Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-10
HELM WILL RUN
DESPITE PARTY BAN
Senator Is Expected to An
nounce Candidacy at Ala
bama Meeting Tonight.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Senator Thomas j. Hefiin of Alabama
anti-Smith Democrat who has been de-
MED the right to run in the Democratic
State primary by the State executive
committee, will announce his candi-
dacy for denomination for the Senate
and state his plan Of procedure at a
meeting in Montgomery which he will
;+dress tonight.
Senator Hef1in, according to his
friends, will declare his intention of
running in the Democratic. primary,
which takes place next August, in spite
of the edict of the State committee. He
will urge his supporters to stamp or write
his name on the ballots, and believes he
will be able to carry the primary. 1t is
reported that he has in contemplation
a huge order for rubber stamps, carry
ing his name, to be used by voters when
they go to the polls.
Court Ruling Expected.
There still is the chance that the
Democratic State committee will in the
end be compelled to place Helms name
on the ballot. notwithstanding its action
of several weeks ago in denying any one
who opposed or voted against Al Smith,
the Democratic candidate for President
in 1928, the right to be candidate IN
the Democratic State primary this year.
Anti-Smith Democrats, however, Will De
permitted to vote in the primary. H. 3:
Wilkinson of Birmingham. lawyer ana
a leader of the Anti-Smith Democrats.
last week filed suit conteSting the
right of the State executive committee
to make such a ruling. Legality OF the
ruling also has been attacked by Sen
atnr Black of Alabama. If the courts
UNFOLD the contention of Wilkinson ana
Black, the committee may be compeneo
to place Hef1in's name on the nallot.
The report that Helm would run IN
the primary by having his name wiz
ten or stamped on the oallot' agailsS
the edict of the committee, mas rouSeo
some editorial opposition in Alabama,
on the ground that such proceeding
would break down the party primary
if permitted Any other man or NUMBER
of men might go into party primary
under such conditions, it is held.
Senator Heflin, however, has been ad-
vised by his friends to follow TINS
course. They insist that ne STANDS lar
more chance of winning under such cir
cumstanceS than if he attempts to run
as an independent, because the people
of Alabama are welded to the Demo-
cratic party and independents get no.
where as a general thing in Alabama.
win Abide by Primary Decision.
1t is understood that Heflin will an
nounce that he is willing to abide by
the decision of the primary, provided
all the votes cast for him are counted,
even though his name Is not placed on
the ballot and the only method that
the people have of voting for him is
through stamping or writing in the
name.
incidentally, if the stamped votes are
to be counted, Senator Helm will have
a decided advantage in the campaign.
When he takes the stump under such
conditions and points out to the voters
how unfair an advantage is given his
opponent or opponents by the State
committee he is likely to gain SYM
pathy.
to count the Helm ballots on which
his name is stamped or written 1t
might Just as well agree to have him
place HIS name on the ballot.
The only announced Democratic can
didate for the Senate, outside OF Sena-
tor Hefiin, is J. H. Bankhead, son OF
the late Senator Bankhead ana .
brother of Representative william B.
Bankhead. Bankhead entered the lists
months ago, making his announcement
long before the State committee ruled
that Helms name should not go on
the ballot and that he could not run
in the Democratic primary for the
Democratic nomination.
If another Democrat should an
nounce himself and there be three
cornered race, it is predicted Helm
would win hands down. However, II
the State committee should find 1t pos
sible to prevent the counting Of ballots
stamped for Heflin, Bankhead may have
opposition for the nomination, 1t is said.
There has been some talf of Frederick
!. Thompson, former member OF the
United States Shipping Board and a
newspaper publisher, in this connection.
A number of ThompSon'S friends have
urged him to get into the race, believing
he could defeat Bankhead.
Discipline Attempt Criticized.
The attempt to discipline Senator
Helm for his opposition to Al Smith in
the last national campaign has aroused
high feeling in Alabama, which was
carried for Smith by only small mar
gin. Thousands of Democrats voted
against Smith and for Hoover in the
1928 election.
The State committee has been criti-
ciZed IN many quarters for taking a
course, by a narrow majority vote,
which might lead to further conflict In
the Democratic party.
The State committee comes up for
reelection in the same primary cleo
ton in which a Senator Is to be noni-
mated. Reports are that many Of the
old committee members will be de-
feated.