Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-10
Close Friends
Surprised as
LeeQuifs Race
Dr.. Byrd Declares
He Backs No One
For Party Choirmon
By chnrles {. Hoffman

BY Ghorles I. Hoffman
E. Brooke Lees withdrawal of
his bid for the Craftsmanship Of
the Maryland Democratic Party
after his candidate apparently
won the gubernatorial nomina-
ton came as q surprise even to
his closest friends.
Mr.. Lee. managed the hard
fought candidacy of DR.. Harry C.
Byrd. Now he is out as campaign
manager.
Two weeks ago he formally
announced his candidacy for the
party Craftsmanship after he
learned c. William Hetzer, elect
ed last January was lining up
votes to retain the post.
MIR. Lees candidacy was no
surprise. Last summer party,
regulars agreed he was the man
to I'LL the then vacant post.
Worked for Hetzer.
But Mr.. Lee did not want the
post while a bitter primary bat
tie was In progress. He and other
organization leaders drummed UP
the votes that put Mr.. Hetzer in
the job.
Mr.. Hetzer knew he was taking
the job on a temporary" basis.
He told newsmen that shortly
after his election.
MIR. Lee, a political warhorse
for four decades in Maryland,
felt the party's gubernatorial
candidate should have the right
to select the party chairman
the man on whose shoulders falls
the chief responsibility for the
general election cmapaign.
Mr.. Lee is not. one to with
draw from a fight. Nor is he one
to make a public explanation for
his action that might hurt his
party Of Or. Byrd's candidacy
in November.
Byrd Not Backing Amy One.
DR.. Byrd. asked yesterday If
he had refused to support Mr..
Lees candidacy, replied:
II am not giving any one sup
port"
DR.. Byrd. a personal friend of
Mr.. Lee, contends that, since the
nomination still is hanging on
court decisions, he cannot speak
for the party or as the party's
nominee.
He refused to comment on the
craftsmanship situation.
Two weeks ago Mr.. Lee
thought he had DR.. Byrd's back
ing for the Craftsmanship.
He had his heart set on the
job. He felt he had earned the
support of DR.. Byrd and other
party leaders.
MIR. Lee was the heaviest con-
tributor and lender to DR.. Byrd's
campaign fund. He had worked
the longest and hardest to elect
DIR. Byrd. Party leaders freely
admit that he pumped life into
the campaign"
One top echelon leader said
the party's November campaign
stood to lose by Mr.. Lees absence
from the fight.
1T will be hard for Curly CDR.
Byrd to find a successor for
him." he added.
The Democratic leader said he
felt DR.. Byrd was afraid Of a
convention fight" over the chair
manship.
Others have indicated DR..
Byrd is throwing his arms open"
to all party factions and trying
to avoid charges of bossism and
king making.
DR.. Byrd was shocked at cleo
ton night results. his friends
say.
He went into the race prom
ising a high-level campaign and
figured his widespread reputa-
ton and friends made through
his years at the university would
carry him through.
But DR.. Byrd had an uphill
fight. His opponent, George P
Mahoney, was an effective
rough-and tumble, shoe-leather
campaigner.
Just who will be the next
chairman, few will hazard q
guess. AS long as DR.. Byrd re-
mains silent. Mr.. Hetzer gains
in strength. But a number Of
others-as many as eight or ten
including James p. Morton,
jr., of Anne Arundel County. Joe
Tydings, president Of the Young
Democrats. and James Lacy, jr..
Of Baltimore-have been mem
toned.
Mr.. Lee in the meantime, has
again retired to his farm and
Montgomery County real estate
businesses.