Restful Run-Off

Last month, without incident, Kentucky Republicans nominated King Swope, 40-year-old Lexington jurist, to be their candidate for Governor. Simultaneously the State's Democrats saw to it that the Dark & Bloody Ground's tradition for riotous elections did not fade. In the course of their primary balloting one was killed, several injured and the Adjutant General of the State was indicted for marching his militia into Harlan County in violation of a court injunction.

Of the five Democratic contenders for the Governorship, Governor Ruby Laffoon and his potent machine backed an oldtime politician from Russellville named Thomas S. Rhea. Rhea's chief adversary was young (37), spectacular Lieut. Governor Albert Benjamin ("Happy") Chandler of Versailles. Son of a rural mailman, red-headed "Happy" Chandler earned his way at University of Kentucky Law School by leading a jazz band, playing the piano. He coached the Centre College football teams of 1922-27, got himself elected to the State Senate in 1929. There he cultivated Ruby Laffoon, with whom he rode into Frankfort two years later as second-in-command.

Thereafter, "Happy" Chandler seldom did anything that did not land him on local front pages. When he went to Florida to visit the grave of his old mother whom he had not seen in 31 years, he found her very much alive. By assiduously applying the Governor's appointive power every time Ruby Laffoon stepped across the State line, he racked up a grand total of 597 honorary Kentucky Generals, Admirals and Colonels.

After his split with Laffoon, ostensibly over the sales tax which he opposed, Lieut. Governor Chandler last winter slipped a more important stunt over on his absent boss. He rammed through the Legislature a bill creating compulsory party primaries with the high man on each ticket winning the nomination, regardless of the size of his vote. When the Governor got back he rushed through an amendment compelling a run-off primary if the top man did not receive a majority. That proved the Laffoon machine's undoing, for in the August primary Candidate Rhea topped Candidate Chandler by 13,000 votes, but failed to receive a majority.

On the eve of the run-off fortnight ago, the Kentucky tradition still held good in bloody Harlan County. County Attorney Elmon C. Middleton, a Republican with apparent Laffoon affiliations, climbed into his coupe in front of his house, stepped on the starter. Instantly the machine exploded with a thunderclap, went to pieces like a paper bag. Attorney Middleton died almost instantly. Experts estimated that, had the other 17 sticks of dynamite under the car's hood gone off, the whole neighborhood might have been wrecked. But not one life was lost in the voting three days later.

Last week, as the result of Kentucky's laws which delay from 24 to 48 hours publication of election results, the votes of a rare and restful Democratic primary were officially cast up. "Happy" Chandler, having defeated Candidate Rhea by more than 26,000 votes, was well on his way to becoming the next Governor of Kentucky.

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