Evening star., 1954-10-24
Segregation Issue
Siressed IA Talk
ByByrd in Ia PLATA
By Alex r. Preston
s,of stuff csrfss spondsns !,

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H. c. Byrd met the segregation
issue headon today when he sim
gled out a handful of Negroes in
an audience of $50 to ask
whether they, personally. had
Jared any better under the Re-
publican administration Of Gov.
McKeldin. 49,
The Democratic candidate for
governor chose Charles County,
where Negro voters almost equal
the number OF whites. to restate
and emphasize his belief that
local school boards should be left
with authority to determine
whether schools should be oper-
ated on a segregated basis.
"I'm going to speak to half
dozen Negro people / see in the
audience" DR.. Byrd began his
remarks. A reported counted IA
scattered among the whites at
the National. Guard Armory here,
Puts 1t On County Basis. :
"Id like them to ask Negro
Republicans and the white Re-
publican leaders of Charles
County to name one single thing
that Gov. McKeldin has done to
help Negroes in this county"
Republicans have been making
much of the fact that Gov. Nc
Keldin has appointed a number
of Negroes and others from
minority groups to key State
positions.
DR.. Byrd's campaign aides took
a calculated risk some time ago
when they permitted their candi-
date to take a rather firm posi-
tion upholding segregation in the
schools.
Dr.. Byrd told the minority
members of his audience that
Gov. McKeldin appointed a
Negro Baltimore lawyer to. some
high job and called that helping
the Negro families of this State"
He said, st still stand by that
statement" shat he favors let
ting : local school boards .deter+
mine the policy. T.
"The plain fact is," he said.
"that the Negro people of this
county have Jared better under
Democratic administrations than
they ever have under Republi-
cans"
He said it was his party that
created more jobs, reduced the
incidence of disease and raised
their standard of living through
expansion of home idemonstra-
ton club activities, better pre-
pairing them for family life and
agriculture.
The entire Democratic ticket.
including Controller j. Millard
Tawes, C.. Ferdinand Sybert for
attorney general, Richard E.
Lankford for Congress and local
candidates toured the county
during the day.
G. o. P. in Power 40 Years.
Charles County has 5,366 reg
istered Republicans, of whom
about 4,300 are Negroes. There
are 5,034 registered Democrats.
The G. o. P. has been in control
of the county government for 40
years and only one Democrat
holds a local office-the county
surveyor.
William c. Abel, member of
the State Central Committee,
who was among those taking DR..
Byrd around the county. told a
reporter, "Our biggest problem
here is a block of some 4,300
Negroes who vote almost solidly
Republican. You don't have to
coax them out. We are going to
have trouble getting the white
people out.
with less than 1000 regis
tered voters, you can see that
it's nearly $3.50. Well be doing
q good job here if we break
even."
Gov. McKeldin carried Charles
County over Democrat w. Pres
ton Lane, jr., four years ago.
Hopeful On Segregation.
Mr.. Abel said he believes DR..
Byrd's position on segregation
will bring many Republican
white voters over to the Demo-
cratic side this year.
The touring candidates put on
o show of party solidarity by the
presence of several leaders who
worked for George P. Mahoney
against DR.. Byrd IN the Demo-
cratic primary. Among former
Mahoney supporters who took
the party on a handshaking tour
were Thomas j. McDonagh. for
mer State Central Committee
chairman and John Moore, now
member Of the committee.
Mr.. Lankford, who is running
against Representative Small,
Republican, discussed issues OF
interest to Federal employees at
the Indian Head Naval Powder
Factory in this county. He said
Republicans showed "a very cal
lous disregard for the rights and
freedom of those loyal public
servants" This was reflected, he
said, by President Eisenhower's
veto of a 5 per cent pay raise
bill and by the Administrations
order directing a check on the
personal conduct of Government
workers.
"One of my first acts as youl
Congressman" said Mr. Lark.
ford, would be to wolk for :
pay raise and remove this un.
warranted insecurity for tn,
Government worker.