Evening star., 1944-05-01
Race for Tydings' Sea
Spot|ights Primaries
In Maryland Today
VOTING IS LIGHT in Maryland pri-
mary elections Story on Page B-I.

III FloIIIdnu IUudy
VOTING IS LIGHT in Maryland pri-
mary elections. Story on Page B-1.
Maryland voters went to the
polls today to select congress
sional nominees in a primary in
which the contest for the seat
of Senator Tydings, Democrat,
held principal interest.
Republicans also had an oppor-
tunity to express presidential pref
ference, but the test was inconclusive
The choice was between Wendell
Willkie, who withdrew from the ma
Itional race after his setback in Wis.,
consin, but too late for his name to
be withdrawn in Maryland, and an
|uninStructed delegation to the
Iparty'S national convention.
Early indications were that less
than 100000 votes would be cast, or
a maximum of 20 per cent of the
registered vote of $4,000 Democrats
and 265, 900 Republicans.
O'Conor Backs Tydings.
Senator Tydings' principal oppo-
nent is Willis r. Jones of Balti-
more, and the campaign wound up
yesterday with an appeal by Gov.
O'Conor for the Senator.
Il am firmly of the opinion that
the interests of the State of Mary
land and the country as a whole
call for the nomination of Senator
Millard E. Tydings," the Governor
said.
Six House seats are at stake, four
of which now are held by Demo-
Gratis and two by Republicans.
There are several contests.
Florida Race in Spotlight.
Two red-hot Southern Democratic
primaries tomorrow will follow the
Maryland voting with congressional
and State Offices to be filled
In Florida, Senator Pepper, an
ardent New Dealer is battling four
opponents, with County Judge j.
Ollie Edmunds of Jacksonville rated
as the most formidable.
In Alabama, Senator Hill is op-
posed by James A. Simpson, Birm-
ingham attorney, who has urged
the voters to defeat Mr.. Hill as a
Roosevelt supporter.
The Florida primary has added
interest because anti-New Deal
Democrats. hoping to head off a
fourth term, may gauge their
chances of establishing an effective
third party in the South by what
happens there.
Pepper Race Is Barometer.
A Southern Senator interested in
the movement, who asked that his
name be withheld, predicted that if
Senator Pepper fails to gain clear
majority in the first primary and
then is defeated in a runoff, there
will be an immediate public effort
to bring together all the dissident
Democrats of the South in q con-
vention to launch q new party of
their own.
Conversely, If Senator Pepper
wins handily and thus demonstrates
that the ''support-the-Pr President"
plea he has used in his campaign
still has great vote-pulling power,
this Senator said the third party
movement probably will collapse.
There have been several attempts
already to. inStigate a revolt among
Southern Democrats by those who
are opposed to a fourth term, but
most of the maneuvering has been
done by political neophytes whose
success has not been marked
y =. Senator Byrd Backed. AIT
Thus far such experienced lead
ers as James A. Farley, New York
State chairman, have withheld pub
lie support, although Mr.. Farley has
told friends he will vote against a
fourth term at Chicago and may
let his name go before the conven-
ton as an opposition nominee to
make his position clear.
An organization headed by John
U. Barr. New Orleans rope manu-
Ifacturer, has been trying to drum
up interest in ticket headed by
Senator Byrd of Virginia, with Mr.,
Farley or some one else as a vice
presidential candidate. without any
public support from Senator Byrd.
A Byrd-for-President slate of dele
gates is running in the Florida pri-
mary, but since the Virginian has
said he Is not candidate only anI
unexpected victory for an appreci-
able number of them would be con-
sidered significant. The voters will
choose 1S Democratic convention
delegates and of 49 candidates, 27l
are for Mr.. Roosevelt
The practical politicians who are
fighting fourth term concede that
President Roosevelt can have the
party'S nomination if he wants 1t.
Revolt Is Drastic Move.
This group believes the only way
of stopping him is to organize an
independent Democratic party with
lifelong Democrats as its nominees
and attempt either to carry three or
four Southern States with its ticket
or cut the Roosevelt vote sufficiently
to throw some of the border States
to the Republicans.
They admit this would be a drastic
move that might threaten their own
political future if it failed For that
reason, they want to know a great
deal more about southern sentiment
than they can be sure about now
They hope to find at least q part
of the answer in Florida.
Tomorrow also will find South
Dakota voters nominating candi-
dates for the seat of Republican
Senator Gurney, as we'll as picking
II Republicans and Democratic
Convention delegates and nominees
for TWO seats in the House and the
GOyprnor'C rsoSr. Carotnr (1,,,x,or,