Evening star., 1938-09-04

university OF MaTylanQ - I[len
known as the Maryland Agricul-
tural College-contaned picture
Of a smiling, curly-haired young man
named Harry Clifton Byrd Beneath the
picture was the somewhat cryptic phrase,
The devil hath power to assume pleas
ing shape"
That yearbook also contained this esti-
mate Of the young man: With three men
on base, three balls and none out and the
opposition wild with excitement, Curly is
in his element When Curly grins
watch out! Something is sure to break"
Thirty years have passed but Curly Byrd
still is grinning and bedeviling the opposi-
ton with surprise moves. He is in his ele-
ment, now that he has injected himself
into the final bitter innings OF the Mary
land senatorship primary.
Limb Watched for Break.
Something is sure to break Political OBJ
servers are wondering if it will be the limb
upon which the irrepreSsible Curly has
climbed in the Tydings-Lewis contest-to
change the metaphor
AiC SiililOcu llldl lllIlU NIltl lie
took the lead in inviting President Roose-
welt to visit Maryland to defend his
philosophy of government" and incident
ally, to lend closeup support to Represent
ative "Davey" Lewis, contender for Sem
ator Milard Tydings' seat.
In sending that invitation the young man
who rose from student and athletic coach
to president of his alma ater cast his
lot definitely with the New Deal and sew
cred the political, if not the personal ties,
that have bound him for years in close
friendship with Senator Tydings If the
Senator wins renomins ton over Represent
ative Lewis, it is hard to see where Curly
will be, unless it is on the wrong end Of
a sawed-of limb
OF course, Or. Byrd does not expect any
such unseemly fate. 1t is not unlikely that
he regards the limb as a perch from which
10 grasp for something higher up
There are few Marylanders credited with
pulse than DR. Byrd. His reputation as a
prophet would suffer severely if Senator
Tydlngs should win in the primary on Sep
tember II. Rarely has he been on the
losing side: Even though he should fail in
his present stand. DR.. Byrd still would have
many followers and he undoubtedly would
remain political power in his State.
Limb May Prove Springboard.
II Mr.. Lewis should emerge the victor in
the hot campaign, the limb on which DR..
BYRD has balanced himself could easily be
used as a veritabe springboard With a
few Well-measured leaps, he probably could
make good headway toward the Maryland
governorship. If this goal lured him, he
would be in good position to request-al-
most nd-administration help For
the New Deal has habit OF remembering
those who render such valuable assistance
as that rendered by the university president
in behalf of Mr.. Lewis and the cause"
1t was an unusual, a dramatic thing
that Curly did when he telegraphed the
President an invitation to invade the
Free State. Apparently the White House
was looking for some one of Importance to
extend such an invitation, but none had
been forthcoming until DR.. Byrd stepped
forward.
The Byrd invitation has been interpreted
by many as the first clear indication that he
considers his destiny lies in the political
rather than the educational field. Soon
after he became president of the university
he said the governorship held nothing for
him, his field Of service to the people of
Maryland lay at College Park-not An
napolis.
In line with that pronouncement he gave