Against the Democrat Democrat

Pennsylvania's Republican Governor William Scranton has turned down some 4,000 speaking invitations since last November. But, by way of paying a political debt, he was happy to travel to Boston last week. Scranton was grateful for a 1962 Pennsylvania fund-raising appearance on his behalf by Massachusetts Republican Henry Cabot Lodge. At that same time. Lodge's son George was running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate against Teddy Kennedy--and piling up an $85,000 campaign deficit. By appearing at a $100-a-plate dinner last week. Scranton helped raise $65,000 against that deficit.

Scranton also got several gripes off his chest. "Republicans." he said, "not only should agree on a tax cut, we ought to demand it. But we ought to demand that Government spending be cut also. Republicans can . . . clearly state--in specifics --that if the Administration cuts its spending by 'X' dollars, that--and only that--will make it possible to cut taxes by 'Y' dollars."

At the same time, "if we really believe in Government action on the lowest possible level, we Republicans ought to advocate a new division of the tax dollar. I'm not talking about some vague, theoretical platitude. I'm talking about coming up with a specific, concrete tax program that gives more revenues to the states."

In his prepared text. Scranton had urged an end to Republican factionalism. Because of the G.O.P.'s "neverending game of label roulette," it is sometimes hard to decide just what kind of Republican one is--conservative or liberal, conservatively liberal or liberally conservative.

"Or maybe," he wrote, "he's the Republican to beat all Republicans: a liberally conservative, but conservatively liberal; progressively moderate, but moderately progressive; middle-of-the-road, up-and-coming, down-and-at-'em Republican-type Republican . . . The net result of this urge to be labeled frequently is that our party members end up in neatly tagged compartments, while the opposition party ends up in public office. The only real gainer is a peculiar political species known as a Democrat Democrat."

The only thing was, Scranton got so busy ad-libbing that he cut his speech--and in the process, left out that wry but realistic plea for party solidarity.

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