Evening star., 1952-03-19
Hearing SET tuesday
On Measure 10 Hold
Open Primaries Here

VSOuu nbtutUb W. uEVtV
Demands for open primaries
here for the election Of District
delegates to the national political
conventions will be aired at a Sem
ate public hearing at 8 pm. Tues
day.
Chairman Nicely of the Senate
District Committee yesterday
scheduled the hearing for that
time on the bill he is sponsoring
Jointly with Republican Senator
Duff Of Pennsylvania.
Senator Nicely, West Virginia
Democrat. earlier had promised
committee consideration. If there
was any showing Of public de-
mand. He and Senator Duff Of
fered the bill recently at the re-
quest Of Robert E. Mclaughlin,
president Of the District Eisen-
hower-for-P President Club.
Witnesses at the Tuesday hear
ings are expected to include Mr..
Mclaughlin. Joseph c. MeGar-
raghy, chairman Of the Republi.
can Central Committee Of the Dis
trict: Melvin D. Hildreth, Demo-
cratic national committeeman
here: AL Wheeler, chairman Of
the Democratic Central Commit
tee; the District Commissioners,
and spokesman for Americans for
Democratic Action.
Club Demands Names.
The District Eisenhower Club,
meanwhile, formalized it's recent
demand for access to names and
addresses Of all Republicans who
registered here in 1948 for that
years quadrennial election Of con-
vention delegates.
Mr.. Mclaughlin recently asked
for such lists in q telephone call
to Mr.. McGarraghy. apparently
without result. Yesterday, he re-
stated the request in a letter.
There was no comment from Mr..
McGarraghy last night.
Mr.. Mclaughlin had frankly
explained to reporters earlier that
the Eisenhower forces wanted the
list so they could make contacts
with prospective Republican vot-
ers here. ...-.-.....
In his letter, he asked not only
for the list Of registered Republi-
cans. but also for the names Of
all members and officers of the
Republican State Committee and
Of the chairman and secretaries
Of all of the 43 precinct Republi-
can groups here.
The Eisenhower campaigners
have demanded reforms in time
honored Republican rules here,
which they contend have assured
a tight, continuing control by Old
Guard leaders.
Registration Notice Sought.
In his letter yesterday Mr.. Nc
Laughlin also made a formal re-
quest that the press and the
public be given ample notice of
the time and places Of this years
registration Of Republican voters.
Similar data also was asked for
the meetings of the 43 precinct
groups where, the Eisenhower
campaigners have charged, there
were secret" registrations and
non-secret balloting in the 1948
elections.
The Mclaughlin letter con-
cluded: 1T is the purpose of the
Eisenhower Club that proper safe
guards be set up to assure a fair
election. Public apathy toward
the ballot will be overcome in the
District when citizens feel that
they can register and vote under
a fair set of rules and that their
candidates will not be arbitrarily
disqualified or eliminated from
Office"
In 194S. the Democrats say All
Of their party voted in the dele
gates primary here. The Repub-
licans report they registered about
425 at a central station on Four
teenth street but that about four
times that number were enrolled
by the chairman of the 43
precincts.
These precinct meetings were
held at various places or homes
at the call of the precinct cautain