Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-20
Campaign in Maine
Near End, Mccarthy
Issue Toned Down
BY the Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine, June 10.
The campaign is dragging to
an undramatic close with Sena-
tor Mccarthy, Republican, of
Wisconsin, a fading factor in
Senator Margaret Chase Smiths
bid for denomination in Names
Republican senatorial primary
Monday.
Maine political prophets re-
gard the woman Senator as an
odds-on favorite over young
Robert L. Jones, a supporter OF
Senator Mccarthy.
AS the only Statewide contest
the Smith-Jones tussle Is the
showpiece of the primary.
Whatever the outcome. 1t
scarcely can be interpreted as
any clear-cut victory or defeat
for the controversial Wisconsin
Senator. For while Senator
Mccarthy may be something Of
a dim and distant factor in the
bout, he is not a definite, solid
issue.
National Interest.
Even so, the G. o. P. senator
ial. scrap has developed meas
ure of national interest because
Mr.. Jones likes Senator McCar-
thy and Mrs. Smith doesn't.
Each made that abundantly
evident long before the cam
paign began.
Yet during the campaign there
has been no smuggling it out over
the Wisconsin Senator and each
has deplored the effect on the
country Of the Army NC arthy
hearings.
The 34-year-old Jones, polit-
ical novice trying for public Of
flee for the first time, has soft
pedalled his admiration for Nc
earthly and put on far more
restrained campaign than had
been expected.
And while some Down Casters
say they have an idea Senator
Mccarthy and Mr.. Jones have
kept their fingers crossed in
denying the Senator has backed
his young admirer, there has
been no real evidence that Sem
ator Mccarthy has edged into
the contest in any way.
Light Vote Expected.
With interest in the primary
decidedly sluggish, a compare
lively light vote is expected, per-
haps considerably below the
$4,000 record set in the primary
two years ago.
In 1852, when Senator Payne
endorsed Owen Brewster 1884,
600 ballots were cast in the
COP senatorial race.
There's no competition in the
gubernatorial primary on either
ticket. Republican Gov. Burton
M. Cross is unopposed and so is
the Democratic candidate, Ed
mund S. MuSkie.
Paul Fullam of Waterville,
Colby College history professor,
has no rival, either, for the Dem
ocratic senatorial nomination.
OF Names three House mem
bers, all Republicans, only Robert
Hale in the 1st district has any
competition and Mr.. Hale hasn't
shown many signs of worry. One
of his opponents is j. Horace
Mcclure of Bath, a member of
the Executive Council, the other
Is Ray w. StetSon, a Portland
attorney.
James C. Oliver of Cape Eliza
beth, who once represented Mr..
Hale's district as a Republican,
now is trying for the nomination
as a Democrat against Eli Gau-
Diet, free lance newsman from
Rumford.
May Pull Surprises.
But this time the Democrats
are talking of making at least a
strong showing and perhaps pull
ing some surprises when the
State holds the Nations first
election in September.
Mrs. Smith, though, is a sea-
soned campaigner who never has
been defeated. The Silvery-
haired, blue-eyed, 56-year-old
Senator is a veteran of IA years
in the House and Senate.
Mr.. Jones hoped into the race
against Mrs. Smith last February
Immediately after leaving the
staff of Senator Potter, Repub-
lican. Michigan. Senator Potter
says Mr. Jones was fired; Mr..
Jones says he resigned.