Evening star., 1947-11-03
Heavy Bd1|oting
In Two Virginia
Counties Seen
Roin or Unexpected
Apathy Would Help
Democratic Slate
By Alex R. Preston

BY Alex K. Preston
Virginians will have u hours t.
vote in tomorrow's election, witt
indications of a heavy ballot II
Arlington and Fairfax counties. II
Alexandria, where no local office!
are at stake, the turnout is expected
to be moderate
Polls will be open from am. tt
6p.m. under the States new uniform
voting hours law which replaced
the old sunrise-to-sunset system
Generally speaking, Democrats
who normally control most offices
in the nearby area, are expected
to fare better if the total number
of votes is kept down by inclement
weather or by unexpected apathy.
Party Better Organized.
This is because the Democratic
Party has been better organized
and controls fixed number of votes
or block, in every election. An ap.
Proclamation of the size of this block
may be arrived at from figures in the
August Democratic primary when
more than $500 voted in Fairfax
and more than 7,700 in Arlington.
The prospective turnout in Airing
ton tomorrow has been estimated
at more than 10000 by Democratic
leaders and as high as $4,000 in some
Republican and neutral quarters
The Fairfax vote probably will be
more than half of that of Arlington
observers believe.
Ladd Charges Broken Faith"
Kenneth Ladd, Democratic CAM
paign chairman, charged today that
Republicans have broken faith
with citizens by failing to refrain
from participation in the non
partisan County Board and Schoo
Board contests. The Democrats
have held to their promise, he said
He cited the guide ballots OF botf
parties. Democrats issued a sample
containing names of only the canol.
dates seeking Office along partisan
lines while Republican sample bal
lots also include County Board ano
School Board names.
while their ballots are NO
printed with checks opposite the
names of the non-partisan candi'
dates" Mr.. Ladd said, "a number o!
Republican information ballots have
already appeared marked for these
Offices"
Smith Speaks for G. o. P.
A Republican last-minute state
ment came from Stephen M. Smith
campaign chairman.
He reminded Federal workers ir
Washington to vote early to avoic
the usual late-hour rush by taking
their two hours, where allowed, II
the morning. Persons employed ir
private industry will crowd the polls
after work, he warned.
"The vote will be heavy Mr.
Smith said, land regardless of how
they vote, would like to see every
person cast ballot who has a right
to do so"
Fenwick Answers Charges.
Charges of "willful misrepresenta.
ton" were made by Charles R. Fen.
wick, Democratic nominee for State
Senator from Arlington, agains
Talmadee Wilcher, his Republican
opponent.
Mr.. Fenwick said Mr.. Wilchel
published a political advertisement
which included photographs of pa
tients in a State mental institution
and which implied that Mr.. Fen.
wick was responsible for the condi'
tions pictured.
These pictures are a part of 6
before and after SERIES Mr.. Fen
wick said. "Wilcher printed the be
fore series in an attempt to deceiv'
people into believing these condi
tions now exist. Furthermore, -th'
date on these pictures was deletet
so that the public would not know
that they were part of a series.
Boards Functions Cited.
"Wilcher knows full well tina
mental institutions are under tn
Department of Mental Hygiene ant
Hospitals, department entirel.
separate and distinct from the Wei
fare Board of which I am a mem
ber."
Mr. Fenwick said it is true tha
the Welfare Board is charged will
periodic inspections of the institu
tions but has nothing whatever t.
do with their administration O
policies. He added the record vii
show that the Welfare Board re
peatedly has recommended tina
conditions in mental hospitals b
improved. Mr.. Wilcher's statemen
that I saw these conditions ant
did nothing to improve them /
completely false" he said.
A contract recently has been lie
for new mental institution a
Eastern State Hospital, Williams
burg. where the pictures used in tn,
advertisement we're taken, Mr.. Fen
wick declared.
'7@ Endorsements Disputed.
The Greater Arlington Association
meanwhile. charged that 43 of tn
81 organizations which the f1v
candidates of the School Boar,
Nominating Convention claimed ha,
Endorsed them, actually had no
done so. The remaining eight or
ganizations were not checked, w.
Hoge. jr., chairman of the GA
Executive Committee, said.
Oscar r. LeBeau, co-chairman O
the nominating conference, whicl
sponsored the convention, declare,
the conference never had elaine,
Endorsement of the organizations
He pointed out. however, that the S
organizations had sent delegates t
the convention and that the con
ference was created by the Arlington
Civic Federation, the Better Govern
ment League, the Citizens Commit
rtee for School improvement, tn
Organized Women Voters and tn
League of Women Voters.
Mr.. LeBeau also declared he !
not, "nor have I ever been, a
aspirant for the job of school super
, gintkndent." Mr.. LeBeau said h
made this statement in answer t
the whispering campaign of tn
, opposition"