Evening star., 1952-07-01
Nahoney Likely
To Be Top Dog
Al Convention
Now Able to Decide
On Delegate Seats
From Maryland
By Alex R. Preston

Oy Alex n. TTeSr0n
George P. Mahoney. Maryland s
Democratic national committee
man who took a licking at last
months State party convention
may emerge as top dog after all
by deciding which delegates will
be seated at Chicago.
National Convention Manager
w. Neale Roach wrote Mr.. Ma
honey that the Democratic Ma
tional Committees resolution ap-
portloning % delegates seats and
a similar number for alternates
from Maryland will be strictly
enforced" -
Last Thursday The Star dis
closed that possible contest was
developing before the Credentials
Committee over the Free States
representation on the floor at Chi
cago. Instead of naming the %
delegates and % alternates, the
State convention elected So of
each, making a surplus of %.
Would Have Final Say.
The convention manager wrote
Mr.. Mahoney that the tickets for
the delegation would be made
available to him as the States ma
tional committeeman. Hence, MIR.
Mahoney would have the final say
as to which A of the 70 delegates
and alternates are to get the seats.
Mr.. Mahoney is the nominee
Tor the Senate. He said:
"Of course, it is my full inten-
tion to carry out the wishes of the
convention insofar as I can. 4
will do everything in my power
to get seats for all because it,
would be embarrassing for those
delegates who already have made
train and hotel reservations to be
denied seats
Yet, he conceded that Mr..
Roach'S letter looked as if the
convention manager means buSi-
ness. Mr.. Roach wrote there are
5000 fewer guests seats available
this year than at Philadelphia inl
1948. He added that Chicago po-|
lice and fire regulations will not
permit seating more than S,152l
delegates and alternates on the
floor.
Resolution to Be Enforced.
Mr.. Roach referred to the|
Democratic National Committee
resolution of May Is at Denver,
in which State allotments were
made and added: ''ThiS resolution
will be strictly enforced"
E. Brooke Lee Of Montgomery
County, State convention chair
man. told The Star last week that
he and other party leaders had
been assured by National Chair
man Frank Mckinney that Mary
lands entire delegation would get
seats on the floor. Five other
States also named more than they
were allotted. bringing to 90 the
total number of excess delegates,
not counting alternates.
Mr.. Mahoney said he had
warned party leaders at the State
convention on June 3 that Mary
land was limited to a. delegates
and alternates but these leaders
had replied "they would take care
of the situation"
The faction led by Baltimore's
Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro, who
had supported Mr.. Mahoney's op-
pOnent in the Senatorial primary,
took control of the State conven-
ton. It ignored all of Mr.. Ma
honey'S friends in electing dele
gates to Chicago, except Mr.. Ma
honey, himself, and Senator
O'Conor.
Office Gives Him Authority.
Then the National Convention
delegates met quickly and elected
Mr.. D'Alesandro as the new ma
tional committeeman. But Mr..
Mahoney holds on to the post un-
til after the convention in Chi
cago.
And it is that Office which gives
him authority to pass out the
tickets. Conceivably, it places him
in an excellent bargaining posi-
ton in the event the delegates
might be prevailed upon to re-
consider their action in replacing
him with Mr.. D'Alesandro.
One Mahoney sympathizer went
so far as to question the legality
of the delegates action in choos-
ing the Baltimore Mayor. He said
that if Maryland has selected
more delegates than she is en-
titled to, the vote by which Mr..
Mahoney was replaced as COM
mittaeman is open to serious ques-