Evening star., 1928-11-03
BaCkers of SWanton and
Havenner Both Claim
Victory Tonight.
RETIRING PRESIDENT
DENOUNCES CLAYTON
Says He Failed to Keep Agreement
to Nominate Suter-Bowles Leads
for Vice Presidency.

ship of the District, who constitute the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
will go to the polls tonight to elect a
leader for the coming year.
The election, to be held in the board
room of the District Building, will bring
to close the most stirring campaign
since the formation of the federation,
which in the final days developed into
a battle of letters and statements be-
tween opposing political factions.
The last hours of the campaign wit
messed the withdrawal of one of the
candidates. Edwin s. Hege of the Chevy
Chase Citizens Association, leaving the
field clear to Walter I. Swanton of the
Columbia Heights Citizens Association,
and DR.. George C. Havenner of the
AnacoStia Citizens Association, the
only other avowed entries in the
race for the presidency There is little
likelihood now that a dark horse" will
come forth to oppose them.
Victory Claimed for Both.
The campaign promoters of both of
the remaining candidates are confident
ly predicting victory, but the outcome
is entirely problematical A canvass of
the entire 110 accredited delegates to
the federation by the Swanton cam
paign committee, completed this morn
ing, resulted in the announcement that
this candidate has so pledged votes. A
majority is necessary for election.
DR.. Havenners adherents are a lit
tie more optimistic, claiming 55 of the
ITO votes. This candidate, therefore,
would need only one additional ballot
to elevate him to the presidency, If the
claims of his promoters are correct.
The withdrawal of Hege, while mar
rowing the fight down to a choice be-
tween two candidates, has on the other
hand, complicated the situation some
what. Who will get the votes that
would have gone to Hege is the question
that was broadcast throughout Fedora
ton circles? Although Hege himself
made no claim to votes, his supporters
credited him with 81. These 81 added
to the SIS and so claimed by the
Havenner and Swanton forces. respec-
lively, total IS more than can be polled
without Stuf1ng the ballot box.
Hege Issues Statement.
Hege's reason for dropping out at the
eleventh hour, he announced, was mere
ly "a good move" A statement he is
sued follows:
delegates intend to support me. and that
a goodly number of delegates would
swing to me were deadlock to occur.
it seems to me that it would be a good
move to decline to allow my name tc
be put in nomination tonight for the
presidency of the federation. make
that my decision. thus giving a clear
field to my friends, DR.. Havenner and
Mr.. Swanton, in a contest in which
shall be inactive henceforth except to
cast my vote, leaving my supporters
perfectly free to go to whomsoever they
prefer. To those who have favored or
intended to favor me for the Office men
toned, am grateful"
The exchange of statements between
the leaders in the federation contin-
ued to the final hours of the campaign
The latest salvo came from James G.
Yaden, retiring president, who hit back
at William Nick. Clayton, who issued
statement yesterday announcing his
support of Swanton. and in veiled
fashion criticizing Yaden's conduct as
presiding officer.
YaQen scores CLaytOns
Yaden's letter, in part, follows:
Permit me to refer to the resolution
of the Swanton campaign committee
issued october 81, 1928. This resolu-
ton states in part:
"'Our chief reason for supporting W.
l. Swanton for the presidency is our
desire to purge the federation of the
plague of petty politics which has him
dered it in the performance of the
functions for which it was intended
and further states his election will in
sure a constructive year free of time
wasting politics.
"The Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions is composed of two delegates
from each of SIS member bodies and is
governed by constitution and bylaws
and by Roberts rules of order. AS pre-
siding officer of the federation I have
to the best of my ability tried to be fair
and just IN all of my rulings. giving
considerable latitude to every delegate
to express his or her views at all times.
Moreover. in the federation the will of
the majority must prevail and any
delegate has the undoubted right to
appeal from any decision of the chair.
1t is noteworthy that the rulings of
the chair have been sustained on prac-
tically every appeal therefrom.
IAN opportunity has existed for sew
eral months in the home association of
a majority of the Swanton campaign
committee (which Is also Mr.. Swan
toms citizens association to demon
strate constructive leadership and the
ability TO purge an organization of the
plague of petty politics which has him
Continued on Page 2, Column A.