Evening star., 1953-04-29

mittee last
night, II don't n. e. Freeman
know whether I'm in the race or
out"
The committee, which elected
a 30-year-old Georgia Republic
can, Harlan E. Freeman, as its
new chairman, did not take up
last night the question of holding
a primary, pending an official
ruling.
Secretary Asks Opinion.
Levin Mock Davis, secretary Of
the State Board Of Elections, said
he had asked Attorney General
j. Lindsay Almond, jr., for an
opinion on whether Mr.. Fletcher
is a qualified candidate after
having paid his filing fee on
April Is, one day after the dead
line specified by law. Mr.. Davis
said the Arlington Electoral
Board had asked him to obtain
the ruling
Mr.. Fletcher and Richard L.
Parli had been certified to the
county Electoral Board as candi-
dates for the G. o. P. nomina-
ton for the one County Board
vacancy this year. !.
Arlington Republicans have
entered only two candidates for
three seats In the House of Dell
egates. Consequently. if Mr..
Fletcher is ruled out of the Coun.
ty Board race, there would not
be a contest to require primary.
Seen Spurring Voter Turnout.
Some saw such a development
as contributing to larger turn
out of voters in the primary by
Democrats who will nominate
candidates for Governor. lieu
tenant governor and House OF
Delegates seats. The reasoning
Is that a larger number Of Fed
eral employees in the nearby area
would participate If they were
not confronted with a situation
Of having to ask for Democratic
or a Republican ballot. In Vir-
ginia, a voter is not required to
register as a member of either
party.
The question Of holding pri-
maries has been a sore spot with
Virginia Republicans, particu-
larly those in Arlington, for some
time. B.
Last nights election of Mr..
Freeman to succeed Robert l..
Groom reflected no change in
leadership which favors the pri-
mary method of nomination
over the convention method.
Mr.. Freeman, an attorney.
was county chairman Of the
Northern Virginians for Eisen.
hover last year and was a mem.
ber of the preconvention Vir.
ginia Committee for Eisenhower.
also at a time when most Of the
Arlington and Virginia delegates
to Chicago we're working for the
nomination of Senator Taft Of
Ohio. .
Mr.. Freeman moved to Arling.
ton four years ago after having
obtained his law degree at
George Washington University.
A Navy veteran, he is married
and has daughter. The family
lives at 1858 Sixteenth street
north.
His election was a foregone
conclusion, so much so in fact
press releases headed Freeman
Elected Chairman of Arlington
Republicans" were produced
along with pictures Immediately
after the action.
The press releases, prepared in
advance. said. He was -unop-
posed"
He was unopposed.
Chairman Hall Speaks. 4,
National Republican Chair.
man Leonard Hall told the COM
mittee he was breaking a rule
by appearing before the group
to make a speech. In his brief
remarks he explained he had
determined when he assumed
the party leadership In January.
not to make such appearances
until June. But. he added. he
was on his way to New York
to address a gathering "in re-
turn for a 100000 check with
which will be contributed to the
party"
After praising Republican eff
forts in Virginia which saw the
State swing into the Eisenhower
column and send three Repub-
licans to Congress. Mr.. Hall
said:
I'VE have 221 Republicans in
the House. We need 218 to or
ganize it on our side. If we
can pick up few more here
and there it is going to make
our task that much easier dur
ing the last two years Of Presi-
dent EiSenhower's administra.
tion."
After relating his experiences
With President Eisenhower dur
ng the campaign, Mr.. Hall
added:
There's q new moral tone in
today. Why we've
oeen in power only since Janu.
ary 20 and no one has called
Congress q name."