Evening star., 1952-10-28
Probe Into Use
of Maryland U.
ai|List Urged
Dr.. Byrd Welcomes
Move Demanded by
Farm Bureau Head

surrounding the use
If University of Maryland farm
lists by the State Demo-
cratic Campaign Committee was
called for today by the head of the
Farm Bureau.
DR.. H. C. Byrd, president of the
at nearby College Park,
said he would welcome an inquiry.
The mailing lists are open to both
political parties. he said, and the
Democrats have agreed to pay the
costs involved in the use of the
addressing machines.
John F. Lillard, jr.. member Of
the Maryland House of Delegates
from Prince Georges County.
branded the practice. which was
disclosed by The Star on Sunday.
as cheap. shoddy politics" Mr..
Lillard was one of the State legis-
lators who forced DR.. Byrd to leave
the floor of the House on the last
night of the 1852 General Assem-
bly, when the university president
appeared there to lobby for his
appropriation bill.
Byrd Backs Democrats.
Dr.. Byrd, regarded as a likely
candidate for Governor in 1854.
has come out for the Democratic
ticket this year.
The call for an investigation
came from Wilson A. Heaps, pres
ident Of the Farm Bureau.
eve feel constrained to request
that the Board of Regents of the
University of Maryland and the
Attorney General of the Free
State Immediately investigate the
use of university facilities for the
distribution of partisan political
propaganda" he said, land urge
that steps be taken to prevent
a recurrence of such action in
accordance with the findings of
such an investigation"
DIR. Byrd admits, in his refusal
to deny the accusation, that the
mailing list of the College of Agri-
culture was in the neighborhood
of 1000. 1t is well known that
those mailing lists more nearly ap-
proach a figure of $4,000. >.
Party to Pay Bill.
Democratic Campaign Chairman
E. Brooke Lee had said the party's
tabloid newspaper is being ad-
dressed on university machines.
He said the party is sending out
100000 copies. including $4,000
names on a university farm list
and that university employees are
doing the work on their own time.
1--WE will pay the bill when We
get it," Mr.. Lee said.
DR.. Byrd's first comment to re-
porters on MIR. Heaps statement
was:
II agree with everything he
says"
BY that. the university presi-
dent explained, he meant that he
agreed that the facilities Of no
State institution should be used
to the advantage of any political
party.
Wilson Heaps is a high type Of
fellow" said DR.. Byrd, II think
he's perfectly right in not wanting
the university to get into politics"
But he added there apparently
was a mistaken assumption"
about the Democratic use of the
university's mailing lists.
1--WE don't own these lists" DR..
Byrd said. "They are open to Re-
publicans to do exactly the same
thing"
Says G. o. P. Used List.
In reply to a question he said the
Republicans had used the lists in
"a previous election campaign. He
said he could not recall the year
|of the election but it was several
years ago."
He said the Democrats had
agreed to pay clerical workers for
running "the material through our
mailing system" because the work
was not done on university time.
Therefore. he added, it did not
cost the State or the university
to make the lists avail
able to the Democrats.
Mr.. LIZARDS statement today
was:
II have not investigated the
authenticity of this report Tho
Star story, but assuming it to
be true, it is my considered opin-
ion that this is cheap, shoddy poll
tics and is a fragrant disregard
on the part of the the responsible
person or persons of the funda-
mental proposition that our edu-
cational institutions are to stay
out of politics.
IF it is true that the employees
in the College of Agriculture were
authorized to perform this service
by the president of the University
of Maryland, I believe that such
an attempt on the part of the
president is reprehensible."
The tabloid newspaper was pub
lished by the Committee for Agri-
cultural Progress, a national Or
ganization described by it's hackers
as nonpartisan. The newspaper,
however, boasts of the Democratic
farm record and charged that Re-
publicans would scuttle laws to
help the farmer.
One of the congressional can
didates indorsed by the paper,
Richard Landlord. seeking the 5th
district House seat, said last night
he does not believe any Govern
ment agency or institution should
be used for private ends.
That was his answer to a ques-
ton posed to him by Mr.. Lillard
at a Prince Georges County
League of Women Voters candi-
dates meeting in Cheverly Ameri-