Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-01
Leadership in Maryland

1t is unfortunate that a promised
grand jury disclosure of the full details
of the financial dealings between j.
Millard TaweS and Boss Jack Pollack
early this year has never materialized.
For the unanswered questions arising
from the all-but-forgotten tape record
ing made by Mr.. Pollack raised a cloud
of doubt as to Mr.. Tawes' fitness to serve
another term as Governor of Maryland,
and this doubt became a major issue in
the Democratic primary last May. The
doubt, in our opinion, remains. And it
leaves Maryland voters facing dilemma
when they go to the polls. For If they
vote against Mr.. Tawes, the alternate
choice is not one designed to create
great enthusiasm.
The furry of other campaign
charges against the performance of
Governor TaweS, however, is not sub
Stantial. His opponents continue, for
example, to belabor the hardness of the
State administration in moving against
the savings and loan scandal. That
scandal is a dismal reflection on Mary
land politics and politicians. We doubt,
have done much more than he did, under
the circumstances. The fact is that
under his leadership Maryland did adopt
solid measure of control over the saw
ingS and loan industry, despite strenuous
efforts of politicians to defeat it. And
much of whatever credit there Is for
what finally happened belongs to Gov
ernor Tawes. In compliance with the
courts, the Democratic Legislature also
adopted meaningful reapportionment
of the House. And despite past foot
dragging, Mr.. Tawes now has committed
himself firmly to the introduction of
legislation to deal with slot machines
on the State level. Having broken with
Mr.. Pollock, the Governor has forth
rightly repudiated any support from the
Baltimore Democratic boss.
His opponent in the race for Gov
ernor, Republican Frank Small, jr., is a
sincere, retired businessman who has
held local and State offices in Maryland
and who once served a term in Con-
gress. Even leading from his strength
as businessman, however, Mr.. Small
has not been very convincing in his
criticism of fiscal affairs in the State
under the Tawes administration. His
campaign, moreover, has been tired and
uninSpired, singularly lacking in posi-
tive, imaginative new approaches.
Much the same criticism may be
lodged against Mr.. Small's running mate
for the United States Senate, Edward
T. Miller, likeable, personable, easy
going candidate who served without par
ticular distinction in the House of Rep
resentatives number of years ago. His
opponent, Daniel B. Brewster, who char
acterizeS himself as a middle-of- the-
road Democrat, possesses obvious advan-
tageS Of youth, demonstrated capacity
for hard work, and current service in
the House Of epreSentativeS-alI sig
nificant qualifications for the demand
ing chores of the Senate.
For Representative at Large-a con-
test on which all Marylanders will vote
next week in addition to the selection
of Representative from their own con-
greSSional diStrictS-the choice is more
difficult. Both Carlton R. SickleS, Dem
ocrat, and Newton I. Steers, jr., Repub-
lican, have proved to be intelligent,
aggressive and articulate candidates,
with little to separate their PHILOSOPHERS
on number Of national issues. The
substantial financial support for Mr..
SickleS by organized labor naturally
raises question as to the degree of
independence he will retain in repre-
senting not some, but all, the voters in
Montgomery, Prince Georges, and the
remainder of the State. We do not imply
that Mr.. Steers will be the better mem
Der of Congress merely because he failed
to win such support. But Mr.. Steers, at
least, is not under such conspicuous
obligation to one group of voters.