Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-16
Prince Georges
Democrat Hits
CountYLeaders
Candidate Reps Aid
To Republican at
Oxon Hill Meeting


The Prince Georges Demo-
cratic organization, its authority
seriously challenged. today faces
a charge Of supporting Repub-
lican Representative Frank
Small, IT,, two years ago and a
warning that any move to do so
again will be publicly exposed.
"Mr. Small was elected with
our party's support" Paul H.
Menk. a Democratic candidate
for Congress from the fifth dis
trict declared last night, and
If the organization turns again
there is no reason for its exist
ence."
The unindorsed Prince Georges
candidate looSed his barbS at a
lively meeting of the Oxen Hill
Democratic Club and followed up
with blasts at Mr.. Small, former
Representative LanSdale G. Sas-
seer and T. Howard Duckett,
Hyattsvil,e banker and long time
party leader.
Two Others Clash.
Two other House candidates
in the June % primaries and
long queque of organization and
outsider aSpirants exchanged
verbal darts before a crowd
packed in the Temple Hills Com
munity American Legion Hall.
Several speakers disagreed
with some of Mr.. Menk'S re-
marks but no one disputed his
accusation that the county DEM
ocratic organization backed Mr..
Small in 1852 After the meet
ing. Mr.. Menk told a reporter
he has a sharp ear to the ground
and will unrelentingly tell the
people about it if repetition is
attempted.
Representative SaSscer, Mr..
Menk charged. was ineffective
throughout his IA years in the
House and Mr.. Small, he said,
has consistently voted as an OBJ
StructioniSt.
Charges Financial Queries.
Mr.. Menk accused Mr.. Duckett
of interviewing candidates for
major Offices as to their financial
qualifications, then indirectly
complimented the veteran banker
by saying chat "the ticket is good
at the top but poor at the bot
tom" This brought fevered re-
plies by aspirants in the lower
brackets.
Walter L. Green, another I'M
Endorsed House candidate, de-
Tended Mr.. Duckett as lone of
the finest men 1 know" Mr..
Green talked about the planks
in his platform but Anne Arundel
County Delegate Richard E.
Landlord, the party's standard
bearer for the House seat. said.
"A primary campaign is not
the time to air platforms"
H. Winship Wheatley, jr., or
ganization candidate for the
State Senate from Prince
Georges, told the crowd that an
organization is as necessary in
politics as in business. He denied
he was an unwilling" candidate,
as Mr.. Menk has asserted.
H. Malone Dresbach, an I'M
Endorsed aspirant for the House
of Delegates, laShed the organi-
cations "40-year control" and
supported Mr.. Menk's charge
that Democrats elected Repub-
licans last time"
Denies Rubber Stamp"
Hervey q. Machen, running for
the House of Delegates with
party blessing, denied that Mr..
Duckett had anything to do with
selecting a ticket and added that
mot a one of them is a rubber
stamp"
Mr.. Machen said that if voters
feel the unindorsed have SUI
perior qualifications they should
vote for them.
He added, however, that can
didateS without party backing
say little about their qualifying
equipment but simply make it
known with apparent pride that
they are without Endorsement.
They seem to think indorse-
ment a stigma" he declared.
Mr.. Menk said he had no basic
quarrel with the organization
but is pretty mad because he was
denied the right to speak at a
recent meeting at Laurel.
"They went down the line to
dog-catcher," MFR: Menk asserted,
land they just didn't see me- u
Oxon Hill eyes were good
enough last night to see Mr.
Menk and call him as the first
speaker.
Democratic candidates backed
by the Prince Georges Democra-
tic Central Committee will tele-
cast a half-hour campaign pro-
gram over WMAL-TV at
o'clock tonight.
Fairfax Citizens Line UD