Shining with confidence, California's polished Paul Ziffren arrived in Washington last week to help other Democratic National Committeemen buff up their strategy. As the committeeman from a big state that shows steady Democratic inroads (and may be due for 37 House seats instead of the present 30, under the 1961 reapportionment), Ziffren felt emboldened to make a major suggestion. The suggestion, co-fathered by Committeemen Jake Arvey of Illinois* and David Lawrence of Pennsylvania: a new 17-member committee, made up of non-National Committeemen to advise the party.
Ziffren spoke loftily of its value in...