Evening star., 1948-05-06
State Party Unit
Backs Arlington
Convention Plan
Virginia Committee
Okoys Paying Setup;
Court Fight Possible


tion'S decision to hold a pay-if-you-
go convention was upheld in another
test yesterday, but plans were i'm
mediately announced to fight it in
State and Federal courts, if neces-
sary.
The Appeals Committee of the
Virginia State Democratic Commit
tee at Richmond rejected as having
no basis" the protest of Arthur F.
Souther against the method of
choosing delegates to county's con-
Vention July /.
Mr.. Souther, who has filed as
candidate for the Democratic nomi-
nation to the House from the 9th
district, said he would ask the State
Central Committee to review the
case and added that he would carry
his fight into the courts
Violation Is Charged.
The Associated Press reported
that Mr.. Souther contended at
two-hour hearing in Richmond yes
terday that the Arlington organiza-
tion's plan violates the State Demo-
cratic Party plan-ln several ways.
He hit particularly at the pro-
vision which permits any qualified
Arlington Democrat to become
delegate to the county convention
by payment of SIS filing fee He
stressed also that the Civil Service
Commission had ruled Federal en-
nlnVPC fo ri ~ ha
Arlington convention because by
qualifying as delegates they were in
effect becoming candidates.
Harrison Mann, chairman of the
Arlington Democratic Executive
Committee, and the committees for
mer chairman, State Senator
Charles R. Fenwick, both defended
the county plan as proper under
the broad powers given to local
party organizations. On the mat
ter Of the SIS fee to become a dele
gate to the county convention, both
said this was merely a means of
raising funds for the operation of
the party and perfectly legitimate.
Effect Is Regretted.
Mr.. Mann and Senator Fenwick
expressed regret that thousands of
Federal employees were forbidden by
the Hatch Act from going to the
county convention. Mr.. Fenwick
noted:
I'VE didn't pass the Hatch Act.
AS matter of fact we went before
the Civil Service Commission Just
the other day and tried to ease the
restrictions on Federal employees
taking part in political conventions"
The Appeals Committee, which re-
ceived the case after the 9th Dis
trict Committee rejected Mr.. South
er's complaint, returned the follow
ing decision:
After hearing the full argument,
and after giving due consideration,
the following resolution was unan-
imously adopted: a-.
The Appeals Committee feels
that the local committees have full
power in the conduct of local mat
ters concerning the Democratic
Party and further that if Mr..
Sother had desired to make an ap-
peal, he should have offered to file
as a delegate to the convention,
stating he had supported all of the
Democratic nominees of the Demo-
cratic Party in the preceding gen.
eral election in which he partici-
pated and until he had done this
he had no basis for appeal.
Rights Seen Preserved.
THE Appeals Committee further
feels that no Democrat in Arlington
County has been deprived of any
rights by the action taken by the
Arlington Democratic Committee.
The Appeals Committee unani-
mously Sustains the Arlington
County Democratic Committee and
the 9th Congressional District DEM
ocratic Committee"
Six members of the Appeals Com
mittee, which is made up of Demo-
cratic District chairmen, heard the
appeal. They were S. B. Barham,
il, 4th district, chairman; Marshall
Lewis, 1St district; Sidney Kellam,
I'd district; Ben C. Garrett, Sd dis
trict; Gardner l.. Booth, 9th district, |
and F. Fred Switzer, 7th district.
OF his refusal to file as a dele
gate for the county convention, Mr..
Souther said he had not voted in
the l947 general election and the
pledge named the
Democratic candidates and required
the applicant to swear that he
voted for them.
Pledge Is Argued.
Mr.. Mann interjected that he
would have accepted Mr. Souther's
assurance that he had voted the
straight Democratic ticket in the
last election in which he partici-
pated and would have qualified him. |
Mr.. Souther replied, however, that
he was not aware any such assur-
ance would have been accepted. He
said he understood that the county
committee had no intention of /
changing the wording of the pledge. !
Senator Fenwick explained that
the reason for the pledge naming
NAt~ NeAiuiautCS WAS lIldI all DeNlO- |
Gratis last year were elected in the
county by substantial majorities ex-
cept one. That one, the candidate
for county treasurer, was defeated
by Republican John Locke Green. |
1t was therefore obvious, he said. |
that some Democrats had bolted
with respect to the candidate for
treasurer.
We've had a tough situation
there in Arlington with 10000 new
people coming into the county since
1870" Senator Fenwick said. we
have to have some sort of check
on party affiliations
Mr.. Fenwick added that the coun-
~ convention plan had not deprived
Mr. Souther OF "a single thing"