The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1946-11-14
.DURELY
L Official
By BALLOT BOX

Despite the fact that the Nation,
as a whole, went Overwhelmingly
Republican in the recent election;
that the Sixth Congressional Dis
trict in Maryland gave humping
majority to its Republican Congress
man, J. Glenn Beall; that Washing
ton County reelected a Republican
County government; that Montgom-
cry County threw out the Brooke
Lee controlled Democratic machine,
hook, line and sinker and replaced
it with complete Republican Coun-
ty government; and that Governor
Herbert O'Conor, long recognized as
the best vote getter in Maryland,
barely managed to squeeze through
against Republican D. John Marley
IN the race for u. S. Senator, you
just cannot take anything away from
the smashing victory of Maryland's
Governor elect, William Preston
Lane, Jr.
In the Primary last June he was
opposed by the supposed invincible
Baltimore political machine, headed
by Willie Curran, and was also op-
posed by Willard Tydings, another
supposed power in the State, but he
wound up by making almost a clean
sweep of the Baltimore Districts as
well as capturing Tydings' own Dis
trict
In the general election, one of his
staunchest political hackers, Brooke
Lee, of Montgomery County, suf-
fered the worst defeat of his political
career, when his entire slate was
defeated, and even here, in his ma
tive county, Mr.. Lane was the only
major Democratic candidate to be
elected.
But, in spite of all these facts, he
was the easiest kind of winner over
his Republican opponent Mayor
Theodore r. McKeldin, of Baltimore
The victory places the Governor
elect in a most enviable position as
he prepares to take over as head of
the State for the next four years.
For having won in spite of the early
opposition of the States Democratic
Senior Senator and of the Democratic
political boss of Baltimore City, he
Is under no political obligation to
either of these gentlemen and is
thus absolutely free of all entangle-
ments, and particularly so since
Brooke Lees power in Montgomery
County has been finally and definite
~ ended.
And while I am on the subject
of the Maryland State Legislature,
here's something worth thinking
about.
When the new legislature meets in
January, the increased Republican
representation, particularly in the
State Senate, is going to be force
to be reckoned with. A coalition of
the Republican Senators with any
four Democrats, would give the Re-
publicans the balance of power and,
unless miss my guess, there will
be plenty of trading" going on as
the different county Senators come
up with their pet" bills.
All of which places our own Sena-
tor Mclaughlin in a strong position.
And talking about strong posi-
tons, don't overlook the fact that
Congressman j. Glenn BeaI, enter
ing on his third consecutive term of
Office by virtue of his lopsided vic
tory over Montgomery County's Arch
Mcdonald, is now the top political
figure in Washington as far as Mary
land is concerned.
When he takes his seat in Janu-
airy, he will not only be a mem
Der of the Majority Party, but will
also be somewhere around the
thirtieth ranking member of the
Party. Held in high esteem by his
colleagues, and particularly so by
Congressman Martin, who is be the
Speaker of the House, Congressman
Bean is sure to get an important
committee post and, as Maryland's
only Republican member of the in
coming Congress, he is also certain
to be consulted on all legislature af-
fecting his State, whether it emanates
in the House or in the Senate.