Evening star., 1948-10-02
1hurmond Goes
lola Plata for
Address Today
1,500 Hear Baltimore
Speech Amid Rebel
YelIs and Cheers
By John V. Horner
Stor Stoff Correspondent.

BALTIMORE, Oct. 2.-The
States Rights Democratic cam
paign in Maryland gained mo-
nentum today as Gov. Thur
mond of South Carolina carried
his appeal for votes to La Plata
in the southern part of the
State.
His principal engagement is the
coronation of the Tobacco Festival
queen at La Plata this afternoon.
I'm highly pleased with the re-
action in Maryland" Gov. Thur
mond said as he left Baltimore.
Everywhere we've gone the people
have shown genuine enthusiasm for
our cause. There is a great deal of
misinformation about our beliefs
and our program. When this mis-
understanding is cleared up, the
people get behind us.
After all, what we advocate is
basic Americanism and the people
of the United States believe in that"
Sticks to Basic Theme.
Gov. Thurmond was in high
spirits as he set out for Southern
Maryland after attempting to WOO
Baltimore's regular Democrats away
from President Truman and to pre-
vent others from switching to the
Republican ticket. Maryland is the
farthest North that the States
Rights candidate is campaigning.
He is sticking closely to his basic
theme that the South has been sold
out by the Democratic Party and
that the principal proposals for civil
rights legislation are unconstitu-
tional and dangerous to all sections
of the country.
An audience of 1,500 cheered
vociferously last night as he de.
nounced President Truman's ad-
vocacy of Federal laws against the
poll tax. lynching and segregation,
and for a Fair Employment Prac-
tices Act.
AS the leading actor in a new
political drama, Gov. Thurmond is
using sound effects and props strict
~ 31OuI C11c SUlllCucl dCy.
Rebel Yells and Cheers.
During last nights speech he was
interrupted Is times by rebel yells
and cheers from an audience which
waved many Confederate flags.
A lad who said he was a reporter
for high school paper even turned
up at Gov. Thurmond's press con-
ference dressed in a uniform of the
Army of Northern Virginia.
And the stirring strains of Dixie"
set off repeated demonstrations at
the Lyric Theater, where the candi-
date delivered his major address.
The crowd roared its approval
again when Philip Jensen, medical
student from Owings Mills, Md,
and Miss Eleanor Armistead, med
ical laboratory technician from
Staunton. Va. walked in with a
parade-size STARS and Bars"
Greedy Bosses" Assailed.
Gov. Thurmond told last nights
rally that greedy bosses" of three
political parties were making cheap
bids for the votes of minority fac
tions by ndorsing force bills"
which they falsely call civil rights
bills. Later he identified the par
ties as the Democratic, Republican
and Progressive.
Gov. Thurmond contended that
the States, not the Federal Gov
ernment, should deal with poll taxes,
antilynch laws and the Fair EN-
ployment Practices Act.
The States Rights candidate got
Q cold shoulder from Maryland Of
ficialdom on his arrival from Wash
ington.
Through the Maryland Secretary
of State, Gov. Lane, Truman Dem
ocrat, sent a letter of welcome to
the South Carolinian only as Gov
ernor of our sister State.
LAS you know" wrote Gov. Lane,
'I am a strong believer in the two
party system that has made and
kept this Nation great. My welcome
must be to you as Governor of our
sister State of South Carolina and
not as a candidate for the presi-
dency."
Letter Handed to Thurmond.
Gov. Lane is Democratic national
committeeman for Maryland and a
member of the party Finance Com
mittee. The Secretary of State,
Bertram Boone, handed Gov Thur
mond the letter as he reached the
Lee-Jackson Statue, then departed
hastily.
The States Fighters filed a man.
damus action in Baltimore Superior
Court yesterday asking that the
Secretary of State be ordered to put
Gov. Thurmond's name on the bal
lots along with that of Gov. Fielding
Wright of Mississippi, his vice presi-
Dental running mate. The case will
be, heard Wednesday.
Gov Thurmond yesterday found
time to visit farm and home ex-
position, attend a reception at a
fashionable club in suburban Rux-
ton and to dine with 80 supporters