Evening star., 1953-10-16
Verbal Punches SPUR
Spectator Cheers as
Candidates Meet

local and State Offices in North
ern Virginia picked up steam at
a public meeting last night.
when seven candidates-two of
them seeking a seat in the House
of Delegates - traded verbal
punches before 200 enthusiastic
residents of Alexandria.
The nominees charged one
another with pink thinking"
fence sitting" and political OPP
portunism," among other things.
Sparked by the competitive
element afforded by Independ-
ent candidates - seldom have
Democrats faced opposition in
Alexandria general elections
every charge and countercharge
was cheered by the listeners.
The meeting, sponsored by the
League of Women Voters of
Alexandria, brought face to face
ArmiStead L. Boothe, Democratic
incumbent to the House of Dele
gates, and John A. Croghan. In
dependent; and for the city's
commemorative Attorney post,
Earl F. Wagner, Democrat,
against William C. Bauknight,
Independent.
1t also brought together two
Democratic incumbents, James
N. Colasanto and James r. Dun
can, and Denis r. Ayres, indie
pendent. who seek the city's Civil
and Police Court judgeship.
Hits BOothe's Votes.
Scoring Mr.. Boothe's voting
record in the House of Delegates
as one of fence sitting" Mr..
Croghan renewed his charge that
Mr.. Boothe favors world gov
ernment and took an active part
in fighting against the bill a
couple of sessions ago in Rich
mond which, in effect, outlawed
communism in this State.
"Of course" Mr.. Croghan add
ed, "it must be remembered that
Mr. Boothe was partly educated
at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar,
where pink thinking is not un-
known"
Declaring that he stands on his
House record, Mr.. Boothe said he
was thankful for the opportu-
nifty as a young man to be the
first representative from Alex
andria to go to oxford as
Rhodes scholar"
But this had nothing to do
with the BILL" he said. 1T was
our belief in Richmond, and still
is, that such a bill only forces
Communists underground and
makes them harder to find"
II am a great believer in the
United Nations. certainly, but
never in any kind of super state
which would override the sover-
eighty Of the United States Gov
ernment."
The clashing of the two candi-
dates for the attorney post pro-
vided the hottest portion of the
program.
Party AffiIiatiOn Questioned.
Mr.. Bauknight, who entered
the contest after the Democratic
primary. charged his opponent
with being "a political oppor-
tynist who. during last years
campaign, worked for the Re-
publican ticket and was con-
sidered a member of that party.
but who now seeks election on
the Democratic ticket"
Mr.. Wagner defied his oppo-
nent to prove the charge. He
denied working for the Repub-
lican ticket and said, Il am a
Democrat. I have always been
d OSLI1OCI dG. nc CL1dI SCO pu1
Bauknight with lacking the
courage to seek the Democratic
nomination even though he pro-
fessed to be a down-the-line
party member
In the Civil and Police Court
judgeShip race, Mr.. ColaSanto
ard Mr.. Duncan called for more
extensive use of the farm prison
system as opposed to simple jail
confinement. Mr.. Duncan added
that he would stand on his 49,
year record as a court officer.
Mr.. Ayres asked that a pro-
posed plan for expanding the
Alexandria jail to the tune of
100000 be abandoned in favor
of expansion of the city's hos
pital for treatment of alcoholics
who, he said, compose the great
est number of offenders.
"In that way" he added, "the
present Jail is likely to prove
adequate for those jailed for
other reasons"