Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-20
g HATB EDITIQN
'Pflhteteorges
|DenlocratsFace
|PrimarySplit
Both Parties Pick
Candidates Week
From Tomorrow

bSbas S1asSsaO w
The respective strength Of Q
rejuvenated Democratic organ
lzation and a group Of Repub-
lican incumbentS viii be tested
D week from tomorrow In the
Prince Georges county primaries.
The Democrats. who. for the
most part, have been in the
unfamiliar role of the "outs"
since 1850, are aiming for a
comeback. But first they have to
settle their differences as to
which candidates will carry their
banner in November's comeback
fight.
The Democratic organization
led by former Representative
Lansdale G. Sasscer. State Gen.
trail Committee Chairman L.
Harold Sothoron and T. Howard
Duckett-iS backing a full slate
Of candidates. They are being
by a large number
OF independents.
The Byrd-Mahoney fight for
the gubernatorial nomination is
not at issue. Except for two. all
and independent
are supporting DR.. H.
C. Byrd over George P. Mahoney.
State Senate Race Stir.
There. agreement ends. how
ever.
The organization is having its
StiffeSt fight in the race for the
State senatorial nomination, in
which veteran Delegate lie Roy
Humphrey is challenging organ
ization backed H. Winship
Wheatley, jr.
Mr.. Humphrey, who has served
IL years in the Maryland House,
has been lashing out at "polit-
ical manipulators" responsible,
he says. for denying him the or
ganization backing that he has
always had in the past and says
he deserves today. Mr.. Wheatley,
46-year-old former county pros
ecutor, argues that his 64-year-
old opponent has no right to win
Office by inheritance and, besides,
it's time for a change.
Another potential trouble spot
for the organization is in the
competition for county commits
sioner nominations. The organi-
cation slate of Jesse S. Baggett,
BanSdale G. Clagett, Frank j.
Lastner, A. Preston Perrie and
Herbert w. Reichelt is battling
seven independents.
They are Mrs. Irma Bogdanoh,
the only woman in the field;
former Times Herald newSman,
Arthur Mielke, Francis j. Aluisi,
Arthur w. Brunei, Frederick M.
Coxen, Fred F. Monaghan and
w. A. Neumann.
Strength in Delegate Slate.
~ Organization leaders believe
that their strongest ticket is in
the race for the House of Dele
gates. Their six-man slate is up
against four independents.
: But the organization faces
more worrisome challenges in. the
contest for Treasurer, where in
dependent Lawrence A. Ooster-
'hous is vying with the organiza-
tons Charles E. CalloW, and in
the race for Sheriff, in which j.
Lee Ball has five independent
opponents vying for the dissident
or non-organization vote. They
are Ernest H. Mulligan, George
R Shepp, w. Carlton Hicks.
w. G. Roland and Morris Suit.
Compared to the Democrats,
the county Republicans should
have relatively bloodlesS
primary.
The G. o. P. ticket was worked
out by a steering committee made
up of incumbent Office holders
and the county Republican CEN
tral committee. With but one
exception, they followed the
practice of indorsing all incum-
bentS bidding for denomination.
Best Showing Seen.
The non-indorsed Republican
candidates are expected to make
their best showing in the House
of Delegates contest. Mrs. Elaine
Lady and Clifton L. Clevenger
are making determined bids to
knock out one or more Of the SIX
Endorsed candidates-incumbent
Albert r. Hassall, j. F. Lillard,
IT,, and Harry E. Taylor, jr.. and
Mrs. Margaret Conant. Richard
H. Love and Ross G. Porter. The
two other independent candi-
dates are Andrew Gemeny and
John N. Torvestad.
Competition for the @. o. P.
sheriff's nomination also Is wide
open with three independents
running against incumbent She
riff Carlton G.. Beall's chief de-
putty, Ellis G. Dudley. Sheriff
Beall is not seeking reelection.
They are M. G. Filling, w. Curtis
Hopkins and j. Roger Sansbury.
Four of the five incumbent Re
publican county commissioner
w. Everett Marion, Daniel A.
Abbott, Thomas e. Latimer and
E. j. Waters-are seeking re-
nomination. Rounding out their
slate is their chief clerk, Thomas
F. Hicks. The two Independent
commissioner candidates are
Charles H. Brown and Gordon
Louk.
The big Republican headache
in the primary comes in the Bit
ter contention for the central
committee. Eighteen candidates