The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-06
o. M. Null, Of Shelby, Is Con-
fident He Will Be Named
Sneaker OF The House

RALEIGH, Jan. 5.-R-A short
kession of the General Assembly
" possibly even shorter than the 80
day session two years ago-Was
forecast freely today as the van
guard of the legislature began to
arrive.
Among the first was o. M. Null
Of Cleveland county, generally on
ceded to have the upper hand In
his fight with George Uzzel of
Rowan for the house sp~eakership.
Uzzell came in a little later.
Both said the absence of con-
t~roversial matters, together with
the continuing revenue bill first
adopted in 1889, would assure the
state of a comparatively brief 194l
session.
Observers agreed, with the slight
reservation that unforeseen contro-
versy might develop I'VE subjects
not yet aired.
Both Uzzell and Null have
claimed they will bag a majority
of the vote when house democrats
hold their caucus Tuesday night,
On the eve of the convening of the
l941 session. The republ: cans, with
but six men in the house and two
In the senate, will probably not
hold a caucus.
= The Cleveland county represen-
tative, who had previously said he
would get all but 20 of the house
votes, today said he vas now as
sured of all but 10, some of whom
he said he expected to vote for
him. He explained that since he
arrived here, he had received per-
sonal assurance of support from
the additional two.
- Uzzell said he had letters from
81 representatives saying they IA
syored him, and he added, "seven-
ty-five per cent of the members
! have said they preferred me, but
how they are going to vote, I don't
I know"
I A vote of 81 is necessary for
the nomination.
Null, who is go, almost bald and
rherubic in, appearance, came to
the house from Cleveland county
first in 1907, and returned in 1919,
1929 and 1889.
"A lawyer, farmer and textile
Z operator, he and former Governor
20. Max Gardner-who is a brother
in=law of Governor Hoey-were CO.
Founders and co-oWners Of a rayon
mill in Shelby. In 1886, Null sold
most of his share in the mill to
his partner, though they r still
co-owners of Cleveland Springs, a
real estate development of 300 to
400 acres near Shelby.
1Uzzell, a 37-year-old lawyer, has
served previously in the house in
the 1881, 1885, 1887 and 1889 terms.
Among other early arrivals was
Senator John D. Larkins, Jr., of
Jones county, a candidate for
President pro tenn of the senate.
Both he and the other candidate,
Archie D. Gay of Northampton,
who had not come in, have claim
ed a majority Of the senate votes.
A banner urging members to
vote for Larkins appeared in the
lobby of the hotel where he STOP
ped.
Meanwhile, plans were pro-
nounced about ready for the in
auguration of ]. M. Brou5hton as
governor next Thursday. Officials
said they contemplated the most
elaborate program ever, with a
long parade including 1000 troops
from Fort Bragg and units of the
zcoast guard.
Broughton himself, his personal
affairs completed, has said he did
not plan to return to his law Of
flee here, before. the i auguration,
having reserved the next three
days for conference with officials.
He has completed his inaugural
address, which he will deliver be-
fore a joint session of the house
and senate-as well as to a large
audience-in Memorial auditori-
I'm. 3