Evening star., 1952-03-26
Further Inquiry
Into Primaries
Here Due Soon
Initial Hearing
Brings Criticism
Of D. c. System
By Don S. Worren

ods of selection of local delegates
to the President-making national
political conventions and the need
for q law requiring open, regu-
lated primaries.
Time-honored systems used by
both major parties, which have
inspired only tiny fractions of the
District population to vote, were
criticized at an initial hearing
late yesterday. Another session Ii
to be held soon at the call o1
Chairman Neely.
Seven witnesses spoke up yes.
terday for passage of the Nicely.
Duff bill to provide for oper
primaries. Two others fled in
dorsements.
The lone witness defending the
old setup was Joseph C. McGar-
raghy, chairman, of the Republi.
can State Committee here, who
said he thought it would not be
appropriate to change the rules
now so close to the July con-
ventions at Chicago. His view
was Endorsed in a letter sent In
by Carl L. Shipley, head of the
District Young Republican Club
Registrations Disclosed.
Testimony brought out. that only
from 400 to 425 Republicans reg
istered in 1948 at a central booth
at 918 Fourteenth street NV
Some 1000 others were enrolled
at 43 precinct meetings.
Democrats say 471 participated
in their 1948 primary
Senator Duff, Republican, of
Pennsylvania one of the leaders
in the Eisenhower r-for President
movement, said that, if the Re-
publicanS here elected their 1948
convention delegates with the par
ticipation of only 1000 voters "it
makes a hoax out of the whole
business" He called this fab
ulouSly small number of voters
And Chairman Nicely. a staunch
Democrat from West Virginia. de-
nounced the District Democratic
system Of charging delegate candi-
dates 5000 fees for running in their
primary here.
The fees are charged, local
Democrats say, to help pay for
the costs of their primary.
$4,000 for Campaign.
"Was any poor man ever elected
from the District?" Senator Nicely
sadly asked. He got an immedi-
ate and delighted Eyes" from Mr..
McGarraghy. The Republican
delegate candidates here, he
noted, are charged no fee.
Lead-off witness yesterday was
Commissioner F. Joseph Donohue,
administration Democrat, who
heartily indorsed the Neely- Duff
bill. He said he had hoped to
bring up a favorable report from
the Board Of Commissioners, but
found that his two colleagues,
Commissioners John Russell
Young and Brig. Gen. Bernard
Robinson, were not yet prepared
to vote on it.
Next up was Paul Foley, lawyer
q rebel" against the Republican
"Old Guard" who in 1948 took
to the courts and the Philadel-
phia convention his protests
against established and "arbi-
trary" party rules. He lost in
both cases.
DenOunces Methods.
He denounced secret appoint
ments Of registration officials
precinct meetings lacking public
announcement, changes "at will
in precinct boundaries and al
legged refusals to let qualified Re-
publicanS vote. But the District
Committee lost interest when il
noted that Mr.. Foley had de-
clared himself now to be a resi-.
dent of Arlington County, Va.
It was different when some
what similar charges were out
lined by Robert E. Mclaughlin
president Of the District Eisen-
hover Club. q District resident
who has given up voting rights ir
Indiana.
He protested restrictive rule.
followed by the Republican Ole
g Guard here. saying ''the voice o1
the people has become subordi.
nate to the interests Of party
officers"
Mr.. Mclaughlin offered an ex.
change Of correspondence between
himself and Mr.. McGarraghy tx
show that the District G. o. P
had rejected demands for re.
forms seeking minimum safe.
guards against "a party machine
he thought was dominated by sup
porters Of Ohio's Senator Taft a.
q presidential candidate.
Mr.. McGarraghy. In his turn
said the 1948 Republican Nationa
Convention had discarded as lob
viously false" the charges brough
by Mr.. Foley.
And as to Mr.. Mclaughlin
protests, he denied all charges o
secret enrollments, said he knew
of no failure to use secret ballot
in any precinct delegate contes
and declared any eligible Re
publican could register and vote
Avoids Commitment.
He protested that the primar
bill could not be put into effec
this year, unless enacted in tn
next 10 days. Chairman Neel
sought to pin him down on policy
asking If he would approve tn
bill If 1t were made effective i
1856. But Mr.. McGarraghy sal
he thought better and less par
tisan" consideration could be give
to this If it were put OF unit
next year.
He said he thought one Of til
pressing reasons for requests Il
action now was to give zone pal
ticular" presidential candidate
better chance-meaning Gel
Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Eiser
hover leaders here have contende