At Gaffney

South Carolina maintains an old and not unuseful custom. Candidates for nomination in the primaries there go on tour together and speak from the same platform to the same audiences. The audiences enjoy the thrill of the clashes. A crowd at the town of Gaffney, about 20 miles from Spartanburg, got an expected thrill.

Four candidates were on the platform. One of them was Senator Nathaniel B. Dial, seeking renomination. Another was John J. McMahan, State Insurance Commissioner. A third was Representative James F. Byrnes, and the fourth was Governor Coleman L. Blease. The last three were all seeking to take Senator Dial's seat away from him. Mr. McMahan had charged that Senator Dial gambled in cotton and oil stocks and put members of his own family on the Government payroll as employes in his office. The Senator replied that he had been trading in cotton for 25 years and that it was his private affair if he employed members of his family in his office. He furthermore accused McMahan of being a stalking-horse for Representative Byrnes. Heatedly, the contest progressed. McMahan demanded that the Senator withdraw his stalking-horse charge. Dial refused. "Dirty liar!" said McMahan. Thereupon they rushed at each other, and the mighty arm of the Senator swung a chair above his head--all this according to press reports.

Police prevented bloodshed. Both were arrested; released on bail of $11.50 each. Trials will be held after the primary election.