Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-12


"are members Of only one
party. the Democratic Party"
Earlier in the week. is men,
bers of the Democratic Com
mittee who represent the core
of influence of the non-par-
tisan Arlingtonians for a Better
County (ABC) released a slate
of So names. There are lib
candidates for the "a commit
tee seats which will be filled in
Tuesdays voting.
Official Explains Stand
In announcing the latest
ticket for committee member
ship, Mrs. Freda Womeldorph,
president of the Women's Dem
ocratic Club, said, "The club
is recommending a list OF
known Democrats >. The club
is not asking the public to
blindly accept these people. We
suggest that every voter make
his own investigation, just as
we have :"
The is members Of the
Democratic committee who
offered the first slate described
themselves as "anti-machine"
committee members.
In part, the fight is the ira
ditional Neutrality-suspicious.
sentative struggle which has
gone on for years. But the i'm
mediate background for the
fight that has developed this
year lies in the County Board
elections.
For the past several years,
the Democratic and Republic
can Parties have stayed out of
County Board elections, leaving
this field to two coalition
groups, one representing con-
sentative thinking, the other a
more liberal group.
Conservative Group Folded
The conservative group, the
Arlington Independent Move
ment, folded after suffering two
straight defeats at the hands
of the liberal ABC organization.
Thus, conservative elements of
both the Democratic and Re-
publican Parties found them
selves with no vehicle for the
County Board elections and
when the Democratic leaders
looked down the list of execu-
tive committee candidates, they
thought they detected a move
by ABC to take over the Demo-
cratic Party.
Party Chairman Ernest L.
Lyons Immediately charged
that the ABC wants to form an
"interlocking directorate" to
dictate ABC policy and Demo-
cratic Party policy, thus con-
trolling practically all Arling-
ton politics. He noted that
three ABC members of the
county board - Ralph Raul,
David L. Krupsaw and Leo
Urbanske,, jr.-are running for
Democratic Committee posts.
Conservative Democratic lead
ers decided it was time to get
the party back into the County
Board field, and a convention
nominated one candi i'd tie
although there are two County
Board posts to be filled. Last
week the Republicans also
nominated a single candidate.
The County Board election will
be held in November.
Charges Attacked
Yesterday Mrs. Ruth Cox,
chairman of ABC. said that Mr..
Lyons wild charges chat ABC
| is trying to take over the Demo-
cratic Party are purely Tor
political effect" She said the
purpose of the charge" is to
help the team of one conServa-
tive Democrat and one conser-
vative Republican defeat the
ABC candidates for the County
Board.
"In spite of his charges, Mr..
Lyons is we'll aware at most
of those running fC the COM
mittee are not, ar never have
been, active in C." said Mrs.
Cox.
Mr.. Raul, seeking reelection
to the committee and re-elec-
ton to the county board as an
ABC candidate, said the group
trying to gain party control is
made up of Democrats who
are tired of machine control"
If the liberal group wins, 1t
is likely to keep the party out
of future County Board cleo
tons.
Two members of the commit
tee will be elected from each
of the county's 81 precincts.
There are contests in 80 Of
those precincts. In precincts
where only two candidates have
filed there are no contests.
Here is a list, by precincts,