Evening star., 1938-08-30
REPORT Of FEUD
FOR D. c. POST
ENLWENS RACE
PalmiSano Is Said to Be
Charging Kennedy Seeks
to Head Committee.
VICE CHAIRMAN DENIES
HE WOULD TAKE PLACE
D'Alesandro, One of Present
Chairman's Rivals, Said to Have
Been Induced to Run.
By staff Correspondent OF The Star.

By a STAFF Correspondent Of The Star
BALTIMORE. Aug. 30.-The Dem
cratic senatorial race has generated
so much heat in Baltimore. as else
where in Maryland, that the voters
here virtually have forgotten that
Representatives Ambrose Kennedy and
Vincent l.. Palmisano have staked
their political lives on the outcome OF
the primary September II.
Defeat of either Mr.. Kennedy or Mr..
Palmisano in the primary, however,
would mean much to Washington,
since both of them have taken an
active part in framing all District leg
islation as members of the House Dis
trict Committee Mr.. Palmisano is
chairman of the committee and Mr..
Kennedy the vice chairman, since he
is the ranking majority member.
On this fact alone there hangs a
story-a story that Mr.. Palmisano is
reported to have widely circulated in
Baltimore in an effort to defeat one Of
his three opponents in the primary,
Thomas d'Alesandro, Jr., young Bal
timore city councilman.
Entry Blamed on Kennedy.
Mr.. Palmisano has told his friends
privately that Mr.. Kennedy had d'Al-
esandro enter the primary campaign
against him. Mr.. Kennedy, so the
story goes, wanted Mr.. Palmisano de-
feated so he could become chairman
Of the House District Committee.
But Mr.. Kennedy said there's mot
q word of truth" in those reports. He
admitted Mr.. d'Alesandro was en-
ployed in the Office of his life insur
ance company-having like hero in
Horatio Algers stories, risen through
the ranks" from an Office boy to an
important position-but insists he had
nothing whatever to do with Mr.. d'Al-
esandro's decision to get into the pri
mary fight.
In fact. Mr.. Kennedy said he will not
take the Craftsmanship of the House
District Committee under any condi-
tions. even if Mr.. Palmisano is de-
feated. Il am chairman Of the Claims
Committee-a more important COM
nflttee to me-and that takes most of
my time" he declared If I am re-
elected, l will stick by, that commit
tee. cannot account for the reports
that want to be chairman Of the Dis
trict Committee"
Under House rules a member cam
not serve as chairman of two commit
tees. For that reason Representative
Mary T. Norton. Democrat, of New
Jersey. gave up the chairmanship of
the District Committee more than a
year ago to head the important Labor
Committee.
Both Struggle for Places.
Both Mr.. Palmisano and Mr.. Ken
nedy are having a struggle" in their
primary fights. Both, however, are
confident of victory
Mr.. Palmisano. in addition to Mr..
dAlesandro, d also must fight off a
young Bohemian, Louis j. Svepla,
In the primary. Mr. Kennedy has
three pponents-Walter Wentworth,
Francis A. Michel and Andrew Kenny.
According to Mr. Kennedy, Mr..
Kenny entered the race just before
the list was closed for primary en-
trants, simply to hurt" him. He
pointed out the similarity of the
names might cause confusion when
the ballots are marked and said that
was the real objective of his enemies
in having Mr.. Kenny enter the race.
There are no real issues in the
campaign of either Mr.. Palmisano or
Mr.. Kennedy. If there is a scintilla
Of an issue, it involves Representative
Kennedy more than it does Repre-
sentative Palmisano.
Mr.. Palmisano is only a "99 per
cent" New Dealer, he admits His
major opponent, Mr.. d'Alesandro, is
campaigning on promise to be 100
per cent New Dealer.
The action of Representative Palmi-
sano in blocking for several years leg
islation designed to break up the So
called numbers racket" in WASH
ington apparently has injured him
but slightly in Baltimore. His op-
ponents have used that theme in a
number of campaign speeches. Mr.
Palmisano became a little worried
at the outset of the campaign and
had printed $4,000 copies of his
speech on the floor of the House when
the numbers bill was passed-a speech
which outlined the reasons for his
opposition-but these copies have
never been mailed out to his constit-
uents. although they have been ad-
dressed and ready to drop into the
mails. The $4,000 addressed copies
of this speech are still in boxes in
his office in Washington in the House
Office MISUNDERSTANDING that he
does not now fear any serious oppo-
sition from foes of the numbers bill"
Charges "Whispering Campaign"
Mr.. Palmisano's campaign against
Mr.. d'Alesandro has been based largely
on the charge that his opponent has
resorted to "a whispering campaign Of
deception and race prejudice" He
claims Mr.. d'Alesandro in his speeches
in the Italian sections of Baltimore
condemns him for not doing enough
for the Italians, but when he gets
among other groups condemns him
for doing too much for them.
Mr. Palmisano was born in Italy,
but came to the United States with
his parents when he was years old.
The third opponent of Mr.. Palmi-
sano. Mr.. Svepla. has tried to capi-
talize on the dispute between the other
two candidates with respect to the
whispering campaign"
He has told voters at political ral-
lies that the whispering campaign
is ridiculous and deserves a singing
rebuke from the voters" The re-
marks of both Mr.. Palmisano and
Mr.. d'Alesandro, he declared. insults
the intelligence of the voters"