Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-07-25
Mount
In Final Week
Of Virginia Race
Miller Reuffirms
His Intention to
Dismiss Walker
By the Associated Pres,

UlGGCl ly.WdScu DdCIlt lOI dlS O6I1.
ocratic nomination for Governor
of Virginia headed into the home
stretch today.
Only seven more days were left
for the four candidates to round
up the few votes which, observers
agreed, could bring victory to any
in the unpredictable race.
Threats and charges flew again
over the week end as John S. Bat
tie, Francis Pickens Miller, Horace
H. Edwards and Remmie L. Arnold
their campaigns in the
farming sections.
Mr.. Miller, in a radio address
at Front Royal, made it plain that
one of the first organization stall
warts he will fire if he is elected
is l.. M. Walker, jr.. State COM
of agriculture.
Walker Criticized.
Mr.. Walker and his department
have been guilty of negligence
and Indifference" in their attitude
toward the Virginia farmer, Mr..
Miller charged. But he had q
good word for department divi-
sion heads, who. he said. have
been doing good job under dis
couraging conditions"
Their jobs are safe, Mr.. Miller
declared, but plenty of other
heads will roll if he is nominated
and elected Governor.
Mr.. Walker was prompt to re-
ply. From Richmond the agricul-
ture commissioner commented
that lit is strange that in all
these years" Mr.. Miller has re-
manned silent about agricultural
improvement or what we should
do that we don't do"
Meantime Candidate Edwards
was making news at Tazewell with
a plea to Virginia counties not
to raise school funds by borrow
ing 50-cent dollars during these
inflationary times" Md. Edwards
plainly was hitting at rival Can
didate Battle, who has proposed
that the State lend the counties
money from its surplus to finance
school improvements.
Such borrowing, Mr.. Edwards
said at 9th District rally, would
lead only to repayment on 400
cent dollar" scale.
Battle Supported.
Mr.. Battle himself did little
speech-making over the week end.
But his cause was championed at
Norwood by Nelson County Com
monwealth's Attorney Robert c.
Goad. Mr.. Gcad described Mr..
Battle, who has the backing Of
Virginia's dominant Democratic
faction, as head and shoulders"
above his three rivals because Of
his 20 years experience in State
government.
The fourth candidate, Mr.,
Arnold, made the headlines with
a prediction that he, as "the busi-
nessman candidate" would win
with a total vote of about 102 $50.
Mr.. Arnold placed his estimate
of the total Democratic primary
vote at 1926, 900. OF these, he said.
$4,000 citizens are known to be
in his column; and he will get
42,250 of the $4,000 ballots cast
by Virginia's silent voters"
The silent voters" he said, are
those citizens :. who will quietly
and with great satisfaction cast
their votes against the organiza-
tons candidate.
Mr.. Arnold's prediction, how
ever, ran counter to another from
an Edwards Supporter. Delegate
T. Monroe Bates, of Wise County.
Mr.. Bates said yesterday that IAN
overwhelming tide has set in for
Mr.. Edwards" which will carry him
easily to the nomination.
Major Speech Tonight.
Mr.. Battle probably will have
some fresh fireworks tonight. The
Charlottesville candidate will
make what his headquarters de-
scribe as 1.-The major speech" OF
his campaign at rally here.
Yesterday a group of about so
persons, many of them newspaper
men and educators, issued state
ment announcing their support OF
Mr.. Miller.
The signers include three acting
and one emeritus dean of Virginia
colleges and universities, the pres
ident and immediate past presi-
dent of the Virginia Social Sci
ence Association and former
president of the Virginia Academy
of Science.
An announcement from Mr..
Miller's campaign headquarters in
Charlottesville said all subscribed
to the statement on the invitation
of DR.. Robert Douthat Meade,
head of the history department
of Randolph Macon Woman's Col
lege at Lynchburg.
The signers included DR..
Warner Moss of William and
Mary College, president of the
Virginia Social Science Associa-
ton; DR.. Allen w. Moger of WASH
ington and Lee, former president.
and DR.. E. c. L. Miller, Medical
College of Virginia, former presi-
dent. Virginia Academy of Science.
Also the Very Rev. Alexander c.
Zabriske,~ dean, Virginia Theo-
logical Seminary, Alexandria,:
Kenneth Crawford, Fairfax maya
zine editor; Frank Ratio, editor,
the Loudoun News, Leesburg, and
John Eisenhard, co-editor, the
Blue Ridge Herald, Purcellville.