McNicol Elected HYRC President by Slim Margin

The Harvard Young Republican Club last night elected David L. McNicol '66 president and gave his ticket a vote of confidence by putting 8 of its members on the 13-man executive committee.

Only 12 votes separated McNicol from opponent, Duncan A. Ragsdale '65-3, as McNicol's ticket was able to maintain a slim lead throughout most of the ballotting. Ragsdale's ticket managed only one clear-cut victory in the major club offices, electing John F. Symington '68, a distant relative of Senator Stuart Symington (D-Mo.)--as Corresponding Secretary.

McNicol replaces Eric A. Von Salzen '66, the conservative who last year upset the "machine" candidate for president and whose supporters nearly captured control of last year's executive committee. McNicol's victory is viewed as a comeback for the "machine," which has dominated club politics for most of HYRC's 18 year history.

Factional Bickering

Since Von Salzen's election, the club has been bitterly split by factional bickering which came to a head last fall in a long fight over whether or not to endorse GOP presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. The club finally voted to endorse him.

Last night McNicol pledged to "try to keep ideoloical battles from becoming the center of club politics." McNicol's promise to revive the club after "one of worst [years] in the HYRC's history" included reinstituting the legislative assistants program and the precinct education program, and scheduling more speakers.

This year's campaign was particularly close and 272 young Republicans packed into the Leverett House Dining Hall for the ballotting.

May Let Girls In

At the meeting, the young republicans also voted 144-104 to invite Radcliffe girls into the club. The vote is not binding to the executive committee, however. McNicol, who opposses merging with the Radcliffe Republican Club, said he favored "uniting with Wellesley, because there are more Wellesley young Republicans."

Elected to the executive committee along with McNicol and Symington were: Paul R. Kaplan '66 (vice-president); Tobias D. Schwartzenburg '67 (operations director); Terry A. Barnett '67 (director); Michael R. Merz '67 (recording secretary); and Charles K. '67 (Treasurer). Elected as members at large were: Henry G. Beyer II, James W. Vaupel '67; Jay B. Athens '68; Donald B. Mills '68; and Wallace B. Knox '68.