Evening star., 1934-01-28
MONTGOMERY EYES
NEW SLATE.
Three Incumbents Seek Other
Offices, One Is III, Two
Decide Not to Run.
BY JACK ALLEN,

WIN montgomery county voters eye
ing with unprecedented interest the
work of selecting candidates for the
Democratic primary and general county
election next Fall. it appeared certain
today that an entire new delegation
must be chosen to represent Mont
gomery in the Maryland General As
sembly
OF the six legislators who have
served at Annapolis the past four years,
three have become candidates for other
offices, fourth has stepped out of the
picture because Of illness, while Dele
gates o. w. Roby and Marvin Earring
ton both declared last night they do
not desire reelection" to their present
jobs.
The Democratic primary to be held
in September will find Miss Lavinia
Engle and DR.. George L. Edmonds run
ming for places on the Board of County
Commissioners under the sponsorship
of the Democratic organization. while
Walter w. Dawson. the only Republican
to triumph in the 1880 balloting. has
dIlHOuLCCo AA1n So3iA4auSy AVA OVoSS .
attorney.
Elected TO House in 1880.
Miss Engle, DR.. Edmonds, Roby,
Harrington and Dawson were elected
to the House of Delegates in 1880, the
first-named four on the organization
ticket and Dawson on the Republican
slate.
State Senator Robert G. Hilton of
Rockville. who won with the support
Of the organization four years ago, will
not be a candidate next Fall because
of Ill health and States Attorney Sted-
man Prescott, newly-elected head OF
the Democratic organization, has been
indorsed for the place.
The Democratic primary Is still eight
months away and the general election
10 months in the offing. but county
voters are manifesting unusual interest
in the selection of candidates for what
promises to be the hottest political
campaign in the history OF Mont
gomery.
Many Positions at Stake.
The positions at stake include five
places on the Board of County Com
missioners, State Senator. five mem
bers Of the House of Delegates, clerk
to the Circuit Court, Circuit Court
Judge, a registrar of wills, States at
torney. county treasurer, three judges
to the Orphans Court, sheriff, sur
veyor, six members of the Democratic
State Central Committee and six dele
gates to the Democratic State Con-
vention.
The campaign has not yet begun To
take definite shape, but that it will
IN
Indicated in the Democratic organiza-
tons selection of its nominees for
the Board of County Commissioners
and the State Senate and Dawson's
announcement Of his candidacy for
the States attorney job.
It is expected that the Republican
party will again hold a county conven-
ton to select its nominees, as it did
in 1880, while the Democratic organiza-
ton will choose the remainder Of its
ticket at meetings of the Advisory and
General County Committees.
Progressives to Propose Slate.
The progressive Democratic faction,
or anti-organization group. has not yet
placed any candidates in the field, but
Is planning soon to undertake the task
of selecting its candidates for the party
primary, faction leaders declare.
Candidates who have been Endorsed
by the Democratic organization for the
Board of Commissioners are Miss Engle,
DR.. Edmonds, Richard H. Lansdale,
Rooert D. Hagner and John B. Dia-
mond. Lansdale, Hagner and Diamond
are members of the present board, OF
which Diamond is president.
It Is understood that while Demo-
cratic organization leaders have given
but slight consideration to the re-
mainder of the organizations ticket
up to this time. they have agreed to
urge the Endorsement of Circuit Court
Judge Charles w. Woodward, Clerk Of
Circuit Court Clayton K. Watkins,
County Treasurer j. Forest Walker and
Sheriff G. Ellington Bell.
Three Named to Fill Vacancies.
OF the four, Walker is the only one
elected in 1880, the remainder having
been appointed by Gov. Albert G.
Ritchie to fill vacancies created by
death or designations.
Judge Woodward is now serving the
unexpired term of Judge Robert B.
Peter, who resigned some time ago.
Bell was named sheriff recently to
succeed Lansdale, who resigned to
accept appointment to the Board OF
County Commissioners. while Watkins
was appointed to fill the vacancy Gre
ated by the death Of Circuit Court
Clerk Preston B. Ray, who died shortly
after assuming Office following his elec-
ton in 1880. Watkins had been q
der,Itv clerk for more than Is years.