The Washington times., 1936-02-03
COUNTY TAKES
LEADING PART
"
!. INCANPA|GN

becoming INCREASINGLY SNAoe4C
that Montgomery county will play
a leading part in the coming con-
Rressional fight of the Sixth Mary.
land district. 1t was learned to-
Gay that at least one Republican
and one Democrat from the coun-
ty will oppose the Democrat in
.cunbent, David ]. Lewis.
Judge Harold c. Smith, Of the
county police court, first Of the
Republican group to announce his
intention to seek the nomination
in the party primaries in May,
despite rumors to the contrary, has
not changed his mind, and Is still
In the ring.
Plummer Likely to Run
The other local candidate, Clay
Plummer, well known bondSman
and fusian leader Of the local
anti-organization faction, while
not definitely declaring his inten-
ton to seek the Democratic
nomination, said today:
"YOu may say that I am
seriously considering doing 50
at once"
Mr. Plummer said ne had been
approached by several influential
political leaders from the other
counties in the Sixth District as
well as Montgomery, during the
past week, all urging him to enter
the race and promising blocks of
votes from their respective Sec
tionS.
Should ne choose to run Mr..
Plummer would stand a good
chance of capturing, in addition
to the anti-Democratic votes, a
lions share of the veterans vote,
his friends declare, since he him.
self is a veteran, and Congress
man Lewis always has opposed
payment of the soldiers bonus.
Lewis Keeps Silent
In the meantime Lewis and his
supporters have maintained a
calm silence. Refusing to COM
NIT themselves in any way, wait
ing for the Republicans and their
anti-organiZation opponents to
make the first move, calculating
that the mere announcement Of
some one person might be the de-
Gliding factor in the coming elec-
ton.
With all hopes of securing q
hand-picked candidate to oppose
Lewis abandoned, the Republi.
cans are laying plans for the
primary election and keeping
their leaders in various sections
Of the five-county district in line
for the general election after a
candidate has been chosen. They
well realize that with eight po-
tential candidates already in the
fight and the prospects good for
even additional ones before elec-
ton day, the chances favor q
split in the party ranks. And
this alone would threaten defeat
in the general election, they ad-
NIT.
Garrett without Candidate
So far Garrett county is the
only one of the five that has
not advanced a candidate for
the congressional seat
At present four candidate are
eyeing the nomination from Ale
gany county, One, A. Charles
Stewart, of FroStburg, president
Of the Board Of County Commits
sioners, already has filed his in
tentions at Annapolis. The
others, Robert B. Kimble. State
senator: A.. A. Doub, former Cir
cult Court Judge, and Perry A.
Nicklin, county treasurer, are eX-
pected to do so at any time.
Mayor I. M. WertZ, of HagerS-
town, and State Senator Ernest
w. Miller are Washington county's
representatives on the list. Mayor
Wertz is adjudged by many to be
the most logical candidate to en-
ter the field so far.
Harry w. Legore, State senator
from Frederick county, is the only
candidate so far from there to
signify his intention to seek the
nomination, and he also has been
adjudged a dangerous opponent
for the others in the primaries.
Judge Smith, from Montgomery
county, twice a candidate for the
position before, completes the list.
Smith was once defeated by Lewis
in the general election, and the
other time withdrew in favor Of
the late Frederick N. Zihlman.