Evening star., 1938-08-28
M. U.HEADS TOGET
/. PRIMARY DISPUTE
Alumni Unit That Sent 100
kilograms to Chapters
Turns to Regents.
By JACK ALLEN.

The controversy over the injection
of the University of Maryland and its
alumni into the fight between Senator
Millard E. Tydings and Representative
David j. Lewis for the Democratic
senatorial nomination will be brought
officially to the attention Of the uni
Versity's board of regents.
1t was learned last night that tele-
grams were to be sent to board men,
bers appraising them of the invitation
which Dr. H. C. Byrd, president of the
university, sent to President Roosevelt
at Hyde Park saying he would be
welcome to defend in Maryland his
PHILOSOPHY of government"
The messages were to be sent by the
Executive Committee of the Baltimore
Chapter Of the university alumni, the
same group which started State wide
drive for alumni support of Senator
Tydings after a meeting in Baltimore
Thursday night.
One hundred kilograms were dis
patched to alumni leaders asking them
to back Senator Tydings after COM
mittee members. interpreting Dr.
Byrds invitation as a move to back
Representative Lewis, the Presidents
candidate. declared informally that
Senator Tydings has been too good a
friend of the university to be opposed
by its graduates
Members Refuse Comment.
Senator Tydings adherents among
the alumni refused to disclose the text
Of the messages they planned to send
to the regents. but said they would 60
out Immediately"
DR.. w. w. Skinner of Kensington.
who is chairman of the board. said
last night he had heard nothing OF
the controversy and explained he had
just returned from a trip to Seattle,
Wash, where he has been the last
three weeks on a mission for the De-
partment of Agriculture.
Dr. Skinner. assistant chief of the
Bureau of Chemistry and Soils for the
Department of Agriculture. said he
had not known of either DR.. Bvrd's
invitation to President Roosevelt or
the Baltimore groups stand.
Mrs. John L. Whitehurst of Balti-
more, secretary of the board, and Rep
resentative William P. Cole, jr.. of
Towson. board member. also said
they had heard nothing officially con-
cerning the matter
c. Walter Cole of Towson, presi-
dent of the University of MARYLAND
Alumni ASSocia ton, declared no move
had been made to bring the matter
to the attention of the Statewide
body.
Answers Coming In.
Leaders of the campaign to swing
the university alumni behind Senator
Tydings candidacy said last night
that they had been receiving cheer
Ing response from their kilograms to
alumni leaders after slow start"
Only three messages had been re-
ceived up until noon yesterday, but it
was said last night that this number
had been increased Ito about So and
that additional messages are coming
In steadily" They added that most
of them were favorable to Senator
Tydings."
A second meeting OF the group is
planned for Baltimore on Monday
night. 1t was said earlier in the day
that meeting would be held some
time before Monday" but apparently
this plan had been abandoned.
Alumni Action Resented.
One Maryland graduate, Louis S.
Ashman, Baltimore attorney, wrote to
Chester w. Tawney. president of the
Baltimore chapter, yesterday defend
ing DR.. Byrd's invitation to the Presi-
dent to speak in Maryland
He said that DR.. Byrd had not
represented that he was extending the
invitation to the President in his ca
pacity as president of the university,
or in the name Of the alumni asso-
eiation and indicated he felt DR.. Byrd
had perfect right" as an individual
to do what he had done.
II he had. Mr.. Ashman declared
Il would have been the first to resent
and protest his action. as now resent
end protest yours -"
Mr.. Ashman said in his letter to
Mr.. Tawney that "as one who has
made no choice" between Senator
Tydings and Mr.. Lewis Il very much
resent your injecting the name Of our
alumni association into politics"