Evening star., 1944-05-02
Florida and Alabama
Vote Watched TODAY
As New Deal Test
BY the Associated Press.

bS the hSSOCldteU fftSS.
The Roosevelt administration un-
derwent test by proxy in the Flor
ida and Alabama Democratic sena-
torial primaries today. 1t also fig
Wed as side issue in voting by
South Dakota Republicans.
With plenty of personalities in
volved. Senator Pepper, Florida
Democrat. carried the New Deal
banner into five-way contest for
denomination that had found his
chief opponent, County Judge Ollie
Edmunds of Jacksonville, hammer
ing at the administration domestic
policies and at their support by
Senator Pepper.
In Alabama, Senator Hill, the
Democratic whip and strong sup
porter of the President, fought out
a challenge by James A. Simpson,
Birmingham attorney, who urged
the voters to reject Hill as a Roose-
velt man.
New Deal Is Dakota Issue.
A republicanized version of the
administration issue played a part
in the South Dakota COP sena-
torial primary, where Senator Cur
ney is seeking reelection with
plea that he was one of the first
to recognize the need for prepared
ness before this country entered the
war. His opponent, 1t. Gov. A. c..
Miller, based his appeal on the
contention that Senator ,Gurney
followed the President too closely
and adopted much of the New
Deal philosophy"
The support President plea
apparently had little effect in
Maryland, where Senator Tydings
yesterday won denomination by
nearly five to one over Willis r.
Jones of Baltimore, his principal
Democratic opponent in a five-way
race
Mr.. Jones had criticized what he
said was Senator Tydings' failure
to back the Presidents policies,
while Senator Tydings had insisted
that he and Mr.. Roosevelt worked
together on major issues despite
their 1888 differences, when the
President openly opposed his re-
nomina ton.
Commenting on his victory last
night, Senator Tydings said he
didn't think his relations with Mr..
Roosevelt had much to do with the
campaign.
Envorunr no nLoI Ty1:~~~
Gov. Herbert r. O'Conor gave
Senator Tydings a last-minute pub
lie Endorsement that some thought
might have a bearing later on Gov.
O'Conor's reputed desire to have
Maryland's 18 Democratic conven-
ton votes as nominal "favorite
son" candidate for President.
Senator Tydings' Republican op-
ponent in the November election
apparently will be Blanchard Ran
dali, jr., Baltimore banker, who
emerged in front after a nip-and-
tuck struggle with Paul Robertson
for the party's senatorial nominal
ton. Mr.. Robertson. a manufac-
turer and Baltimore COP chair
man, had contested with Mr.. Ran
dali on purely local issues.
Both parties picked delegates to
State conventions in the Maryland
primary, with an uninstructed slate
appeared headed for approval by
the Republicans. Mayor T. r. Nc
Keldin of Baltimore, Republican
leader, has predicted the States
Is COP delegates will support Cor:
Thomas e. Dewey Of New York on
the first ballot.
Three States Pick Delegates.
Delegate picking also is under way
IN Alabama today, with Democrats
voting on a group representing ~
votes; Florida, where Democrats
were electing 18, and in South Da-
kota. with 8 Democratic and IL Re-
publican Representatives being
chosen.
The latter contest attracted par
ticular attention, since the South
Dakota results promise to give some
fresh indication of the strength of
1t. Comdr. Harold E. Stassen, for
mer Minnesota Governor, in the race
for the Republican presidential
nomination.
A Stassen slate is opposing one
favoring Gov. Dewey, in the first
such head-on contest without other
aspirants in the field. The regular
Republican organization Is backing
the Dewey slate.
South Dakota Democrats had the
choice Of two states of delegates
seeking to cast the States eight
votes at the convention, with both
groups fayoring a fourth term.
Byrd Slate In Florida.
The Democratic delegate contest
in Florida brought a fourth term
group into opposition for the first
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