Evening star., 1938-11-10
Democrats Intren(hed
In Montgomery With
70 Elected Officials
Porty Triumph Recalls
Days Of Richie, Before
Era of Coalition
By JACK ALLEN.

ny JhNN AALEN.
The Democratic organizat ton,
which for Is years traced its rise
and fall with that Of the late Gov.
Albert c. Ritchie, again has as
cended the political heights in
Montgomery County, while its COL
leagues continue to hold sway in
Prince Georges.
Following a historical precedent,
the organization will return to con-
troll Of the Montgomery administra-
ton on January l, with 20 Of its 81
candidates taking public ONCE. The
only defeated Democrat was Clay
Plummer, who lost to Walter john
son In the I'd commissioner district.
Strongly reminiscent Of the days
Of 1918 is its impressive triumph,
for it was then that the Montgom-
cry organization surged into the
foreground at the same time a
young Democratic attorney gen.
eral, Mr.. Ritchie. entered the ex-
ecutive mansion at Annapolis.
The organization regains its pres
tige-lost when it was defeated with
Gov. Richie four years ago-at the
same time another young attorney
general, Herbert r. O'Conor, bears
the Democratic standard to victory
In the gubernatorial fight.
Elements In Comeback.
Coming back strongly after the
reversal by the Fusion party four
years ago, the organization did so
with the help of the anti-organiza- =
ton Democrats who were allied with
Republicans in the 1884 coalition.
The situation in Prince Georges
Is strikingly similar to that in
Montgomery for there, too, only one
Republican candidate was able to
overcome Democratic opposition.
William T. Davis, serving his six
teenth year as register Of wills, stood
of James Berry, a member of the
board of Prince Georges County
Commissioners at the present time.
and retained his position by a mar
gin OF 70 votes.
Congressional Races.
In the other fights for county, as
we'll as State and congressional
Offices, Democratic nominees won by
large margins both in Montgomery
and Prince Georges.
With the exception of the commits
sionship won by Mr.. johnson they
captured every place on the Boards
OF County Commissioners. admins
trative arm of the county govern
ments, and took every seat in the
State Assembly. the legislative
branch.
State Senator Stedman Prescott
OF Rockville won over Wilson l..
Townsend, Kensington Republican.
by a margin of 1912 votes in the
contest for the new judgeship in
the 9Th Maryland circuit, composed
OF Montgomery and Frederick
Counties.
Senator Prescott polled a ma jority
OF 1880 in his own county and 1852
in Frederick. The judgeship goes to
Montgomery under the law enacted
by the State Legislature in 1885 and
approved one year later in a State
wide referendum. '
Wins Sasscer Seat.
Charles c. Marbury, a Democratic
member OF the House of Delegates
from Prince Georges, won one of the
most interesting races in either
county by capturing the State Sen
ate seat vacated by Senate President
Lansdale G.. Sasscer when he made
his unsuccessful bid for the gov
ernorship.
Mr.. Marbury, who has served in
the Legislature for eight years. won
handily over John F. Lillard, jr, of
Hyattsville. the youngest candidate
on the Republican ticket in Prince
Georges. Mr.. Lillard, who is 2l,
voted for the first time in the Sep
tember primaries.
Both counties elected young Dem
ocratic prosecutors, Ben G. Wilkin-
son, jr. son of the president OF the
Washington Missionary College at
Takoma Park, winning in Mont
gomery. and H. Winship Wheatley
jr., son of the former president of
the District Of Columbia Bar Asso-
citation, emerging victorious in
Prince Georges.
Mr.. Wilkinson polled l1,74l votes
to 9.748 for Thomas M. Anderson
Of Rockville, who eight years ago
lost by only IL votes while opposing
the late Robert G. Hilton. Rockville
banker and an upcounty Demo-
cratic leader, for the State Senate.
Mr.. Wheatley received II ,6l4 votes
for the States attorneyship of
Prince Georges, while his G.. o. p.
opponent. George T. D., Burroughs,
got 7,744. Earlier returns had the
two candidates locked in a close
battle, but the Democratic nominee
widened his lead steadily in belated
returns from the larger precincts.
One Republican incumbent in
Prince Georges, County Surveyor
Thomas E. Latimer, was unopposed,
but he received a large compli-
mentary vote. His total was 1882.