First Shoots

With the first spring breezes came politics. The hardy old perennial stuck a few tentative shoots above ground, some day to bear laurel or nettle, plums or raspberries. In peacetime or war, fair weather or foul, politics would still grow lushly over the U.S. countryside.

Pennsylvania. Big unanswered question about the race for Governor was: Would bald, suave, ex-Ambassador William C. Bullitt be a Democratic candidate? Bullitt said neither yes nor no. Democratic Senator Joseph F. Guffey, whose machine is hard-boiled, was saying plenty: he wants no silk stockings in the race.

Alabama. The sudden death of Bibb Graves (TIME, March 23), who had been certain to be elected Governor again, turned the primary from a formality to a fight. Five candidates who never had a chance now knew that one of them would win. Likeliest: Judge Chauncey Sparks, runner-up in the last primary.

North Carolina. Ruddy, wealthy, fire-eating Cameron Morrison, onetime Governor, onetime U.S. Senator, once thought he was set in the Senate for life. Then in 1932 along came Bob Reynolds, who followed him around the State, rolled out a red carpet, imitated Morrison's strut, bellowed: "Why, you know, folks, Cam eats cavi-ah! That's fish eggs, brought all the way from Rooshia." Now Morrison aimed at a comeback as Congressman, had an eye on Reynolds' seat in 1944.

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