Evening star., 1949-07-12
Miller Bringing
Campaign Drive
toA|exandria
North Virginia Support
For Anti-Orgonizotion
Candidate Seen Strong
By John v. Homer

SOItOtOOiC SGCu StIOuA
By John V. Homer
Francis Pickens Miller brought
his governorship campaign to
Alexandria today. swinging harder
than ever at the Democratic organ
ization headed by Senator Byrd
and Gov. Tuck.
BY dint of a relentless attack on
the organiza ton and a series of
counterattacks from that quarter,
Mr.. Miller has gained the spotlight
at least temporarily in a four-way
contest for the party nomination
to the States highest office.
The primary will be held August
2 and the winner is a sure bet in
the general election in November.
Mr.. Miller will find some of his
strongest support in Northern Vir-
ginia. Arlington and Fairfax,
particularly. appear to lean to his
liberal views, which are less
popular in many other sections of
Virginia.
Byrd Joins Campaign.
In cunning for the Byrd organ
ization and it's candidate for Gov
ernor. State Senator John S.
Battle of Charlottesville, Mr.. Miller
has paid little attention to the
other two aspirants. These are
Horace H. Edwards. former Mayor
of Richmond and former head Of
the State Democratic Committee,
and Remmie L. Arnold, Peters,
burg manufacturer.
Senator Byrd broke tradition
Saturday by publicly joining a
party primary campaign. He
called upon voters in a speech at
Harrisonburg to support Senator
Battle and he denounced in gen.
eral terms the candidacy of Mr.
Miller for its CIO support.
Mr.. Miller denied he was the
CIO candidate, but Senator Byrd
quickly noted that he hid not
deny having the labor organiza- =
tons support.
Gov. Tuck Joined the fray with
a sarcastic reference to Mr.. Mil
ler's frequent charges that the
Virginia government is run by
remote control from Senator
Byrd's Office.
Denies "Share Cropper" Rule.
The Governor said if he had
known the job was run on a
share cropper" basis it would
have saved him much worry in
the three and one-half years he
has been in Office.
Il have been struggling with
these vexing problems all these
years in the belief that I was the
Governor" he commented. The
gentleman who makes these
charges seems to have superior
knowledge of government opera
ton in absentia.
IF miracle should happen and
the gentleman should be elected,
he can no doubt eliminate all of
his trouble by turning the State
over to the labor union racketeers.
If such should happen we would
truly have absentee government
in Virginia, operated by set who
care nothing for the people in
Virginia and who are not even
citizens Of the Commonwealth"
Hits Insults" to Governors.
Senator Battle said Mr.. Miller
is grossly disturbed" because an
Overwhelming majority of the
140 members of the General AS
sembly" are supporting the Sen
ator.
However. declared Senator
Battle. this should not excuse his
repeatedly gross insults to Vir-
ginia Governors of the past 10
years No man who thinks for
himself will agree with every
thing Virginia Governors have
done, but as a personal friend and
co-worker in behalf of Virginia
and during the administration of
Cows. Pollard, Peery, Price. Dar-
den and Tuck, I resent and deny
the statement Senator Byrd
has run Virginia for the past 19
years through Governors
who he appoints"
Senator Battle repeated the
statement that he has not and
will not make any commitment of
any character except publicly and
to the public.
Address at School Tonight.
Mr.. Miller promised no let up
in his criticism of the dominant
Bryd faction. He planned to de-
liver major campaign address
at 8 o'clock tonight at George
Washington High School on Mt,
Vernon avenue near Braddock
road, after visiting workers in the
Potomac Yards and a number of
plants in the community.
In Farmville last night he prom
iSed to improve the Virginia pub
lie school system, if elected, by
indorsing a $4,000 minimum salary
for teachers without "the intoler-
able nuisance" of a sales tax.
New JlIror's Imr