The Augusta Courier

Save Georgia From Boss Control Pleads Talmadge

FORT VALLEY, Ga., July 25.-Georgia's county unit system must be preserved because it is the only means the small counties have of protecting themselves against domination and boss control of state politics centralized in the hands of a few politicians. Herman Talmadge, candidate for governor, told a large crowd here today.

Talmadge charged that the county unit system is threatened with destruction at the hands of Ed Rivers, Ellis Arnall and M. E. Thompson.

"Rivers and Arnall are of course using their man Thompson in this fight for their own special benefit," Talmadge said.

"Rivers is dead politically and Arnall is dead politically as long as we have the county unit laws. They both know it and Arnall admitted it in a speech he made before the Chicago Rotary Club after the Supreme Court had upheld the constitutionality of this law.

"The county unit law is a bulwark of protection for the smaller counties of Georgia," Talmadge said. "If these laws are destroyed the next step will be a consolidation of counties. abolition of many county offices and court houses, a centralization of government in big counties and boss control of state politics from a hotel room in Atlanta."

Talmadge outlined his platform calling for benefits for veterans, payment of old age assistance to people entitled to it, improved educational system, better pay for school teachers, improvements of rural roads, economy in government, creation of a constitutional State Highway Board and close cooperation between capital and labor.