Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-31
Byrd Directs
Fire al Record
0fMckeIdin
Mohoney Refroins
From ,Pledging Aid
To Party Nominee
By Gene Goodwin


George P. Mahoney. set out to-
day to STAY the Republican drag
on. Gov. Theodore r. McKeldin.
The former University Of
Maryland president set the tone
of his campaign in a speech yes
terday accepting the guberna-
torial nomination from the Mary
land Democratic Convention.
1.-THE record of the McKeldin
Administration" he said, seems
to be one of broken promises and
false claims" f..
He said Gov. McKeldin "has
done little more than to spend
his four years in Office signaliz-
ing the Inauguration of great i'm
provements begun, or provided
for. under the Democratic Gov.
Lane" Mr.. McKeldin's prede-
ceSSor.
There was evidence at yester-
days convention that DR.. Byrd
will have behind him the uni
fed party he needs to whip the
master campaigner, Gov. Nc
Keldin. Both he and former
Gov. Lane, who put his name in
nomination, were given standing
ovations by the convention del
egates, many Of whom were Ma
honey supporters in that bitter
June % primary election.
No Pledge BY Mahoney.
Mr.. Mahoney himself was not
present. He was vacationing in
the Pennsylvania Poconos, but
he did send DR.. Byrd a telegram,
which significantly refrained
from any pledges of support.
The telegram congratulated
DR.. Byrd on his nomination and
extended to all Democratic can
didates Mr.. Mahoney's "best
wishes for success" in the No
vember 2 general election.
The convention delegates for
malized the nomination of DR..
Byrd. C! Ferdinand Sybert for
attorney general and j. Willard
Tawes for reelection as State
controller.
They also adopted a platform
pledging a balanced budget, a
commission to attract new in
dustry and provide enough jobs
for all, port commission, re-
Mobilization of Maryland's sea-
food industry, more equitable
taxation. cancellation of the
higher auto tag fees scheduled
to go into effect next spring, a
special study of the need for a
State tax appeals court, support
for municipal home rule and a
veterans bonus, if approved by
the voters.
High Post to Harrington.
T. Barton Harrington, Balti-
more attorney who polled a sur
prising vote as an independent
in the primary race for the at
torney general nomination, was
unanimously elected chairman
of the State Central Commit
tee.
His election came as some
what of a surprise, since DR..
Byrd had said Saturday night
he believed the campaign should
be run by a big executive COM
mittee, instead of having a
chairman of the State Central
Committee, who would be vir-
tually power unto himself"
Yesterday, after Mr.. Harring-
ton had been elected without op-
position, DR.. Byrd said he had
not meant to suggest that the
party should not have a State
Central Committee chairman.
An aide said DR.. Byrd still in
tended to form his proposed
campaign executive committee,
which would be made up of men
and women party leaders from
every county and Baltimore
City and representatives of dis
sident factions.
Mr.. Lane is expected to con-
tinue in the active role he pur-
sued in behalf of DR.. Byrd dur
ing the primary.
DR.. Byrd, in his acceptance
address that was loudly cheered
and applauded, said Gov. Nc
Keldin promised Gin 1850 to
work toward the complete aboli-
ton of the sales tax but has
done nothing about the sales
tax except to expend all the
funds it produced, in addition
to nearly $13 million left by the
Lane administration, to put the
State into its present deplorable
financial situation-a situation
in which it faces deficit OF
nearly $18 million"
The Democrat said the Gov
ernor also has broken his pledges
to abolish the State real estate
levy, to submit the veterans
bonus question the people. to
overhaul State election proce-
dureS and to reduce the State
income tax on old people and
pensioners.
Hits Speech Travels.
He criticized Gov. McKeldin's
frequent out-of-State speaking
engagements spending 50
much time out Of the State, en-
HANGING the weight of his
pocketbook."
Promising to operate the Gov.
ernor's Office "for at least $20,.
600 a year less than it now cost.
the taxpayers" DR.. Byrd de-
clared:
"For one thing, it seems tt
me that the distribution o.
photographs. matches. picture
and flowers and other donations
of an often political nature
should not be paid for out o
taxpayers funds: and, further
7 am sure that we can find NOR,
important duties for the Stat
police than to have them dis