Evening star., 1954-10-21
Byrd Pledges New Roads Commission in Maryland
McKeIdin Accuses
Byrd of Bigotry on
Segregation Issue
. BY Gene Goodwin

py SEne 5oOuW1n
II segregation weren't already
q major issue in Maryland's S
heated gubernatorial campaign,
it certainly is today.
Republican Gov. McKeldin last
night broke his long silence on
that ticklish question with q
fighting speech in which he ac-
cuSed his Democratic challenger,
Dr.. II. c. Byrd, Of being in a
"bog of bigotry."
Gov. McKeldin pegged his at
tack on reports that the forces
Of DR.. Byrd are readying a
pamphlet obviously aimed at
winning the votes of segrega-
tionists.
Although DIR. Byrd. former
University of Maryland presi-
dent. says he doesn't know any
thing about the pamphlet seen
in Democratic headquarters in
Baltimore, he made his position
on segregation clear Tuesday
night when he said:
II made a statement to the
press that I favored separate by
equal facilities. / said ] thought
1t would not be wise to end that
system Immediately"
Hatred Move Charged.
The Governor fervently charg-
ed in two st. Marys County
speeches last night that DR..
Byrd "has descended to the pre-
pairing of a publication designed
to develop racial hatreds among
our people"
The pamphlet emphasizes ap-
pointments of Negroes to State
Offices by Mr.. McKeldin. One
headquarters spokesman said the
Democrats plan to mail out 250,-
900 of them before November 2
election day.
The Governors blast conti-
nued:
What a story Pravda, the
journal of the Kremlin, must
have today-of this man who
calls himself an American educa-
tor, this man who once was a
college teacher of American his
tory, this native Marylander who
take the same course as the
outside agitators who have sought
to divide our citizens with a par
tition of prejudice.
Does this Dr.. Byrd, this mem
ber of the American Academy of
Political and Social Science, be-
lieve the enlightened. alert peo-
pie of this State are as ignorant
as he claims to be? ..-
Mentions Conference.
docs he really think he can
get away with talking out of
one side of his mouth in one
area of Maryland and sneaking
in a side door of Baltimore's
York Hotel to talk out of the
other side in the quiet of a Sum-
day afternoon?
(The Governor told reporters
he was referring to a confer
ence he said his opponent had
with Negro leaders in the COL
orcd hotel last Sunday.)
Come, come, DIR. Byrd! Come
out of the bog of bigotry. out
Of the puddle of prejudice. out
Of the mire of Misrepresentation.
even in the depths of your
desperation, remember this:
there can be worse things for
a man to live with than being
defeated in a political cam
paign."
Frequent Consultations.
Gov. McKeldin was in fire.
quent telephone contact with
his aides in Baltimore and An
napolis while he pondered the
question of making his strongly
worded speech. He was over
heard to say during one call:
"Well, this may cost me the
election, but I can't be a
skunk"
Mr.. McKeldin told an enthu-
siastic rally of about 800 persons
in the Leonardtown courthouse
last night that he felt it was
particularly sad to have to re-
late this tale of DR.. Byrd's "des-
peration and degradation. here
in st. Marys County, where the
great. inspired founders of the
colony of Maryland gave the
world record of civilized and
enlightened living from the
hour of landing. and later made
religious tolerance the law of
the land :"
Meets Segregation Signs.
During his handshaking tour
of the county's Lexington Park
area in the afternoon, however,