Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-15
Webb
See Victory in
Small Turnout
Democrat BIumes
'Reprisol Fear
For 10, 500 Vote
By Alex r. Preston

e ~
The small size Of Tuesdays
10th district primary vote In
Virginia today was interpreted
by the two Houses candidates as
working to his own advantage
in November.
The incumbent, Representa-
tive Broyhill,. Republican. says
many Of his Democratic friends
told him in advance they would
stay out Of their party primary
so they would feel free to vote for
him this fall.
John G. Webb, winner Of d
four-way contest Tuesday. be-
lieveS that Government workers
stayed from the polls for fear Of
reprisals from a Republican adj
ministration If they identified
themselves as Democrats by par
ticipating in the primary.
Whatever the reason, the app
proximately 10.500 votes cast
was believed to be about tho
smallest turnout - considering
the size of the potential vote
on record.
State Senator Charles r. Fen.
wick Of Arlington, 10th District
Democratic chairman. sees mo
cause for alarm" In the size Of
the vote. He says 1t is more inn
portant that a winner was Sc
lected without creating bitter
ness or splitting the party apart
during the primary battle.
Broyhill Optimistic.
Mr.. Broyhill was asked by Q
reporter to explain the small
vote.
1.-THE light turnout is most
encouraging to me-" Mr.. Broy-
hill said. I figured If the vote
fell below so per cent Of those
eligible it would be to my adj
vantage. But for the number to
fall to such a small figure was
more than I hoped for.
"A large number Of my Demo-
cratic friends had told. me and
had told other Democratic
friends of mine that they were
not going to vote in the primary
so they would be free to support
me in November"
This involves the question OF
party loyalty"-something Vir-
ginians have been confused
about ever since the 1852 Demo-
cratic National Convention. At
that time, Virginians, led by
Senator Byrd, refused to be
bound by the nominee of the
convention and many withheld
support Of Adlai Stevenson in
the election that followed. Gen.
Eisenhower carried the State.
Last year the loyalty situa-
ton became more confused when
Attorney General j. Lindsay
Almond, jr., ruled that any one
who participates in a party pri-
mary is morally obligated" to
support the nominee of that pr.
mary. in the ensuing election.
Potential Unknown.
No one can say with certainty
Just what the potential vote
particularly the potential Of
either party - Is in Virginia.
There are two reasons for this:
The number of persons who
have paid poll taxes for three
consecutive years is available
but it is not known how many
Of these have failed to register.
Furthermore, Virginians do not
register as Republicans or DEM
ocrats as. for example, do voters
in Maryland and some other
States. Tuesdays 10000 vote
compares with a Democratic
primary turnout in 1952--also
involving four ca n didateS-
which totalled about $4,000. In
the fall of the same year the
total vote, including Democrats
and Republicans. amounted to
nearly $1,000 in the Presidential
election.
Naturally, we'd like to have
seen a, larger turnout Tuesday,"
Mr.. Fenwick said, but from q
party standpoint I'm not dis
couraged because we came out
Of the primary contest without
any bruised 'shins or permanent
scars.
THE Democratic Party Is in
the best shape it could be in.
There Is no bitterness or issues
carried over to prevent the party
from getting behind the nominee
in November.
you couldn't expect a large
vote when four candidates, such
as we had. sought to avoid Bit
terness and therefore didn't
have any real issues between
them"
Alexandra Pay