STATEMENT, VIEWS ON PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
ENTERING THE 1960 MARYLAND DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

ANNAPOLIS

August 28, 1959

I previously have expressed the hope that Maryland would be able
to escape a serious Democratic presidential primary next year so that
Maryland Democrats may send an uninstructed delegation to the
convention in Los Angeles. I wish to make it clear that my position
on this issue is not based on any desire on my part to circumvent
the aspirations of any presidential candidate. It is, on the contrary,
based solely on what I consider to be in the best interest of the Demo
cratic Party in Maryland.

A primary would bind and impede the maneuverability of the
delegation months before the Convention, making it impossible for
it to take advantage of vital developments which invariably occur
during the period immediately preceding the opening of the Con-
vention. We have examples of this in the past, and notably in 1952
and 1956, when Maryland was bound to vote for Senator Kefauver
because of his winning in the preferential primary, although it
became quite evident on the eve of the Convention that he had little
or no chance of winning. Because of this, our delegation was con-
sidered everywhere as a rather ineffectual bloc.

In expressing my own feelings on this question, I echoed what
appears to be the sentiment of most Democratic governors. The same
feelings, for example, have been expressed by Governor Lawrence of
Pennsylvania, Governor Brown of California and Governor DiSalle
of Ohio. New York Democrats, by their indorsement of Mayor Wagner
as a favorite son, have, I am sure, the same idea.

A great many people don't seem to realize that only 15 of the 50
states have the preferential primary, and of these only seven firmly
commit the delegation, the other eight treating the result as not
binding but advisory only. I mention these things so that the rank
and file of the Party, who may have been misled, may realize that
there is nothing unusual in my suggestion that the Maryland delega-
tion go to the convention uninstructed.

I cannot emphasize too strongly that my attitude in this situation
has nothing to do with the prospective candidacy for the presidency
of Senator John F. Kennedy, whose brilliant statesmanship at a youth-
ful age has won my profoundest admiration. I wish to state further,

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