Evening star., 1938-08-19
PURGE MAY HELP
TALMADGE CAUSE
Possible Nomination Seen
if George and Camp
Wage Hot Fight.
BY J. A. O'LEARY,
Star STAFF Correspondent.

ATLANTA, Ca, Aug. 19.-Ironical
as 1t may seem, the administration's
| fight to keep Senator George from re-
turning to the Senate has created .
situation which in the end may play
into the hands of the outspoken New
Deal opponent, fromer Gov. Eugene
Taimadge.
While Senator George appears to
have turned the purge movement to
his advantage as things now stand
| by haying outside dictation, indica-
tions are growing that the battle will
be intense between the George sup
porters and the New Deal favorite
District Attorney Lawrence s. Camp.
This is where the fiery former Gov
ernor, skilled in political Snowman
ship, enters the picture, and students
| OF Georgia politics are giving more
and more thought to the possibility
that he might win if the fight between
the George and Camp forces goes on
unabated until primary day, Septem-
ber IA.
True, Mr.. Talmadge, entering the
Senate as a newcomer would lack the
position 16 years of seniority has given
Senator George on important COM
mittees, and from that standpoint
might not cause the New Deal much
concern at the start But out through
the country, observers here believe,
many voters would look upon the re-
suit as a decided defeat for the New
Deal. To purge the ranks Of Senator
who had opposed the administration
program only occasionally, merely to
find his place taken by a more pro-
nounced critic Of the New Deal, could
hardly be pictured as a victory for the
President, it Is argued.
Unit System . Factor.
Mr.. Talmadge was in the race before
the President announced his stand at
Barnesville. But prior to that bomb
shell, those in touch with the situation
believe the Talmadge strength would
have been confined to the personal
following he has held in the farming
regions since he was State commits
sioner Of agriculture and later Gov
ernor.
SAllu IL t44C ia u1k0AT Wda 6OA11S W hS
decided on the Statewide popular vote
his position in the race probably would
not be changed. But under Georgia's .
county-unit system, II the Presidents
blessing swings enough votes from
Senator George to Mr.. Camp it might
give Mr.. Talmadge the plurality vote
necessary to squeeze through in many
1a ~ he
chance Of carrying.
If no candidate receives a ma jority
Of the unit votes in the first primary,
the highest two would enter a run
of. Even II Mr. Talmadge finished
second in the original primary, his
chance still would be good in the run
of. in the opinion of some observers
here.
For example, in q run-off between
Senator George and Mr.. Talmadge
would the Roosevelt Camp forces turn
to the candidate they had set out to
beat? Or, again, in run-oh between
Mr.. Camp and Mr.. Talmadge does it
seem likely the friends of Senator
George would turn to the candidate
put forward by the administration to
beat him. :.
Camp Has Serious Handicap.
Close followers Of Georgia politics
say Mr.. Camp faces serious handicap
in not being as well known throughout
the State as Senator George or former
Gov. Talmadge, and they believe the
administration will have to bend every
effort to make him the winner. As q
young man he served for a brief period
in the State Legislature, after which
he returned to the practice Of law.
In later years he was appointed at
torney general of the State. and now
is Federally- appointed district at
torney.
As the campaign swings into full
speed, there still is one big question
mark confronting those who seek to
analyze the situation. That Is whether
Gov. e. D. Rivers. seeking reelection,
or Senator Russell, who does not have
to run this year, will take sides In the
complicated and stormy senatorial
race.
Both the Governor and Mr.. Russell
possess strong support and undoubted-
ly could give Mr.. Camp q needed
boost.
It is recalled that weeks ago Gov.
Rivers decided not to become q sena-
torial candidate himself against Sena-
tor George. but to make bid for re-
election to the governorship. The
nominee for Governor also Is selected
under the county-unit system, and,
while Gov. Rivers is regarded as
stronger than his rivals for that Office,
some observers believe he would be
running the risk OF complicating his
own race If he became actively in
volved in the factional strife over the
senatorship.
Mr.. Camp and Senator Russell have
been close political associates, While
Senator Russell was Governor Of
Georgia seven years ago he appointed
Mr.. Camp as attorney general. And
some Of Senator Georges hackers are
inclined to believe Mr. Camp was
picked to carry the New Deal banner
in the hope that he would attract
support from among Russell adherents.
Nevertheless, Senator Georges friends
are entertaining hope that Senator
Russell will not take an active per-
sonal part in the fight. While the
junior Senator does not have to stand
for reelection again until 1912, the
factional party strife engendered by
the battle now raging over Senator
Georges seat might have repercus-
sions If Senator Russell should take
an active part in the current contest.
If Gov. Rivers and Senator Rus
sell adhere to q passive attitude, the
senatorial battle-which Is almost the
whole show in Georgia-will boil down
to . test of Senator Georges popu-
larity, gained during 16 years OF con-
tinuous service In the Senate. against
: the popularity Of President Roosevelt.
Thus far Senator George has struck