Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-18
TWO SEEK PLACE
SMITH RESIGNED
Arlington County Attorneys
Announce Intention of Run
ming for Vacant JudgeShip.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP,
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

ARLINGTON COUNTY COURT
HOUSE, Va, March 18.-Having heSi-
tated to make public their intentions
until the announcement of the reSig-
nation of the present judge, two Ar
lington County attorneys today made
it known that they are being Endorsed
for the judgeShip of the sixteenth judi
cial circuit to succeed Judge Howard w.
Smith
These two attorneys are Judge Harry
r. Thomas and Charles T. Jesse, both
prominent members of the local bar
the former being at this time Judge
of the Arlington County Police Court
Judge Thomas stated today that he
was not yet prepared to make state
ment other than to announce that he
is a candidate for the office and that
Gov. John Garland Pollard has been so
notified He has received the indorse-
ment of a number of local attorneys
and of a large number of citizens he
said many of whom have telegraphed
to Gov. Pollard.
Head of Bar Body.
Jesse is president of the Arlington
County Bar Association and Judge
Thomas is vice president of the bar
association of the sixteenth judicial
circuit, both being well known through
out the entire circuit. JesSe'S indorsers
also have telegraphed the governor.
The present Office of Judge Thomas
will automatically expire when the new
county court act is put into effect, since
the law authorizing a county court re-
quires that the judge be elected by
popular vote, and Judge Thomas be-
lieves that an improper procedure In
the election of judge.
An already complicated political situ-
alton becomes even more involved today
with the decision of Judge Thomas and
Jesse to seek the circuit judgeship.
Judge Smith is resigning from the
bench to run for Congress from the
eighth congressional district, and two
Arlington County attorneys, State SEN
ator Frank L. Ball and Capt. Crandal
Mackey, are opposing him. In addition
to this will be the race for judge OF
the county court, which will take place
at the next general election.
Judge Smiths resignation comes too
late for the election of his successor by
the Virginia General Assembly, that
body having adjourned its regular ses-
sion on March 8. 1t will, therefore, fall
to the lot of the governor to make a
recess appointment. the appointee to
serve until the next General Assembly.
which will meet two years from now.
While the judgeship appointments OF
the governor are temporary in nature, 1t
was pointed out today that it is seldom
that the General Assembly fails to elect
the governors appointee after he has
served for any length of time.
Other Candidates Expected.
It is held unlikely that Judge Thomas
and Jesse will be the only candidates for
the judgeship, for there are other coun-
ties in the circuit that are expected to
produce applicants for the position.
Judge Thomas is a native of Airing
ton County and has been judge of the
Police, Juvenile and Domestic Relations
Courts for the past seven years. Jesse
is a native of Caroline County and has
been a resident of Arlington County
since 1909. He has served four terms in
the House Of Delegates from Arlington
County,