In the Blue Ridge meeting, the audience was warned that entering a candidate for governor would force it to take petitions out into voting precincts to obtain the signatures of registered voters.

Despite the warning, there was a unanimous vote to enter a candidate, according to Republicans who attended.

When the crowd was asked whether it wanted to wait one more term to make the race, it voted no -- and there were no dissents.

The largest hurdle the Republicans would have to face is a state law which says that before making a first race, one of two alternative courses must be taken:

Five per cent of the voters in each county must sign petitions requesting that the Republicans be allowed to place names of candidates on the general election ballot, or The Republicans must hold a primary under the county unit system -- a system which the party opposes in its platform.

Sam Caldwell, State Highway Department public relations director, resigned Tuesday to work for Lt. Gov. Garland Byrd's campaign.

Caldwell's resignation had been expected for some time. He will be succeeded by Rob Ledford of Gainesville, who has been an assistant more than three years. When the gubernatorial campaign starts, Caldwell is expected to become a campaign coordinator for Byrd.

The Georgia Legislature will wind up its 1961 session Monday and head for home -- where some of the highway bond money it approved will follow shortly.