Evening star., 1950-04-29
The Political Mill
The Political Mil
Republicans Chances
Overlooked in Florida
Booth Escapes MudsIinsine
Of Pepper-Smothers Roce
By Gould Lincoln

MIAMI. Fla. April 39.-One candidate
for the United States Senate in Florida
will come through Tuesdays primary
election with no difficulty at all. and
unscathed in the terrific mudSlinging
campaign of Representative Smathers
and Senator Pepper. Democrats. He 10
John Parkhurst Booth OF Miami Re-
publican.
In the mad scramble for Democratic
nominations in this State. practically
every one has lost sight of the fact that
the Republican Party does exist in
Florida, and that upwards of $4,000
voters have registered Republican. 1887
Of them in Dade County CMiamn.
Thousands upon thousands of Re-
publicanS. in addition, are registered
as Democrats in this State-people who
have come here from Iowa. Ohio. Con-
necticut and MaSsachusettS-and, in
deed, practically all of the Northern
and Middlewestern States, Wishing to
have a hand in nominations and cleo
tionS. these people have registered Demo-
cratic. They understand that, so far
at least, no Republican has a chance for
important public Office.
Two-Party Potential
In l948, there was a lot Of talk about
the possibility of Florida being carried
by Gov. Dewey of New York in the presi-
dental race. 1t didn't pan out, but
neither did the Dewey predicted strength
materlalize in New York and Massachu-
setts. for example. There remains
therefore. in the opinion Of some, q real
potentiality for an eventual two-parts
system in Florida.
The election laws OF the State have
been written by Democrats for Demo.
Gratis. In the first place. a registered
Democrat has to vote only in a Demo-
cratic primary. The voter can, IL he or
she desires. change party registration.
but 1t must be done well before a pr,-
mary election is held. In the second
place, any candidate for Office has to
take an oath that he did not register as
a member Of any other political party
during the two years Immediately pre-
ceding his filing for nomination. And
IN the same oath the candidate pledges
himself to vote for "all nominees of such
party (the one he has been affiliated
With, national. State or county, whose
names shall appear upon the ballot at
the next succeeding general election
What could be nicer for those who wish
to see no second party built up?
Mr. Booth, the Republican nominee for
the Senate-without opposition in his
own party-fatly insists that there has
been no effort to coaleSce Florida Repub-
hcans with the Smathers campaign for
the Senate nomination, notwithstanding
the Pepper charges that Mr.. Smathers
is the fair-haired son of the Republicans
and has had big plug of Republicans
Dupont money to help him. He is backed
up IN this statement by Wesley F. Garri-
son. Republican State committeeman for
Dade County.
Former Yale Athlete. z
The Republican senatorial candidate.
who is a graduate of Yale In the class
OF 1914. has been an attorney here for
the last II years. He was born In Platts-
burg, N. Y. A Phi Beta Kappa man
ana crosS-country runner at Yale. he
served In World War I overseas and be-
came captain of infantry. He has
been active in veterans affairs.
Mr.. Booth insists that the Republic
cans have real chance to roll up n
material vote in the senatorial election
next November. particularly in view of
the great bitterness which the Smath-
ers-Pepper row has engendered among
the Democrats. Both he and Mr.. Garri-
son say that an erroneous report has
been widely published that Republicans
do not take part in primary elections il,
Florida. For IL years the Republicans
have held primary elections in Dade
County. and they have elected officials
in at least one other county.
Why should Florida Republican be
for either Pepper or Smathers?" Mfr.
Booth asked. Both are Democrats. each
with an arm around Truman The Re-
publican who votes for either one of
them will be throwing away his vote"
Mr.. Booth says the charge that lot
OF Republicans have changed registra.
ton so they can vote for Mr.. Smathers
is bunk" That kind of rumor ,is
started. he says, every time there is q
close fight in Democratic primary here.
Without taking sides In the Demo-
cratic senatorial race, these Republican
leaders rather expect Senator Pepper to
be the winner.