Evening star., 1950-06-27
Primary in Georgia
Tomorrow Is Third
Test Of Race Issue
By the Assosie,sd Press

ATLANTA. June 27.-Gov. Her
man Talmadge Of Georgia brings
Dixie its third straight test to-
morrow on the racial issue as
vote winner.
The score so far is 2 to 0 against
candidates accused of champion
ing more liberal treatment of
Negroes.
Gov. Talmadge. whose name is
almost synonymous with white
supremacy" as a vote-rallying cry,
Is opposed by former Gov. M. z.
Thompson in a Democratic pri-
mary that climaxes q furious, four
year feud.
Two key members of Congress
also meet primary tests. They are
veteran Senator George. chair
man Of the Senate Finance Com
mittee, and Representative Wood,
chairman of the House Un-Amer-
ican Activities Committee.
Court Decisions an Issue.
Gov. Talmadge has seized recent
anti-segregation Supreme Court
decisions as his major campaign
weapon. In every rally he hits a
peak with this defiant declaration.
"As long as Herman Talmadge
is your Governor therell be no
mixing of the races in Georgia"
The Governor also tries to make
political hay with such statements
as I'm proud to be carrying the
banner for red-blooded white citi-
zens. I don't apologize for
being a white man."
Another Southern State, North
Carolina. found heavy emphasis
on the race issue a new campaign
note in its runoff primary last
Saturday. Attorney Willis Smith,
who. like Gov. Talmadge, de-
nounced Negro bloc voting" de-
feated liberal Senator Graham.
In Florida's recent primary
George Smathers' triumph over
Senator Pepper was attributed
partly to racial issues.
Thompson Has School Plan.
In Georgia, Gov. Talmadge's
potent organization accuses Mr.
Thompson repeatedly of conniving
with that "FEPC. scalawag crowd"
and wooing Negro bloc votes"
MIR. Thompson insists that Gov.
Talmadge shouts about the race
issue for political gain but does
nothing and that he Mr. Thomp-
SOM has real plan for preserving
segregation-an $50 million school
building program.
His punch lines: IF radicals
like Henry Wallace UP North and
demagogues like the present Gov
ernor of Georgia will just keep
quiet. the South will solve its
problems"
Senator George has been under
f1re from his opponent, an Atlanta
attorney and decorated war vet
eran, Alex McLennan. Mr.. Nc
Lennan's chief issue has been a
repeated charge that Senator
George is a tool of big corpora
tions and New York bankers and
has done nothing for Georgia
farmers and working men.
George Makes One Speech.
Senator George in his only
speech connected with the cam
paign declared against the Bran
nan farm plan. "socialized medi-
cine in any form, and to the
FEPC and other like legislative
proposals" Speaking from the
front porch of his Vienna home
the Senator did not refer to his
opponent or the campaign. His
talk was broadcast.
Representative Wood is fighting
for reelection against DR.. Win
ston E. Burdine, a former State
Legion commander. Col
umnist Drew Pearson enlivened
the race with charges that Mr..
Wood put his personal servant
on the Un-American Activities
Committee payroll and that his
law Office accepted a fee for pass
ing a compensation bill for a
youth hit by an army truck. Mr.. !
Wood called Mr.. Pearson an arch
liar"