Evening star., 1922-03-28
LABOR
MAY NAME TICKET
Both Parties Canvass FielH
N U. S. Senatorship Race.
France Faces Fight. 4
Special Dispatch to The Star.

BALTIMORE, Md. March 2s.-Tslk
OF "non-partisan" candidates at the
coming and future elections has been
current in labor circles this week.
following the repeal of the full
crew railroad law by the house of
delegates on Wednesday, after a
change Of front on the part of a num-
Der Of delegates.
The treatment that the legislative
program Of the Baltimore Federation
Of Labor received at Annapolis has
developed in the Baltimore unions a
discrimination to place independent
candidates in the field at the next
city, state and national elections.
We might not be able to elect many
or our men," one union leader said.
but we could lick some of those
4 who are voting consistently against
the interests of the lsboring class.
The vote on the repeal of the full
crew law was the last straw"
Democrats to Confer.
Meanwhile both parties are can
vassing the field with view to
agreeing on candidates for the United
! States Senate in the coming primaries.
Democratic state leaders plan to hold
q conference soon after the nnsl ad-
5ournment of the legislature next
week for this purpose. The desire of
the leaders Is to settle the question,
and, IL possible. to avoid Q primary
contest.
Among we'll informed members OF
the party there is a growing belief
that former Senator John Walter
Smith will change what seems to have
been his mind up to this time, and be
a candidate again. If he so decides. it
appears that all other aspirants will
step aside and give the former senator
a free field. II he does not go in.
there will probably be fight, despite
all that the leaders and promoters of
rarity harmony may be able to do.
| While the name of Gov. Ritchie has
been mentioned recently more than
| that of any other possible candidate,
the open talk is that the governor
has said that he will not go into a
| fight against former Senator Smith.
He may again be a candidate for
governor There has also been q re-
4 p0fI 1OI Tic past lC" ud5o lAdS SiohC
! Treasurer John NJ Dennis. who has
been playing very close with the
i"state crowd" has his eyes on the
gubernatorial chair.
| Feasibility of Battle.
Should the state machine" he
lgrooming candidates for both the
Senate and governorship. what will
Ritchie do? That is becoming the
question OF the moment from the poll
ticians point of view. Some OF them
believe that the governor. with the
prestige he has gained since being in
office, might advantageously chal-
lenge combat
! Assuming that Senator Smith will
be the democratic candidate. the re-
publicans are discussing the advisa-
biiity OF nominating a conservative
who would command the support of
those democrats opposed to the dras-
tic enforcement bill Of the Anti-saloon
League, which was killed in the leg
islature this week, but which is said
to have had the backing of Senator
Smith. In going over the field, the
| leaders believe that there is only one
available man in the state who meas
ures up to all the requirements and
that man is Attorney General Alex
ander Armstrong Of Washington
county.
| 1t will not be an easy matter to in
duce the Attorney General to accept
the nomination. He has consistently
refused to allow his name to be used
| in connection with the senatorship.
4 However, when the time arrives for
| action, the leaders may bring such
pressure to bear that he will be un-
I able to resist. If some other than he
can be found. then Armstrong will
be reserved for next year, when he is
wanted rs the gubernatorial standard
bearer.
l Senator Frances Position.
That, but for his stand on the four
power treaty, Senator France could
have had the nomination without op-
position is the opinion of the best
posted men in the party. Now. how
ever. if he wants the nomination he
| will have to make a strong fight Tor
1t in the primaries, as Practically all
| the leading men of the party h9ve
been soiidiy behind the adminfstfa-
| ton for the ratification Of the tre.ty,
| and make no secret of the fact that
an opposition candidate will be put
into the field.
Another possible candidate. whose
name has been brought prominently
| to the fore this week, especially since
\ the unofficial announcement that Rep
| resentative John Philip Hill wonld
| not seek the nomination. is Brainard
H Warner of Montgomery county.
4 Former Governor Goldsborough has
| also been mentioned as a likely can
didate in the event that Armstrong
| refuses to run. Z
4