Evening star., 1952-03-07
Early Hearings Seen
For NeelY-Duli, , Bill
For D. {. Primaries
BY Don S. Morren

tsoon by the, Senate District COM
lmittee on q bill. sponsored by two
of its member to regulate the
election of District delegates to
the national political conventions.
| Introduction Of the bill yester-
lday by Chairman NeeIy and Re.
publican Senator Dun of Penn
isylvania brought prompt indorse-
lments from local Democrats but
continued silence from "Old
Guard" District Republicans.
Formal requests for hearings on
such bill were made by the Dis
ltrict Eisenhower for : President
Club. waging a campaign for
Eisenhower delegates at the
July Z Republican convention at
Chicago.
Little. If any. chance is seen for
enactment Of the bill this year.
especially in time for the
quadrennial party conventions in
July
Voting Places Sought.
| Meanwhile. District Democrats
renewed their requests that the
District government make some
school buildings and fire stations
available for the Democratic
lprimary for convention delegates
and District committeeman and
committeewomen.
Joint party use of such facil-
tiles was proposed recently, but
Joseph c. McGarraghy, chairman
of the Republican Committee for
the District. walked out of a con-
ference with the Commissioners,
saying he would not let the Demo-
Gratis influence selection Of Repub-
lican delegates.
The Commissioners abandoned
that joint consideration but in
dicated they would be receptive
to a new or modified proposal.
For many years the entire mat
ter Of selection Of District dele
gates to the conventions has been
left to the local party commit
tees. since the District has no
delegate primary law. as do the
States.
Tentative Date Set.
District Democrats hold their
registration and election of con-
vention delegates at an unoficial
primary. AL Wheeler, Chairman
OF the Democratic State Commit
tee here. in his request to the CITY
heads for use Of fire stations and
schools, said his party tentatively
planned to do their voting June H.
Mr.. Wheeler said the Neely-
Dun bill was good idea. but
that his party had to 90 ahead
IN the absence Of enacted lepisla-
ton. A more enthusiastic re-
lsponse was voiced by Melvin D.
Hlldreth, Democratic national
committeeman, who said he hoped
the bill would pass.
Robert Mclaughlin, president of
the District Eisenhower Club, said
his group had asked for hearings
on a delegate primary bill because
the Republican State Committee
here had failed to respond to de-
manded reforms" in the Repub-
lican rules.
We gave them a number of
days to answer our requests" he
said, "and so far we have had
no response So we determined to
go ahead with requests for legis-
lation." @*a@
Comment Withheld.
| On this point. Mr.. McGarraghy
said he would reply soon to the
Eisenhower Club proposals for
changes in rules. He withheld any
immediate comment,on the Neely-
Duff bill.
Four years ago, only q tiny frac-
ton of District residents voted on
Republican and Democrat selec-
Ition OF convention delegates, al
though both parties here faced
contests from insurgent factions.
The Democrats say they had
471 voters in their primary. The
Republicans, using a time-hon-
ored local convention system, say
they registered up to 425 at a
central registration place and
about four times that number at
43 precinct sessions.
Under the Neely-Duff bill, there
would be official primaries for
both parties, with the District ap-
propriating $4,000 every four
years to cover election costs. The
President would name a bi-parti-
san election board to supervise
registrations and elections and to
keep records.
Ri1l Gets Nav Vn<sn~