Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-27
Democrats Fail
To Take Action
On Candidate
State Convention
In Maryland
Coils Recess
By chorles L. Hoffman
Sscs Stuff Correspondent

Ssos Stuff Correspondent
BALTIMORE, July 27.-Mary-
land Democrats today still were
without an official candidate to
oppose Republican Gov. Nickel
din in his bid to become the first
Republican ever to succeed him
self in the executive mansion at
Annapolis.
Delegates to the Democratic
State Convention yesterday met
and then recessed without nam
ing a candidate.
George p. Mahoney apparently
lost the nomination to DR.. H. C.
Byrd. former University Of Mary
land president, by an 80-to-72
unit vote on the basis Of official
unit votes based on ofilcial
counts and recounts completed
to date. But Mr.. Mahoney still
is challenging the vote in several
Jurisdictions.
Asks Postp0nement.
Last Friday DR.. Byrd an
nounced he wanted the conven-
ton to postpone its job of Off
cially nominating a guberna-
torial candidate until after the
courts had unraveled the post
election disputes. It appeared
he could have gotten the NOM
nation easily yesterday if he had
wanted it.
Byrd supporters went even
further in their efforts to con-
vince the public-and registered
Democrats in particular-that
DR.. Byrd was not getting the
nomination by steam-roller tao
tics. theft or fast counts, by
supporting Michael J. Birming-
ham, president Of the board Of
Baltimore County commission
ers as the conventions perma-
nent chairman.
WAS UauOuey 00CKSf.
Mr.. Birmingham was the
leader Of a Baltimore County
slate that Endorsed Mr.. Mahoney
and swept the elections in that
county.
When Mr.. Birmingham took
over the Craftsmanship, however,
Democratic State Chairman C..
William Hetzer Of Washington
County already had laid the
groundwork for a convention re-
cess without action.
Convention delegates met
amidst an air Of tension and
uncertainty.
Rumors as to what action the
convention would take swept
the lobby Of the Emerson Hotel.
Adding fire to the rumors was
the announcement Sunday that
E. Brooke Lee, longtime Mont
gomery party leader and head
of DR.. Byrd's campaign head
quarters. wanted Mr.. IIetzer's
job.
MIR. Lee could have had the
State Craftsmanship a year ago.
But when a meeting of the State
Central Committee was forced
last January, Mr.. Hetzer was
elected partly with the support
Of Mr.. Lee.
Would Follow Custom.
Since that time, Mr.. Lee has
devoted his time, energy and
money to DR.. Byrd's candidacy.
and as established by tradition.
feels he now is entitled to the
State Craftsmanship simply by
virtue Of his managing the ap-
parent winners campaign.
Yesterday, however, after a Sc
ries of weekend conferences, Mr..
Lee and other longtime organi-
cation leaders put their efforts
toward averting a stampede for
DR.. Byrd and the vote on the
craftsmanship.
Mr.. Mahoney, despite his 70
unit votes, appeared to control
only a few political jurisdictions,
including Garrett, st. Mary's and
Caroline County and Baltimore
City's LIST District.
There was little doubt that Mr..
Lee felt he could have the State
Craftsmanship If he wanted to
push the vote yesterday. The
post is filed by individual rather
than unit vote of the convention.
But he stood by his guns that
the party's gubernatorial candi-
date should have the right to
name the man who as State
chairman would run the general
election campaign.
Byrd Silent on Issue.
DR.. Byrd remained silent on
the Craftsmanship.
When Mr.. Birmingham recess
ed the convention for q week
or 10 days." he said: I'VE don't
want to give the appearance Of
the railroading this thing
through before the matter is
settled in courts" he said.
He indicated delegates would
be given about q three day no.
tice" Of a new session. That
would mean a new session would
be called possibly by the week
end
When the convention does re-
convene. it will have before 1t
for adoption q platform to be
prepared by the Resolutions
Committee an unquestioned can
didate. and the task Of naming q
State chairman.
Named to the Resolutions
Committee were Frank L. Hewitt,
jr., Of Montgomery County and
Richard B. Woods Of Prince
Georges County.
liohfnin0 Bolt Kills