Evening star., 1952-05-28
Democratic Leaders
In Maryland Pledge
Support 10 Mahoney

Maryland'S Democratic organi-
cation leaders have pledged to sup
port George P. Mahoney as the
party's nominee for the Senate but
are reported ready to pass the ma
tional committeeman's job on to
some one else.
The public pledge Of support
was made after a meeting in Bal
timore this week by organization
leaders who had supported Mr..
Mahoney's opponent. Representa-
tive Sasscer, in the May S Demo-
cratic primary. The statement
was issued over the names of
Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro Of
Baltimore. E. Brooke Lee of Mont
gomery County and Joseph M.
Wyatt. South Baltimore leader.
But their statement was coupled
with q warning that mo one or
two" men should try to take over
the State convention IN Baltimore
next Tuesday. .
Senator O'Conor, whose seat is
at stake in November, backed the
primary campaign of Mr.. Ma
honey who won with 136,877 votes
to l22.66l for Mr.. Sasscer.
Warning Issued.
It was learned that among those
being considered as national COM
mitteeman to replace Mr.. Ma
honey are former Gov. william
Preston Lane Of Hagerstown and
Mayor D'Alesandro. =
An offer was made to Repre-
sentative SasScer to take the post.
normally a ripe political plum,
but he refused.
The statement issued in Balti-
more said, I'VE do not believe
that any recent event or events
have substituted the will of one
or two or several men for the ma
jority vote Of the duly elected
delegates"
The statement outlined a pro-
gram for the State Convention
in which the organization leaders
claimed they had the support of
106 of the 152 State convention
delegates the likely support Of at
least 20 more. I'd
~ Undertow Fight.
Actually, the fight for the ma
tional committeemanship win be
more of an undertow which will
not be so apparent on the surface
at the convention. This is be-
cause the committeeman is not
elected by the State convention
delegates. He is chosen by the
18 National Convention' delegates
who will be elected in Baltimore.
But the statement issued in
Baltimore indicates that if the
leaders have control of the State
convention votes, they will be in
the drivers seat when it comes to-
selecting the delegation for Chi
cago. rs
Mr.. Mahoney was named ma
tional committeeman two years
ago after he narrowly missed re-
ceiving the Democratic nomina-
tion for Governor. In an attempt
to weld together split party,
former Gov. Lane, who won thel
nomination, named Mr.. Mahoneyl
as his successor about three weeks
before the November election. Butt
this was not enough to keep Re-
publican Gov. McKeldin from de-
feating Mr.. Lane.
Promoting Harmony.
Mr.. Mahoney was asked today
If he expected to bes renamed
committeeman.
Il haven't given it any thought
at ALL" he said. "Since the
primary I've devoted most Of my
thoughts to promoting harmony
and unity in the party.
There's plenty of room in the
Democratic Party for honors and
glory to all"
The State convention is ex-I
pected to formalize the nomina-
ton Of Mr.. Mahoney. He will
oppose Representative Beall, Re-
publican: It also will bind
its national convention dele
gates to vote for Senator Ke-
fauver for President on the first
ballot. The Tennessee Senatorl
was the only presidential aspirantI
whose name was on the primary
ballot in a preferential primary
and he won" handily.