Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-02-12
Quiet Week
Among The

Daily Dispatch Bureau,
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
By HENRY iVERUL

Raleigh, Feb. i2-Revelation that
Major John Armstrong of the High
way Patrol mas suggested" that his
men might contribute dollar a man
4 month to the campaign OF Com
missioner Of Revenue Allen j. Man
we'll came as near being a sensational
development as there was last week
in the current governors sweep
stakes.
Willis Smith. Raleigh lawyer, de-
cided it would be the part Of dis
erection. if not Of valor, to sit on the
SidelineS, practice law and watch the
rest OF the field fight it out.
Libby Ward definitely eliminated
himself from 1910 consideration. Bill
Fenner of Nash came to Raleigh the
last uf the week and said it is still
not the time for him to make any
definite statement as to his inten-
tons.
The six announced aSpirantS gal
loped here and there over the state;
spoke before various civic organiza-
tons: got in touch with their friends
and those they hope will be their
friends: solicited campaign contribu-
tons: and generally tried to build
up their organizations.
1t is still much too early to say
whether or not the Patrol affair vii!
have any serious repercuSsions. It
seems that Mr.. Maxwell had no part
whatever in the affair and was
totally surprised when informed of
il. 1t is quite likely that when boiled
down there will appear only bit
of overzealousness on the part OF
Major Armstrong.
Governor Clyde Hoey has promis-
ed TO look into the whole thing and
will likely have something (but not
too much) to say when he gets
through with his investigation.
The final upShot may be that the
matter OF soliciting campaign funds
from state employees will come in
for an airing. Few are naive enough
to believe that there will be any real
elimination OF the practice.
On the other hand there is I'M
doubtedly especially strong obiec-
ton to the participation Of the State
Highway Patrol in politics; and this
might be just the time when real
feeling can be stirred up about it.
On the face of the record, Maxwell
can't possibly be helped by the de
velopment and there IS a chance that
ne will be seriously hurt.
1t will at least give his opponents
something to hang their ''Whittling"
campaign upon: and the fact that
Maxwell is in line to be WHITFIELD,
has been previously pointed out in
this correspondence. The Commits
sioner was getting too much Of
lead in the eyes Of most folks who
have been doing any observing and
commenting.
Elsewhere not even the faint sign
Of real issue has appeared on the
political horizon. The candidates. it
;eems, will go about the state full
If sound fury. but as the great bard
said ''signifying nothing SO far as
any important difference in their
views are concerned.
1t is going TO be up to the Messrs.
Lee Gravely, Paul Grady and Ton.
Cooper to make some issue, if any
are ever to be made. Grady, it must
be said, has laid down some in his
platform, but it still remains to be
seen whether they ever get beyond
the realm of pure academic discus
sion.
If Grady says the sales tax can and
ought to be repealed, while the 9TH
ers say it can't, even if it ought.
there has been set up an issue: but
unless the electorate gives vent to
something more than a languid $50
What?" the whole thing is still to be
fought cut on personalities.