Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-30
BY GENE GOODWIN

By GENE GOODWIN
While the Democratic primary
between Representative Lank-
ford and L. Harold Sothoron
has been monopolizing the spot
light in Maryland's 5th congress
sional district. the Republicans
have been having a three-way
struggle of their own.
Vieing for the G. o. P. nomi-
nation in the Sprawling Southern
Maryland district are William B.
Prendel CAST and Joseph K.
Taussig of Anne Arundel County
and Clifton l.. Clevenger of Oak
Crest in Prince Georges County,
Primary ballotting is May 7.
Mr.. PrendergaSt md Mr..
Taussig were formerly associated
as instructors at the Naval
Academy and both are political
novices making their first bid for
public Office. Mr. Clevenger has
been defeated twice in seeking
county Office.
Committees IndOrse Prendergast
Mr.. Prendergast has the in
IdorSement of county central
committees in all six of the dis
Itrict's counties-Prince Georges,
Anne Arundel. Howard, St.
IMaryS, Charles and Calvert He
also claims backing from Demo-
cratic leaders in the Curtis Bay
section of South Baltimore,
which also is part of the 5th
District.
Registration in the district is
better than tWo-to-one Demo-
cratic, but the Republicans
elected a one-term congressman
there in 1852 in Frank Small,
Ijr., now Maryland'S Commits
sioner of Motor Vehicles. Presi-
dent Eisenhower was at the top
of the ticket that year, and since
he probably will be in that posi-
ton again this fall, 5th District
Republicans have reason to be
Ioptimitic despite their regiStra-
ton minority.
Republicans also hope they will
be able to cash in on the bitter
ness in Democratic ranks which
some feel is being engendered
by tine Landlord othoron battle.
Indirectly. President Eisen-
hover has become an issue in
this campaign.
Presidents Program Stressed
Mr.. Prendergast, who was as
sistant director of research for
the Presidents Commission on
Intergovernmental Relations for
two years, makes big point of
his belief in "the forward look
ing program of the Eisenhower
administration" He has said he
is the only one of the three can
didates who stands "four-square"
for the Presidents program.
Mr.. Taussig, however, claims
that President Eisenhower told |
him last july that he hoped /
wouldn't have primary"
Mr.. TauSSig comedies that he /
doesn't support the Eisenhower
program 100 per cent, because \
many OF the problems of the 5th |
District are different than those
Of the rest of the Nation"
Here. in alphabetical order, \
are brief biographical sketches
Of the three candidates:
Clifton L. Clevenger, So, is a
sales engineer for a Bladensburg
He also owns a hard
ware store near Laurel.
Mr.. Clevenger was on the
county Republican ticket for
Prince Georges Orphans Court
Judge in 1850, but was defeated
despite G.. o. P. landslide that
swept Republicans into virtually
all county Offices that year.
In 1854, Mr.. Clevenger ran for
The House of Delegates but was
defeated in the Republican pri-
mary.
Now president of the Oak
Crest Citizens Association, he
has been in construction work
all of his adult life. He has four
sons and two grandchildren.
william b. Prendergast, All
resigned as a civilian professor
Of government and economics at
the Naval Academy to run for
Congress.
Holder of a Pho. degree in
political science from the Uni
versity of Chicago and B.A. and
MA. degrees from the Univer-
Sity of Notre Dame, he previously
had taught at the University of
Maryland. Catholic University
Johns Hopkins and Notre Dame.
During his stint at the Naval
Academy, he was on leave of alb
sence twice-first to serve as
secretary of the Commission on
Voting in the Armed Services in
l95l-52 and as a research ad-