Evening star., 1950-05-01
Heated Florida Race
MostCIoseIy Watched
OF -Four Primaries
BY the Assoeioied Press

by the AsSocioied Press
Florida Democrats will decide
tomorrow whether to keep Claude
Pepper in the Senate or replace
him with Representative Smathers
The Democratic primary, ir
which communism and parts Of
the Truman national program
have become issues, has attracted
a record registration of 1,006, $50
voters. It will be watched ma
tionally.
Alabama also is holding a Dem.
ocratic primary tomorrow of in
terest beyond the State borders
offering possible new light on the
depth of the civil rights dispute
within the party.
Ballot box fireworks in those
two States are likely to over
shadow primaries in Ohio, where
Democrats will pick an opponent
for Senator Taft, Republican lead
er. and in Indiana, where both
parties will nominate for II House
seats.
Few Republicans Registered.
Florida voters will decide what
looks like a photo-f1niSh race be-
tween the veteran Senator Pepper
and Mr.. Smathers, 36-year old
former marine. The primary
winner isn't expected to have any
trouble with Republican oppo-
sition in November, as only Co.
595 Republicans are registered.
Mr.. Smathers has been trying
to hang a pro-red label on Senator
Pepper. contending that the Sena-
tor has been too friendly with
organizations Mr.. Smathers calls
pro-Communist.
Denying this hotly, Senator
Pepper has retorted that Mr..
Smathers has been running "a
Republican campaign against me
in a Democratic primary" The
Senator says he has followed the
Roosevelt Truman program.
Outsiders will be watching to see
If they can detect any signs that
Communist in Government
charges made in Washington by
Senator Mccarthy Republican of
Wisconsin have had any effect in
stirring up the voters.
Hill Seeks denomination.
The Presidents civil rights pro-
posals have figured in the Florida
campaign, but not to the degree
in which they've been mentioned
in Alabama.
There. Senator Hill is seeking
denomination and at the same
time is trying to help along move
to bring the Alabama party organ
ization back into line with the
National Democratic Party.
Senator Hill hasn't bothered to
campaign against his primary op-
ponent. Lawrence Mcneil, but he
and Senator Sparkman, Demo-
crat, of Alabama, have been con-
tending that the best way to get
benefits for Alabama is for the
State party to turn away from
the States Rights group it followed
in 1948 and go back into the ma
tional fold. gq
Gessner T. McCorvey, State
committee chairman, is leading
the States Rights fight.
Oppose Civil Rights Program.
Both sides are strongly opposed
to the Presidents civil rights pro-
gram, but differ on whether they
should fight it from within or out
side of the National party.
The crucial contest is over elec-
ton of 72-man State Democratic
committee to run party affairs
for the the next four years. OF
the 158 candidates, 80 are pledged
to stick with the National party,
So indorse the States Rights
stand, one is claimed by both sides
and six by neither.
In Ohio seven Democrats are
trying for the senatorial nomina-
ton to oppose Mr.. Taft. The
choice is expected to lie between
State Auditor Joseph T. Ferguson
and Mayor Michael v. Di Sale of
Toledo.
In a State where organized
labor is cunning for Senator Taft,
the CIO-PAC didn't indorSe one
candidate in the Democratic pri-
mary. The Truman administration
says it is keeping its hands off the
primary race.
Indiana House races haven't
whipped up any interest outside
the State. The campaign will be-
gin to get hot, however, after the
Democrats hold a convention June
27 to nominate an opponent for
Senator Capeheart. who is expect
ed to get denomination at a June