Evening star., 1946-08-07
Hannegan Sees
AxteII Victory as
Augury for Party
Chairman Declares
Voters Registered
Confidence in Trumon
By GouId Lincoln

democratic National Chair
man Robert E. Hannegan today
saw in the victory of Enos A
AXtell over Representative
Slaughter in Missouri'S primary
an augury Of Democratic victory
In the congressional elections
next November.
Without referring directly to
President Trumans determination
to purge Mr.. Slaughter because OF
his opposition as a Democratic men,
Der Of the House Rules Committee
TO administration measures. Chair
man Hannegan insisted that the
voters had registered a vote of con-
fidence in Mr.. Truman.
Charles G. Ross, the President s
press secretary, said the White House
had no official observations to make
on the outcome of the primary fight.
Asked If Mr.. Truman had congratu-
lated Mr.. AXtell, Mr. Ross said not
to his knowledge
Mr.. Hannegan said.
BY the defeat of Representative
Slaughter the people of the 5th
district of Missouri have registered
strong vote of confidence in Pres
ldent Truman-cont1dence which is
shared by the people of the Nation
Says Policies Are Approved.
"The voters of Missouri have been
aware of MI. Slaughters consistent
opposition to the policies of the
Truman administration, which are
a faithful continuation of the
policies of the late Franklin D.
Roosevelt. In rejecting Mr., Slaugh-
ter they were registering their ap-
proval of those policies.
The vote for Democratic Nominee
Enos AXtell, whom the President
lndorsed. was composite of Dem
ocratlc, Republican and independ-
ent support in the district. We be-
lieVe the Democratic administration
has the support of a similar COM
bination throughout the country
and that this support will be ex-
pressed even more emphatically
next November.
The fact Of the matter is. how
ever, that President Truman. aided
by the Pendergast machine in Kan
saS City and the CLOS PAC. sue
cessfully purged Mr.. Slaughter.
Representative Slaughter'S defeat
is reminiscent of the "purging" of
former Representative John OCon-
nor of New York, chairman of the
House Rules Committee. by Presi-
dent Roosevelt.
The contest in the fifth Missouri
district, Kansas City district,
aroused national interest because of
the personal attack the President
made on Representative Slaughter.
Mr.. Axtell, the hitherto polit-
ical unknown backed by the Presi-
dent, received 1873 votes to 17,577
for Representative Slaughter and
5,425 for jerome Walsh, in complete
unofficial returns.
Hard Fight Predicted.
Mr. AXtell in the November cleo
ton will be opposed by Albert L.
Reeves, jr.. who won the Republican
nomination for the House seat with
out opposition.
Mr.. Reeves, son of a Federal
judge and like Mr. AXtell a war
veteran, will put up hard battle
The district. however, has been
Democratic for many years. Much
will depend on whether the anti
machine and pro-Slaughter Dem
ocrats go to the polls for Mr.
Reeves-or just stay at home on
Election Day.
Other high lights in yesterdays
primaries were:
The denomination of Senator
Byrd. Democrat, of Virginia, and
Representative Smith, Democrat, in
the 9th Virginia district.
The denomination of Senator Kill
gore, Democrat, in West Virginia.
The nomination of Representative
Carlson, Republican, for Governor
of Kansas, to run against former
Secretary of War Harry H. Wood
ring, Democrat. Mr.. Woodring is