George v. Teddy

Bands played, and a few happy delegates did a twist in the lobby of Worcester's Sheraton-Worcester Hotel. But the atmosphere was anything but festive in the upstairs headquarters of the two men who sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. The candidates were tired, tense--and apprehensive. George Cabot Lodge. 34. son of former Ambassador to the U.N. Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., strode about restlessly.

U.S. Representative Laurence Curtis. 68.

who is serving his fifth term in the House, slumped exhausted in a chair. On the eve of the nominating convention, what had started out to be almost a one-man race had turned into a suspenseful neck-and-neck finish.

Lodge had been steadily building up an organization since last September, at first seemed to have almost a clear field. Curtis announced his candidacy in January, but did practically no campaigning until a month ago. Then, surprisingly. Curtis seemed to be surging, helped by the backing of many Massachusetts G.O.P. pros, including former House Speaker Joe Martin. So swiftly did Curtis pick up strength that George Lodge said just before the delegates met: "I'm running on the basis that I'm slightly behind."

The next day proved Lodge wrong. The voting was close to the end, but Lodge managed to carry the day on the first ballot. The vote: 936 to 848. Massachusetts

Republicans thus cleared the way for the renewal of an old family battle, since the Democratic candidate in November will most likely be Teddy Kennedy, the President's brother.

In the Manner. The secret of Lodge's victory was organization. Taking a lesson from the Kennedy book, his team scientifically divided the state into areas and districts, placed key men in charge of each. Almost all amateurs, they made careful files on each delegate, deluged doubtful delegates with letters, campaign literature, weekly checkups and. when necessary, personal visits or phone calls from the candidate. Also in the Kennedy manner. Lodge saw that each delegate got the results of a poll showing that he had a better chance of winning the election than Curtis.

While nomination of Curtis would have given the G.O.P. a better case of age and experience against Teddy Kennedy.

Lodge also had credentials to offer. A onetime political reporter for the Boston Herald, he served as Assistant Secretary for International Labor Affairs in the Eisen hower Administration; he stayed on for several months under Kennedy to finish out his term as chairman of the International Labor Organization, which had made him the second American chairman--and the youngest--in its 42-year history.

To neutralize Curtis' clear popularity with the pros. Lodge argued that he had enough appeal to independent voters to win in November. Most of all, he convinced Republican delegates that it will take youth and toughness to beat Teddy.

Says Lodge: "You've got to stand toe to toe with them and slug it out in terms of schedule, of hours, of energy, and of just plain determination." Dynastic Theme. Lodge intends to hit hard at Kennedy's lack of experience and the dynasty theme ("I'm not part of any dynasty. I don't have a brother in the White House"). Said he in his convention speech: "I am here because I am angered by the callous manner in which a single family has grasped for personal power; because I am amazed that their arrogance is so complete that--with open contempt for their own party in their own state--they forced the convention endorsement of the most remarkably unqualified candidate for the United States Senate ever seen in this country."

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