Evening star., 1949-08-04
Reaction Mixed
On 0utcomeof
Virginia Voting
Anti-Orgonizotion
Men Point to Biggest
Opposition Showing
By the Associated Press

Virginia's primary now history anc
the dominant Democratic Or
ganization's candidate, John S
Battle, virtually assured of being
the next Governor. speculation
turned today on these points:
l. What did the outcome near
in terms of the organization s
strength?
2. What chances can be ex-
pected in the General Assembly
leadership as result of Mr.
Battles expected resignation from
the Senate and the defeat ot
Speaker G. Alvin Massenburg o1
the House of Delegates?
3. Where were the Republicans
in their first Statewide primary?
Delegate E. Blackburn Moore Of
Berryville was discussed as a
most likely successor to Speaker
Massenburg. Mr.. Battles seat ir
the Senate may be sought by Dele
gate E. o. McCue, jr., of Chariot
tesville. who indicated some
months ago he might go after the
position. although he has made nc
public declaration.
Handwriting on WALL"
Post-mortems on the election
results showed mixed views. Some
saw the organization headed by
Senator Byrd as having received
convincing evidence of public ap-
proval and therefore added
strength.
The anti-organization viewpoint
was that the anti-organization
candidate polled the largest vote
ever by those opposed to the Byrd
machine" and that the organiza-
ton had seen "the handwriting on
the wall"
AS for the. small Republican
vote. many believed that Repub-
licans marked Democratic ballots,
as a prominent Virginia Repub-
lican had advocated.
Republican Campaign Manager
Tyrrell Krum of Vienna intimated
as much when he said one of the
things that made the Republican
vote low was the issuance of con-
fusing opinions on the electoral
law by Democrat Attorney General
j. Lindsay Almond.
COP Primary Held Success.
Mr.. Krum. however. termed the
first COP primary a success. He
pointed also to the single contest
in the Republican ranks, that for
lieutepant-governor. as contribut-
ing to the Indifference on the part
of the Republican voter.
Early today returns from 1.7l9
of the States 1853 precincts gave
these totals for the four DEM
ocratic candidates for Governor:
Battle. 133.24O; Miller. 110.032:
Horace H. Edwards. 47,030, and
Remmie L. Arnold, 21,80o
At this counting the total vote
was past $4,000, a new primary
record. The previous high. 224.-
900, was set in the 1916 senatorial
primary when Senator Byrd de-
feated the sn1iorganization can
didate, Martin Hutchinson, 141.-
900 to $1,000.
The only Republican contest,
that of lieutenant governor. with
$50 of the States 1,768 precincts
reporting, showed Thomas E. Nc
Guire of Petersburg to be leading
Berkeley Williams of Richmond.
1865 to 1875. Republican strength
in Virginia is reputed to be up
wards of 100000 voters.
Victory Rally Held.
Mr.. Battle, who will be the
fourth Governor of Virginia from
the Charlottesville Albemarle
community, but the first in more
than 100 years. was given vic
tory rally in front of Charlottes-
ville's Lane High School last
night.
"Albemarle and Charlottesville
have waited 100 years for a sue
cessor to Thomas Walker Gilmer,"
Albemarle County Circuit Court
Judge Lemuel F. Smith told the
crowd, referring to Virginia's Gov
ernor Of a century ago. He also
mentioned that two other Cover
nors came from the area, Thomas
Mann Randolph and Thomas JEFF
ferson.
A somewhat discordant note
among the furry of congratulatory
statements by losing candidates
came in the form of statement
from the Norfolk campaign man
ager for Mr.. Arnold, M. C..
Simpson.
Biggest Damn Fools"
without doubt" Mr.. Simpson
said. "the people in Virginia are
the biggest damn fools I know of. :"
No action had been taken early
today on Senator Byrd's sug-
gestion that the Commemorative
attorney was the proper authority
to look into what has been re-
ported as an apparent attempt at
bribery in the campaign.
Senator Byrd said yesterday
that public interest" called for an
investigation. He referred TO an
alleoed statement nv Robert
Hazelwood. State campaign man
ager for Mr.. Arnold. that he had
been offered $4,000 to desert
his candidate.
Richmond's Commemorative at
torney T. Gray Haddon said he
had had no request from Senator
Byrd to make an inquiry and
that he had no plans to initiate
such an inquiry.
EnIle Thurrh Poet 0ffire