POLITICAL NOTES: Big Man in Maryland

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Maryland is historically one of the closest states in presidential elections. Three times since 1900 the presidential margin there has been less than 2%. In 1904, Theodore Roosevelt carried the state only 51 votes ahead of Alton B. Parker; in 1908, William Howard Taft got just 605 more votes than William Jennings Bryan; in 1948, Tom Dewey squeaked past Harry Truman 294,814 to 286,521.

This year Maryland is running close again, and the decision may lie with Insurance Broker Jack Pollack, Democratic boss of Baltimore's fourth state legislative district. Pollack consistently delivers 25,000 votes, mostly from the fourth district, where he maintains his power by dealing out political favors, large & small. In recent years his realm has extended into the fifth and sixth districts.

In the Democratic senatorial primary last spring, Pollack committed his fourth district to Lansdale Sasscer. When Paving Contractor George P. Mahoney entered the race, Pollack decided he liked George better. He held to his promise to deliver the fourth for Sasscer, but switched the fifth and sixth to Mahoney. Mahoney won. Infuriated, Sasscer and his friends prevented Pollack from becoming a delegate to the National Convention.

Now the angry Pollack has announced that he is not sure whether he will support Stevenson or Eisenhower. Maryland Democrats, fearful that the loss of his 25,000 votes would mean sure defeat, invited him to be on the platform with Stevenson in Baltimore last week, but he refused.

Political observers think that Eisenhower has a slight lead in Maryland, which has been voting more & more Republican ever since 1932. Last week Ike outdrew Stevenson on the streets and in the halls of Democratic Baltimore. The Republican nominee almost certainly will win Maryland's nine electoral votes if Pollack swings to his side, and he may win them anyway. In the U.S. Senate race, the situation is different. Democratic Nominee Mahoney is running ahead of Representative J. Glenn Beall.