Right to Lose

Though his opponent in the U.S. Senate race is Democratic Congressman Clair Engle, California's outgoing Governor Goodwin J. Knight swings hardest against Fellow Republican William Fife Knowland. To an Oceanside meeting of wire-service editors last fortnight, Goodie argued bitterly that the Knowland-embraced right-to-work proposition on the upcoming ballot is "a non-Republican issue." Then Knight punched his running mate squarely on the jaw: "Since he injected a non-Republican issue into the campaign, I am under no moral or legal obligation to endorse his candidacy. We Republicans frequently have asked Democrats to vote for our candidates. Perhaps we should return the favor."

Like Brer Rabbit slapping Tar Baby, Goodie found his hand stuck. Knowland expressed "surprise" at Knight's argument, unveiled a five-year-old letter in which Knight lamented the state legislature's failure to pass a right-to-work law.

Gripped in this private feud, both Republicans trailed their Democratic opponents by a country mile. California polls showed Knowland running behind Democrat Pat Brown (TIME, Sept. 15) for Governor 38% to 62%. Similarly, Goodie Knight lagged in Engle's rear, 41% to 59%. Gleefully watching the Knight-Knowland act, Democrats crowed over the G.O.P. "right-to-lose campaign."

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