Letters pertaining to the Same
(2)), Box 6, Summerfield Papers.

89 George Hansen, Letter to Arthur Summerfield, 25 July 1950. Copy in Folder (Republican National
Strategy Committee Summerfield Resignation as Acting Chairman and Letters pertaining to the Same
(2)), Box 6, Summerfield Papers.