The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-05-13

their votes to the holocaust, has had
an impact on election day. This year,
however. with the COP busy in their
own primary, Democrats may have
their own battlefield to themselves.
The pre-primary suspense of the
Senate race has been long and
agonizing for Democrats this year.
The cause of the extended agony
has been Senator James E. Murray,
who announced, filed and at the last
minute withdrew.
I What the Murrays hoped to gain
by attempting to keep the Senate
race under wraps by appealing to
the loyalty of the Senator's friends
became evident by his last minute
withdrawal and the filing of John
Bonner. The subsequent throwing of
their support behind Bonner. and
the scathing announcement of other
candidates who had filed against him
earlier, further revealed their STRAIT
egy. which many now feel was the
plan from the beginning.
The Murray's held the U. S. Sem
ate primary in a wise, taking advan-
tage of the loyalty and decency of
many Montana citizens, and in the
final analysis it created unnecessary
hard feelings within the party.
First to announce for the u. S.
Senate post was John Mahan. Early
in January Leroy Anderson an
nounced. Before and during this time
terrific pressure was being put on
Congressman Lee Metcalf to get into
the race. 1t had become increasingly
evident that Murray could not con-
,inue the arduous pace of U. S. SEN
ator. His appearances in Montana
Turing water resource hearing and
MS TV. broadcast at the time he
fled confirmed rumors of his fail
ng health. ~ ~
Metcalf begged for time. He wrote
lis Montana friends that in Difference
% the Senator's position his SEMI
,rity, his age, his fine work over the
vears, he thought it was only right
% Let Murray retire gracefully and
With the full honorss and appreciation
Montana people would like to give
i'm. o3r
But this was not to be. At the point
3onner made his public statement,
ppropro of nothing at the time,
hat he would not run against Muir
ay things began DO shape up.
A primary race is where the peo-
lie choose what the policy of their
arty is going to be. Within both
arties are forces with varying
hades of opinion. The appeal at the
rimary is to party people. In the
Urinary you must vote only one tick
Too often candidates make the
rimary (even more than they do in
ne generaD popularity contest -.
ne object being to meet as many
eople as possible and charm them
18th personality rather than issues.
In both parties there are ideologi-
II factions. Broadly and most I'M
'ecifically they are generally cata-
gued as the liberal element and the
,nservative element within their
vn ranks. Esd ehJ ~
Murray, always cata1ogued with
lie liberal forces, kept close hold
l those that led the conservative
'rces in the state. This alignment
owed successful in his bid for ma
onal office. In the state Democratic
ganization the Murray weight went
the conservatives, the laissez-faire
CUP. Because of his record in the
,nate, he held the liberals without
wing to acknowledge then, en- the
ate level. This has worked well in
lining power in Washington. d. C.
It made it difficult and sometimes
possible for Democrats to gain
ntrol of state government and the
sislature because the conservative
would not support lib
al.
In the U. S. Senate race this year
e three candidates who have aligned
with the conservatives. All
rec of them contributed to the de-
At of the Democratic candidate for
vernon in 1866.
Mabar hoe oil Ia.