Evening star., 1944-05-01
Vote
Light;0'Conor
Lauds Tydings
Governor Urges
Senator'S Nomination
For Fourth Term

went to the polls today in the States
primary elections, Democratic in
terest appeared focused on the con-
test between Senator Tydings and
his chief opponent, Willis R. Jones,
for the senatorial nomination.
Republican interest centered on a
choice between State convention
delegates pledged to Wendell L..
Willkie and an uninstructed group.
Mr.. WILKES withdrawal came too
late to permit removal of his name
from the primary ballot.
The primary campaign, which for
the most part was dull and listless
ended up in a flood of oratory over
the week end. climaxed by plea
from Gov. O'Conor that Democratic
voters nominate Senator Tydings to
succeed himself.
The Governor had previously an
nounced his intention to support
Senator Tydings. but yesterdays
broadcast address was his only
major political speech of the cam
paign.
Sasscer Due to Win.
In addition to nominations for
Senator Tydings' seat, the States
six seats in the House-four of them
now held by Democrats and two by
Republicans-were at issue.
In the nearby House contests,
Representative Sasscer, Upper Marl-
boro, was expected to have little
opposition from Edwin A. Glenn,
Morningside Village, for the Demo-
cratic nomination for the 5th dis
trict House seat. In the 9Th dis
trict, which includes Montgomery
County, Representative Beall, Re-
publican of Frostburg, was un-
opposed. Daniel F. McMullen, Cum
berland, also is unopposed for the
Democratic nomination.
Early reports were that voting was
extremely light and many observers
predicted that the total vote would
not reach 20 per cent of the regis
tration.
Approximately 100000 Democrats
and 265.0 Republicans were quail
fed to vote, but all indications
were that less than 10000 would
actually cast ballots.
So few had been to the polls by
midmorning in the Bethesda area
that telephone campaign was be-
ing planned to get out the vote. In
other sections observers predicted
the lightest vote on record.
In the Statewide delegate con-
test, Chairman Galen L. TAFT of the
State Central Committee, as well
as other Republican leaders, have
urged that the minority party voters
support an uninstructed delegation.
Should the State be pledged to
Mr.. Willkie, the law requires dele
gates to the national convention to
vote for him as long as they con-
scientiously believe he has a chance
to win the nomination. There was
some speculation that even should
the delegation be pledged to Mr..
Willkie, it might be free to vote as
delegates chose in view of his with
drawal.
Senator Tydings, who was the tar
get of an unsuccessful purge CAM
paign by President Roosevelt six
years ago, was conceded an excellent
chance to win nomination for a
fourth term.
Jones Is Chief Opponent.
He faced four Democratic op-
ponents, but Mr.. Jones was the only
one given a chance. The latter, a
former deputy attorney general and
chairman Of the State Correction
Board, campaigned on fourth
presidential term platform, attacking
Senator Tydings' differences with
the Roosevelt administration.
In addition to Mr.. Jones, Senator
Tydings is opposed by Charles
Baden, Anne Arundel, and Vincent
F. Long and Stephen B. Peddicord,
both of Baltimore.
The Republican senatorial nomi-
nation is being sought by Rives
Matthews, Princess Anne newspaper
publisher; Blanchard Randall, jr.,
and Paul Robertson, both of Balti-
more. Mr.. Randall has announced
his support of Gov. Dewey.
In Montgomery County, interest
will center around the selection of
seven delegates to the State con-
vention.' Members of one slate,
headed by Commissioner Walter
johnson, point our that they were
the first to file as uninstructed dele
gates and that they support the
presidential nomination of Gov.
Thomas E. Dewey of New York.
Other members of the slate in
clude Claude A. Cook, George C.
EsWorthy, Francis W. Hill, jr.; Mrs.
Katherine F. Reutmann, Ira C.
Whitacre and De Witt w. Zook
The seven other candidates for
delegates are John w. Coffman,
Peter F. Snyder, L. S. Ray, Claude
v. Hyson, Willard A. King, Charles
H. Squire and Romeo w. Horad
Torvestad Seeks Seat.
In the race for the Republican
nomination to Congress from the
5th district, Mayor John N. Tor
vestad of Colmar Manor is seeking
the Office for the third time in the
last six years. He is opposed by
Mark J. Hammett, Landover, and C.
Maurice Weidmeyer of Anne Arun-
del County. 1t is the first time he
has been opposed for the nomi-
nation
In Prince Georges, eight persons
are seeking the seven posts as dele
gates to the State Republican con-
vention. They are Mrs. Ethel Bab-
'cock A. Lester Bate, George T.
Wild