The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1945-11-01
DURELY
/ Official
By BALLOT BOX

''''''''':''9'E.'''':''.''.''''s
Talk about Atomic Bombsl There's
enough hot air flying around in pol
itical circles in Maryland to fill at
least three of them.
The latest trial balloon to come
floating out of Baltimore is a sug-
gestion that Governor O'Conor for
get the Governors race and get into
primary fight with Senator Rad
cliffe for the Senatorial nomination.
The same source advocates also, that
Mayor McKeldin likewise should
pass up the Gubernatorial race and
run for the Republican Senatorial
nomination. The latter suggestion
being based, of course, on the as
sumption that O'Conor could beat
Radcliffe in the Democratic Primary
The weak spot in all these trial
balloons that are flying around, is
that they are obviously coming from
anti-O'Conor and anti-McKeldin
factions and are just as obviously de-
signed to try and force O'Conor and
McKeldin to tip their hats" Neither
the Governor nor the Mayor of Bal
timore are saying anything right
now, and, as / stated in this column
last week, they are not likely to
make their intentions known before
the middle of January.
I do think, however, that as far
as Governor O'Conor is concerned,
all his recent actions point very
definitely to build up for his
reelection as Governor.
His recent announcement of a
further reduction in the State In
come Tax; his constant reference in
all his public utterances to the rec
ord of his Administration, and last,
but not least, his skirmishes with
Mayor McKeldin over Baltimore's
financial troubles, before calling a
special session of the State Legisla-
ture to consider them, all bear the
earmarks of prediction build-ups.
On the Republican side, though,
the situation is entirely different.
1t is no secret that the Party is
pretty badly split at the moment and
there are many who are openly
stating that if Mayor McKeldin gets
the Gubernatorial nomination, he
will have to face the Baltimore City
voters with record of having in
creased their taxes in an election
year-a pretty stiff obstacle to over
come.
Of course the rest of the State, is
not so much concerned with Balti-
more's financial troubles, but, if the
Republican party is to elect a Gov
ernor, their candidate must, of ne
cessity, make a real showing in Bal
timore City.
A recent poll, while it was con-
Quoted by group openly opposed
to Mr.. McKeldin, was rather signifi-
cant. Apart from the fact that it
showed that the Republicans who
voted in the poll placed McKeldin
fourth on the list of desirable Cub
ernatorial candidates, the significant
fact is that the man who headed the
poll was H. L. Mills, president of the
Hagerstown Chamber of Commerce.
Mr.. Mills, in the poll, ran ahead
of Congressman J. Glenn Beall, and
is very definitely candidate to be
reckoned with.
In Washington County political
circles there seems to be little or
no action at all. Despite the fact
that the Primary is only a few
months off and that, in addition to
the Gubernatorial, Senatorial and
Congressional elections, there will
be elections for every political Office
in the County, neither Party seems
to be very active. In fact, the only
thing / have heard is rumor that
Brewer Stouffer will be a candidate
for State Senator.
II PT