Camden Republican Club

The Republican Party, under the direction of William Joyce Sewell, David Baird Sr., and David Baird Jr. dominated politics in Camden from the 1870s through 1935.

In 1923 a building at 223–225 Broadway, the corner of Broadway & Stevens Street, was obtained which was to become the party’s full-time city and county headquarters.

The building on Broadway remained in use by the Republican Party until 1940. It was managed in the 1930s by William Lehman, a political ally of David Baird Jr. The 1930s were marked by a bitter struggle for power between Baird and Albert S. Woodruff. This struggle so divided the city Republican Party that Democrats led by George H. Brunner all but eliminated the Republicans from power within the city of Camden.

As a result of this dissatisfaction with the leadership of David Baird Jr. by suburban Republicans, a movement led by county committeeman Edward Marker led to the Republican Party Headquarters leaving the building in 1940. The building had been closely identified with the Baird faction of the party, and this influenced the decision of party leaders as much as the apparent shift in party fortunes from the city to the suburbs.

In July of 1942 the building at 223–225 Broadway was razed. Two new stores were built in its place.

Political Clubs and Leaders Get Questionnaire on Financial Support

Questionnaires have been sent to the Republican clubs of Camden city and county, together with requests for opinions from the county committeemen and committeewomen on whether Republican county headquarters, Broadway & Stevens Street, should be continued.

Replies are expected to be in the hands of the committee next Friday. A meeting of the committee, scheduled for last night, was postponed.

It was reported two months’ rent of the headquarters remains unpaid, employees have not received their salaries for the past month.

Seven questions were submitted to the clubs in this order:

Do you, or do you not favor a County Republican headquarters? Why?

Do you, or do you not believe the present location is desirable? Why?

How does a County Republican headquarters help your local club?

How can a County Republican headquarters help your local club?

Would your club be in a position to make a yearly contribution toward the maintenance of such headquarters?

Note: This question only can be answered by the various Republican clubs.

If your answer to question No. 5 is no, what would be your suggestion as to how a headquarters should be financed?

Remarks: Please give us your frank opinion freely.

Replies Confidential

The letter sent to the committee members declares all replies will be held “confidential.” It follows:

“This committee was appointed at the last Camden County Committee meeting for the purpose of finding ways and means of maintaining a County Headquarters,

“We are sending the enclosed questionnaire to all Republican Clubs in the City and County of Camden. It will, therefore, not be necessary for you to consult your respective clubs.”

“We desire your own personal opinion which will be kept strictly confidential.”

The committee comprises Edward D. Marker, of Haddon Township, chairman; George H. Walton, of Haddonfield; Louis Bantivoglio, of the Fifth Ward, Camden; Mary J. Smith, of Pine Hill; Dorothy MacIlvain, of the Twelfth Ward, Camden, and Elsie Geistert, Pennsauken Township.

Miss MacIlvaine confirmed the report that the letters and questionnaires had been mailed to county committee members. She said they would be sent to the clubs later this week.

“Our committee is not forcing the issue concerning the Republican headquarters,” she said. “We think it only fair to permit the committee members and the clubs to decide the matter. We shall be guided in our recommendations, by the action of the members and the clubs.”

No intimation was given as to the manner in which the polls are registering, although the hint was given by one of the county committee that the clubs were not yearning to accept any burden of maintaining county headquarters.

According to one of the coalition leaders the plight of the county committee is onerous. This leader declared the rent for the past two months remains unpaid. The leader also stated the employees had not received full salaries for at least a month.

The rent for the building is said to be $75 monthly.

William H. Lehman, regarded by many members of the committee as a political “Friday” for former U.S. Senator David Baird, Jr., is manager of headquarters at a reputed salary of $50 weekly.

Other expenses include the salary of a clerk, a janitor, fuel, electric, gas and incidentals.

Camden county Republican clubs, polled on whether they want to give up the present county committee headquarters at Broadway and Stevens Street, will not be ready to complete their answers before next week.

Delay in furnishing a list of the organizations was responsible for this hiatus, and also resulted in the postponement of the committee meeting last night.

Edward D. Marker, of Haddon Township, chairman of the committee of six appointed to poll the clubs and county committee members on the question of keeping or giving up the present headquarters said he expected the meeting to be held next week.

“I wasn’t able to get a complete list of the Republican clubs from the county headquarters until a day or so ago,” he said, “and consequently I wasn’t able to reach those organizations as I expected I would be able to do.

“However all the questionnaires have been mailed to the various clubs and should be in hand in time to ask the committee members to meet next week. We’ll complete the vote, then make a report to the county committee shortly afterward.”

Greater Republican Club of Gloucester was one of those which received the questionnaire. The organization went on record in favor of keeping the present headquarters.

At the same time, William Ward, of the Second Ward, Gloucester, announced that he was a candidate for the Camden county board of elections to succeed William A. E. King. This position is appointive by the Governor.

Frank Pine, also of the Second Ward, announced he was a candidate for re-election to the county committee. He said he would advocate a larger gymnasium for the high school.

Support of City Commissioner Mary W. Kobus as “leader of the Republican Party in Camden County” is pledged in a resolution adopted by the Sixth Ward Republican Association, meeting in headquarters of the Camden County Republican Association, 506 Broadway.

Text of the resolution, signed by Elwood A. Fritz, president, and Edgar Brittingham, secretary, follows:

“Whereas Commissioner Mary W. Kobus as a public official and as a Republican has always demanded and upheld the most important and political proclamation, to wit: ‘Only those means and measures shall be adopted which shall presently and ultimately prove and provoke the greatest good to the greatest number,’ and

“Whereas the Sixth Ward Republican Association is desirous of rehabilitating the Republican Party and restoring confidence of the public in the Republican Party;

“Therefore be it resolved that the Sixth Ward Republican Association of the City and County of Camden does hereby pledge its support to the leadership of Mary W. Kobus as leader of the Republican Party of Camden County.”

Officers installed at the meeting were Fritz, Brittingham, Charles Cifriano, first vice-president; John Gritton, second vice president, and Edgar Holmes, treasurer.