Evening star., 1940-05-05
Howard Bruce Closes
Campaign by Talks
Al Seven Rallies
Makes Radio Address;
Urges Return to
Democratic Principles
BY WILL p. KENNEDY,


BY WILL p. KENNEDY,
Star Staff Correspondent.
BALTIMORE, May 4.-With a
straightforward presentation to the
voters of Maryland of the issues in
national legislation and the ex-
pected problems before Congress
during the next six years, Howard
Bruce, national committeeman, to-
night closed his campaign for the
Democratic nomination for the Sem
ate against Senator Radcliffe with
a Statewide radio address and
more city. Maryland voters ill 60
to the primary polls Monday.
The best spellbinders in the Mary
land State administration-Gov.
O'Conor, Attorney General Walsh,
Representatives D'Alesandro and
Kennedy, with letters of the vet
Grams, organized labor, and welfare
organizations, made an 11th-hour
drive in Baltimore for its a con-
vention votes.
Meanwhile, the heavy artillery Of
the opposition had been decoyed
into territory which had been con-
ceded to them for more than
month-in Hartford, Carroll and
Baltimore Counties. His friends said
Mr.. Bruce showed his political
strategy by drawing these opposition
leaders into their own Surest terri
tory while he made concentrated
drive in Baltimore, where, they be-
lieve, the decisive votes will be
cast.
Mr.. Bruce packed into his final
speech a summary of all the issues
he has presented.
O'Conor Makes Appeal.
Gov. O'Conor issued a final appeal
to the voters of the State, and
especially of Baltimore city, to sup
port Mr.. Bruce. and Attorney Cen
eral Welsh sent letters to Western
Maryland counties urging support
of Mr.. Bruce.
II am convinced" Mr.. Bruce said
In his speech, that the primary
necessity toward solution OF our ma
tional problems is the return to
orthodox principles Of democratic
government.
VIRTUALLY all of the problems con-
fronting us grow out of the fact that
we have gotten so far away from
traditional principles that dlstrust
and fear have replaced the sense
of securing what we once enjoyed
when government was less central
lied and more Immediately respon-
sive to the people and when there
was less experimentation.
O'Conor Tours Districts.
Gov. O'Conor in personal appeal
to the voters in a whirlwind swing
through all Baltimore districts. said:
THE fundamental issue is: Which
Of the two men, Howard Bruce or
George l.. Radcliffe is the better
equipped to represent Maryland IN
the United States Senate for the
next six years?
IT urge the nomination of Howard
Bruce because am definitely OF the
opinion that our State will be better
represented If he is the next junior
Senator. The progress OF the cam
paien has made me doubly certain
that this preference is thoroughly
justified.
"Following the assertions OF the
Senators, official investigators from
the Senate Committee came to Mary
land and conducted searching in
ouiry into the present campaign ac-
tivities. The investigators found
nothing which warranted them to
call public attention to the fact that
improper methods were being used
in this campaign. The outcome OF
the Senatorial investigation vindi-
Gates the State administration, and
shows that Senator Radcliffe and his
supporters could not verify their al
legations.
"As the campaign progressed, it
became clear that the opposition
were not sincere in their claim that
the alleged experience Of Senator
Radcliffe ought to entitle him to
denomination. I say this because
after they raised this issue. they
repudiated it by undertaking to de-
feat two able and experienced legis-
lators (both with considerably long
er legislative service than Mr.. Rad
cliffe) in the persons of Represents
tives Kennedy and D'Alesandro.
"I firmly believe that vote for
Howard Bruce is a vote for the
betterment of our State and Ma
ton"
Convention Vote Forecast.
While party leaders supporting
Mr.. Bruce varied in their estimates
of convention votes, all were agreed
that he would win the senatorial
nomination by a comfortable mar
gin.
Mr.. Bruce said he could not see
any combination that would give
him fewer than 86 votes in the
convention and his real expecta-
ton was closer to 100 of the 149.
Gov. O'Conor declared q personal
survey showed q victory with at
least three and possibly four Balti-
more districts in the Bruce column
and William Curran, Democratic
city leader, placed only one OF the
city's six election districts, the
fourth, in the doubtful class.
Mr.. Walsh gave all 30 votes from
Western Maryland to Mr.. Bruce and
estimated he would get 86 conven-
tion votes and possibly as many
as 81.
E. Brooke Lee concurred with Mr..
Walsh's estimate Of Western Mary
land and Representative Sasscer
predicted that Prince Georges
County, with seven votes, and South
ern Maryland would 60 for Mr..
Bruce.
Reserve Officers Back
Dies Committee Probe
~ the Associated Press.