Evening star., 1950-09-17
PrinceGeorges
Votes Tomorrow
In 6Contests
Interest Centers on
Mrs. Benjumin's
Race for Assembly
By Charles A. McAIeer

T.
Six contestS-four Democratic
and two Republican - confront
Prince Georges County voters in
tomorrow's primary.
Democratic contests involve the
race for the House of Delegates,
county commissioners, sheriff and
judges of the Orphans Court. Re-
publican fights are for county
commissioner and the party's
State Central Committee.
Most interest centers around
the bid of a university professors
wife to break the Democratic or
ganization's hold over county Of
fices.
Because she stands for ideals
favored by administration critics,
Mrs. Georgia K. Benjamin is
conceded the best chance of
beating organization choices in
the race for the Democratic
nominations to the House Of
Delegates.
Is Only Woman on Ballot.
She is the wife of DR.. Harold
j. BENJAMIN, dean uf the College
of Education at the University of
Maryland.
There are six other candidates
trying to make a wedge in the
slate Endorsed by the Democratic
State Central Committee and two
attempting to crash the Repub-
lican organization ticket.
None. however, are expected to
make as good a showing as Mrs.
Benjamin. Observers predict that
Mrs. Benjamin, besides having
anti-organization support, also
will receive many votes from other
members of her sex as she is the
only woman on the ballot. They
add she also will benefit from the
fact that her name is the first
on the ballot in the contest for
House of Delegates.
Other candidates for the House
Of Delegates include four incum-
bents-LeRoy Pumphrey, Perry o.
Wilkinson, George G. McLeish and
T. Raymond Buch-and three
newcomers, Nicholas Orem, jr.,
Ernest N. Cory, jr.. and Roland
j. Nichols. All but Mr.. Nichols
have organization support.
Sothoron Act Stimulated Move.
Mrs. Benjamin's candidacy is an
outgrowth of unsuccessful at
tempts by civic groups and the
League Of Women Voters last
spring to have the county COM
missioners approve a request for
a survey Of the county govern
ment and of their losing battle
against the Sothoron Act.
The Sothoron Act was spon-
sored in the General Assembly by
State Senator L. Harold Sothoron
of Prince Geroges and provided
principally for a full-time county
commissioner and a county pur-
chasing bureau.
Mrs. Benjamin, who is sup
ported by the same persons who
fought for the survey, claims any
legislation to modernize the
county government must depend
on the findings of such a study.
Candidates for the five Demo-
cratic commissioner nominations
include five with organization in
dorsement-Harry w. McNamee,
JOHN H. Beall. D. Leonard Dyer,
James B. Bland and Alfred H.
Smith-and three others. Vinton
D. Cockey. Frederick M. Coxen
and William A. Neumann. Mr..
McNamee. Mr.. Beall and Mr..
Dyer are incumbents, while Mr..
Bland currently is county treas
urer.
Democratic candidates for
sheriff are T. Ward Martin, the
incumbent who is seeking re-
election, and Maxwell H. Black.
4 Seek Orphans Court Posts.
Four candidates seeking the
three Democratic Orphans Court
judgeship nominations. They are
Vincent S. Osterman, William T.
and Lansdale G. Clag-
EFT, incumbents, and Charles F.
Luebner, a candidate who also
has the backing of some of the
same groups supporting Mrs.
Benjamin.
Republican aspirants for county
commissioner include Daniel A.
Abbott, James B. Carrico, Thomas
E. Latimer. w. Everett Marion.
H. Wilson Spicknall, and Edward
j. (NeO Waters. The first five
bear Endorsement of the COP
State Central Committee. Mr..
Waters. a former Democrat, is
running Independently of that
group.
Candidates for the Republican
State Central Committee posts
are Carlton G. Beall, Mrs. Eva c.
Chase, John Raymond Fletcher,
S. Baltimore, William j.
Griffith. Mr.. Latimer, Mr.. Martcn.
and Philip j. Wilkes. The in
dorsed slate includes all but Mr..
Gallimore. Seven will be noni-
mated.
QUESTIONABLE Failure Deplored.
Failure of most candidates for
county Offices to answer question:
naires sent them by the county's
League of Women Voters was de-
plored last night by Mrs. Reuben
Bogdanoff, league president.
Mrs. Bogdanoff reported that
candidates for State and National
offices answered the question:
Meanwhile, in last-minute
campaign action, D. John Markey,