Evening star., 1952-04-15
Rules Outlined
For Democratic
Primary Here
Central Committee
Soon to Act on PIuns
For June II Voting
By Crosby S. Moves

-
Tentative rules for the Demo.
cratic primary, to be held in
Washington on June II, were OUT
lined today.
The rules will be voted on at q
meeting of the Democratic Gen.
tral Committee on April IS. They
are substantially the same as
those that have governed previous
democratic primaries here.
According to the tentative plan
this is what you must do to vote:
/. Swear that you are a DEM
ocrat. (That you are voting only
as a Democrat in this particular
election.)
2. Be at least 81 years old.
3. Have been a District resident
for one year.
4. Have voted nowhere else
within the last year.
More Liberal Than G. O.P.
The last qualification is more
liberal than the one set up by the
Republicans. G. o. p. voters must
not claim voting privileges in any
State. So far as the Democrats
are concerned, only voters who
actually have cast ballots in State
elections will be disqualified.
Unlike the Republican primarv
in which District delegates to the
national convention are elected by
a local convention, the Democrats
elect their delegates directly.
Voters also name members of the
Central Committee for the next
four years, members of the Demo.
cratic National Committee and
express their choice of presiden-
tial candidates.
In 1948, only President Tru.
mans name appeared on the bal
lot. There was some effort to
stir up a write-in campaign for
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, but
it didn't get very far. This year.
the Central Committee has in.
dorsed Senator Kefauver. But the
primary is wide open, and party
leaders expect full list of candi-
dates for voters to choose from.
Two Other Questions.
Two other questions appeared
on the ballot last time and are
expected to appear again. They
are, Shall the delegates be bound
by the unit rule on all questions
coming before the convention?"
and Shall they continue voting
for the candidate receiving the
highest number of votes .. until
a majority Of delegates decide
otherwise?"
The unit rule means that the
whole delegation must vote as the
majority decides.
Balloting in Firehouses.
Actually, the preference Of the
voters for one presidential candi-
date has meant little in the past.
The unit rule has not been en-
forced and delegates have voted
more or less as they pleased.
The Central Committee is PLAN
ming to use District firehouses
throughout the city as polling
places. In some areas, additional
locations may be set up. Commit
teemen are racking their brains
to find some substitute for wooden
ballot boxes. which cost about $40
each. They are toying with the
idea of metal bread boxes,
equipped with padlocks.
G. o. p. Seeking Chairmen.
On the Republican side. mean
while. officials Of the State Com
mittee are having trouble COM
Ipleting their list Of chairmen for
the city's 43 voting districts. They
lost about 20 chairmen as the
result Of redistricting this year
and have not been able to get new
ones. The list was supposed to
have been ready last Wednesday.
Indications now are that its pub
lication will be delayed more days.
Committee Secretary George L.
Hart explains: I'VE are having
difficulty finding responsible peo-
Iple who don't lean too far one
way or the other"
A bill to Standardize primary
procedure here is pending before
the Senate District Committee. It
is being revised in the light Of
views expressed at recent public
hearings.
The bill known as the Neely-
Duff bill. provides for a bipartisan
board Of three members to regu-
late primary procedure. Not more
than two members could be from
one party. The board would fix
dates for voter registration. The
District government would defray
the cost of primary balloting.
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