Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-14
Meek Is Easy Winner
In Illinois Primary;
will Face Douglas
By the Assoeiosed Press

" tHS HSSOSioISo TtSSS
CHICAGO, April 14.-Joseph
It. Meek. who calls himself
mo label unhyphenated Re-
publican" romped off with the
Illinois Republican senatorial
nomination early today in the
Nations first primary Of 1854.
The 50-year-old head Of an
organization of 10000 Illinois
merchants, MFR. Meek has said
he would support most but not
necessarily all of President Eli
Senhower's policies. But he says,
too. he is neither "a Taft Re-
publican nor an Eisenhower Re-
publican"
Yesterdays balloting produced
no surprises. no upsets, no real
tests on national issues, and
probably the highest vote of any
Illinois primary in at least 10
years.
All Is Illinois House members
were renominated, including
four committee chairInen who
overpowered varying degrees of
competition.
1t will be Mr.. Meek against
Democratic Senator Paul H.
Douglas for the Senate in No
vember.
Leads 9-Man Field.
The result of every race will
be vital then in deciding whether
Republicans or Democrats will
control the next Congress. Dem
ocrats have a 48 to IS edge in
the Senate now, with one indie
pendent, while Republicans have
q skinny margin in the House.
Senator Douglas had no OPP
-ponent in the Democratic pri-
mary.
Mr.. Meek easily outdistanced
Edward A. Hayes and left seven
Others in a nine-man field
strung out far back. Mr.. Hayes is
a former national commander of
the American Legion.
Robert B. Chiperfield, chair
man of the House Foreign At
fairs Committee. finally beat
back the challenge of Attorney
Lawrence Stickell and took the
Republican Congressional nomi-
nation in a district he has repre-
sented 16 years. Returns from
282 of 303 precincts in the 10Th
district gave Mr.. Chiperfield 21,-
-028 votes to 1881 for Mr.. Stick
ell, Galesburg attorney.
VeIde Easy Winner.
Harold H Velde, chairman of
the I'm American Activities Com
mittee. had an easier time of it
with Robert Allison, State rep
resentative for 20 years. Mr..
Velde, who is seeking his fourth
term. polled 26,293 votes to a.
663 for Mr.. Allison in 367 of 372
precincts in the 18th district.
z Chairman Leo Allen of the
Rules Committee pushed past
three opponents with no trouble
and Chairman Chauncey Reed
OF the Judiciary Committee de-
feated pair of contestants.
In 326 of 1856 precincts in the
18th district, Mr. Allen received
25.329 votes to IL 1854 for Robert
Garfield, top among Mr.. Aliens
three opponents
Mr.. Reed polled 42,141 votes
returns from 288 OF 328 precincts
in the 14th district. His closest
opponent, Robert l. Farnsworth,
got 1913.
All four committee chairmen
had been expected to win, and
their victories probably will re-
suit in Republican claims that
they offer an Endorsement of the
administration program and the
way it is being handled in Con-
gress.
Sid Simpson, chairman of the
House District Committee, was
unoppoSed in his seventh G.. o. P.
primary election-the only one
OF the States five committee
chairmen without an opponent.
Local Issues Dominant.
While the senatorial and con-
gresSional battles commanded a
measure of National interest,
Illinois voters were more con-
cerned with local races and
issues. The vote in Chicago was
the lowest in some 20 years.
Low vote and all, this was one
primary that went off strictly
according to form sheets.
Mr.. Meek was the favorite in
the G. o. P. senatorial race on
the basis of strength outside
Chicago and support of 33 of
the "a State Senators. Mr.. Hayes
was figured in second place be-
cause of popularity in Chicago
and among Legionnaires and
veterans.
In the end. Mr.. Meek even
passed Mr.. Hayes in Chicago
and Cook County and headed