Evening star., 1947-11-02
Gains by COP.
Seen in Virginia
Local Contests
Democrats Expected
To Hold Majority
In Assembly
by Alex R. Preston

eral Assembly seats, put local
contests in the cities and
counties present serious chal-
lenges from Republicans and
Independents.
Throughout the State there are
II contests for the 40 Senate seats
and % members of the House of
Delegates. Northern Virginia's "a
counties are divided into eight Sen
atorial Districts in which there are
three contests and five of the IS
House districts offer contests.
Campaigns for local offices in
Northern Virginia have been most
active in Arlington where voters
will elect a School Board for the
first time. A bitter campaign also
has been fought over two of the
five seats on the County Board
which are to be filled this year.
Contests for both have been on a
non-party- Endorsed basis and lines
have been drawn between factions.
Heated Party Split.
Arlington also has had heated
party division for some offices.
In Alexandria, the campaign for
the Senate and House has been
relatively quiet but Fairfax County
has had a lively race for sheriff and
for some of its Board of Super
visors posts.
The School Board fight in Arling-
ton has overshadowed other contests
there. The issue has resolved itself
to that of whether the present
school administration-or a major
| ity of it-shall be retained or
whether reform group shall take
its place.
Those who defend most of the
present administration are organ
lied as the Greater Arlington Asso-
citation. In large part they are prop
erty owners that charge their oppo-
nents are radicals who would plunge
the county into debt with exhorbi-
tant bond issues. They also have
raised the issue of a new philoso-
ply which has played on the anti
OCiIllIluIllSI IlleIIle.
Slate Backs Reforms.
Chief proponent of reforms is
slate, known as Nominating Confer
ence candidates, who were selected
by ballot by delegates from 81 county
organizations. They are backed by
the Citizens Committee for School
Improvement and the Better Gov
ernment League.
They charge the present admins
tration fails to carry out necessary
improvements and expansion to keep
UP with fast-growing community;
! that the school administration is not
responsive to the will of the peo-
/ pie and that the system is controlled
as a political organization without
regard for merit
also has indorsed two County Board
candidates on a campaign of re-
moving machine control" from the
local governing body. The league
was successful in having its cam
didate. Daniel A. Dugan, elected to
the board last year. Two of the
board candidates, who are incum-
bents, have strong Democratic con-
nectionS
Campaign Is Bitter.
Party division has been strongest
in Arlington in the races for State
Senate, in which the Republican
has waged bitter campaign
against his Democratic opponent.
but the two"way contest for Com
monwealth's attorney is regarded as
likely to show the closest division
of votes between Republican and
Democratic opponents.
In addition to the ballot for Of
fees in Arlington. a second ballot
will be handed voters to decide the
question of authorizing the County
Board to issue bonds for an inciner-
ator
t Candidates in Arlington are the
following:
Charles r. Fenwick, Democrat,
and Talmage Wicker, Republican,
for State Senate.
J. Maynard Magruder and George
Damn. Democratic incumbents; @.
Ethel Clair and Frederic G. Dawson,
Republicans, and Eugene N. Beard,
independent, House of Delegates.
Denman r. Rucker, Democrat,
and Oren r. Lewis, Republican,
Commonweath's attorney.
Harry K. Green, Democratic in
cumbent. and Clyde B. Stovall. Re-
publican, commissioner or revenue.
J. Elwood Clements. Democrat,
Herbert L. Marcy and Charles B.
Quade, both independents, sheriff.
John Locke Green, Republican in
cumbent. and George P. Grove,
Democrat, treasurer.
Hugh Reid, Democrat incumbent,
Charles Orlando Pratt, Republican,
and John Paul Jones, Independent,
county judge.
Candidates for the County Board
are running as independents but
some have received Endorsement
from certain factions. Candidates
are F. Freeland Chew and Harry w.
Cuppett, who were originally named
as Democrats and who now are in
dorsed by the Greater Arlington AS
ISOLATION; Mrs. Florence Cannon
and T. Oscar Smith, Endorsed by the
Better Government League; Jacob
c. Bechtel, Millard p Divine, Rob-
ert w. Gaines, Lincoln Mackey and
Lawson Wimberly.
School Board candidates, also in
dependents, have factional backing
in most cases. They are:
Mrs Elizabeth P. Campbell, Barn.
ard Joy, Colin C. Macpherson, o.
Glenn Stahl and Curtis E. Tuthill,
named by the Nominating Confer
ence; Ernest c. Belts, jr, and VIII
liam Montgomery Smith, both in
cumbents, and DR.. Charles P. Cake.
Ernest T. Gearheart, jr., and Ralph
NJ Kimble, indorsed by the Greater
Arlington Association; Mrs. Lucy
G. Bussey and John M. Stewart.
both incumbents running without
organized support.
In Alexandria State Senator
Andrew w. Clarke, Democrat. who
also represents Fairfax and Prince
William counteis. is opposed by
Thomas C. Graham, Republican,
fer re-, '-~ticn. TIE Alexandria seat