Evening star., 1938-08-17
Georgia
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more steamed up over politics than 1t
has been in years since Roosevelt at
GAINESVILLE last week draped the New
Deal mantle around the shoulders of
District Attorney Lawrence S. Camp
and frankly suggested that he be
given the seat Senator George has oc-
cupied for Is years.
Although Mr.. George and Mr.. Camp
are in the center of the limelight at
the momenS because the President
drew the line of New Deal preference
so sharply between them, former Gov
Eugene Talmade may yet pull up as
a serious contender after the first fur
ry of excitement over the Barnesville
ultimatum has subSided.
Talmadge Not Held Lightly.
Mr.. Roosevelt summed up his at
titude toward Mr.. Talmadge by sug-
gesting his election would contribute
little to practical government, but some
unbiased observers here do not dis
miss him so lightly as factor in
the senatorial race, and. again, the
reason is the county unit system.
Mr.. Talmadge broke with the New
Deal several years ago and has been
a more outspoken critic of some of its
foundation stones than Senator
George, who, is emphasizing in the
current campaign that he supported
most of the legislative program of the
past five years. Like number of his
Democratic colleagues who are meet
ing administration opposition now, he
opposed the Supreme Court enlarge
ment. and several other administra-
ton measures.
Enthusiastic followers of Mr.. Camp
are seeking to convince themselves
that since the President has taken a
definite stand, both Mr.. George and
Mr.. Talmadge automatically become
anti-New Deal and that the Presi-
dents large following in the State can
turn only to Mr.. Roosevelt's favored
candidate.
Move May Split Vote.
The other side of the picture is the
possibility, if not the probability, that
the administration fight against Sen
ator George may result in splitting
the ro-Roosevelt votes between Mr..
Camp and Mr.. George. This could
happen if large numbers of Democrats
who admire the President should nev-
ertheless decide that they are JUS
titled in voting for Senator George in
this intra-party State contest.
If the campaign should develop
along that line it might work to the
advantage of former Gov. Talmadge
due to the unit system, under which
the candidate receiving a plurality
of the ballots in a county gets the
unit vote of the county.
The State is partitioned into 159
counties, with total of 40 unit
votes. Unless one of the candidates
receives a majority of these unit votes
on September IA a run-off primary
would be necessary to make a nominal
ton. This adds further possible COM
plications.
Gives Balance of Power.
The county unit system, which has
been in effect for long period of
years, tends to give the rural Sec
tions balance of power.
For example, Atlanta may cast
$4,000 votes in the primary, but it
has only 6 unit votes in choosing the
nominee. Likewise. the other prin-
cipal cities-Augusta, Savannah, Ma
con, Columbus. Rome, = >Decatur-have
only s unit votes each. Including
La Grange, there are eight large coun-
ties with 6 votes each, or 48. There
are 81 other counties having four
votes each and much larger remain
ing number in the agricultural sections
with two votes each.
Thus it will be seen that one candi-
date, by carrying three small coun-
ties, with total vote of only a few
thousand, could Offset the loss of one
Of the big cities. On the other hand,
If Senator George should carry At
lanta, where he appears to be pop
ular, by wide margin, the size of
his vote there would be of no ad-
vantage elsewhere.
All four of the candidates, includ-
ing w. G. McRae of Atlanta, are out
on the hustings all this week, present.
ing their claims to the voters in the
smaller communities. 1t is safe to pre-
sumo they will continue to cover the
highways into these rural sections as
well as into the cities until the cam
paign ends.
EEnREr crrS naCxrpc