Evening star., 1950-11-01
Reaction Varies
As Mahoney
Backs Lane
Democrats Approve,
Condemn Action;
McKeIdin Silent
By Alex R. Preston
Sfor Stoff CORRESPONDENT

Endorsement of Gov. Lane by his
former opponent. George p. Ma
honey. today brought reaction
from Western Maryland Demo-
Gratis ranging all the way from
approval to violent condemnation
Most of the Republicans who
have toured Allegany and Garrett
Counties with the COP candidate
for Governor, Theodore r. Nickel
din, conceded that Mr.. Mahoney'.
action would cost them som,
votes, but none took a defeatis
attitude. Mr.. McKeldin, himself
greeted the news with a simple
mo comment"
Mr.. Mahoney, who won in popu.
lar votes but lost to Gov. Lane
under the unit system in the Au.
gust Democratic primary. publicly
backed the Governor for re-elec.
ton in harmony rally in Balti-
more on Monday.
Gov. Lane resigned as Demo
cratic national committeeman ano
Chairman Robert B. Ennis of the
Baltimore State Central Commit
tee started a move Immediately to
get Mr.. Mahoney named to The
vacancy.
Hit as "Dirty Politics"
Its a damned dirty piece of
politics." said William Browning
OF Oakland, a leader in the Ma
honey drive in Garrett County
We worked awfully hard trying
to put Mr.. Mahoney across-a lot
OF us even jeopardized our friend
ships in small towns like this, and
now this happens.
You can be sure of one thing.
My vote and those of my friends
are going to McKeldin."
Mr.. Browning, a cattle dealer,
and his wife said they were
shocked by the news of the Ma
honey Endorsement. They knew
nothing about it until informed
by reporters.
Mr.. Browning said Mr.. Maho-
ney had let his friends down. He
compared the situation to the
election campaign four years ago
when j. Millard Tawes opposed
Mr.. Lane. then seeking his first
term.
Mr.. Tawes was defeated in the
primary and Mr.. Lane went on
to defeat Mr.. McKeldin in the
1916 election. Subsequently, how
ever. Gov. Lane appointed Mr..
Hawes to State Racing Commits
sion and then to the Office of Con-
troller to succeed the late James
j. Lacy.
HammiI Impressed.
Another Democratic supporter
of Mr.. Mahoney had a different
reaction to the latest Lane-Maho-
ney tie-up. Stuart Hammil, jr.,
Oakland lawyer, said he was i'm
pressed with the sincerity" of
Mr.. Mahoney's statement and
would vote for Gov. Lane.
Mr.. Hammil, who managed the
Mahoney campaign in the county,
conceded. however, that num-
ber of voters in his faction now
would swing over to Mr.. Nc
Keldin in the voting next Tues
day.
"This may be true throughout
the State, but there won't be
enough to prevent Lane vic
tory" he said.
Garrett County Democrats vot-
ed, 858 to 805, to nominate Gov.
Lane but a subsequent recount
reduced the governors majority
to only six votes.
Michael F. Prendergast, Cum
berland newspaper publisher, who
was a leader in the Mahoney cam
paign in Allegany County, said he
felt there was nothing else for Mr..
Mahoney to do.
II frankly suggested that he do
that endorse Gov. Lane) after
the primary" Mr.. Prendergast
said, after all. he is not dropping
out Of the Democratic Party. His
future lies in the party.
II believe the vast majority of
Mahoney voters will go along with
Gov. Lane now. The Lane and Nc
Keldin groups both picked up Mr..
Mahoney's platform.
County Went for Mahoney.
Asked how the Mahoney Dem
ocrats would have voted if the
Baltimore contractor had not in
dorsed the Governor, Mr.. Prem
dergast said, 81 believe most of
them would have gone along with
Lane"
Allegany County, incidentally,
voted for Mr.. Mahoney, 4,064 to
3,159 for Gov. Lane.
Walter w. Dawson. former
States Attorney of Garrett
County. where the Republicans
outnumber Democrats, $500 to
1900. was touring with the Nc
Keldin caravan in that area yes
terday. "I think we will lose some
votes" he said.
But Mr.. McKeldin, who has as
sailed Gov. Lane for shifting
political BOSSES" said he would not
comment on the new affiliation
which other Republicans de-
scribed as "a marriage of con-
venience" between Mr.. Lane and
Mr.. Mahoney.
Al